With nearly three decades of experience, Aquatic Learning Ltd has a long-standing reputation for teaching swimming to children and adults. This means that they’ve gone through all sorts of students and have continued to develop the quality of their lessons.

Their instructors are well-experienced and skilled in helping kids—especially with water confidence—and adults. Plus, they hold PVG checks to ensure a safe and professional learning environment.

Speaking of instructors—we’re happy to see their small class sizes. Depending on the class you or your child takes, the maximum pupil-to-instructor ratio is usually just 8:1 or 4:1.

They also have one-to-one and one-to-two lessons for those who want a more tailored session. 

Just keep in mind that there are different venues for their swim lessons in Edinburgh, depending on where you book (Braidburn School, Royal High School, Leith Academy, etc). So, this might be a dealbreaker for some if you’re aiming for a place with a pool or swim centre.

But hey, Aquatic Learning Ltd has an impressive track record and experience that makes it worthwhile.

Fantastic experience 

“A fantastic experience with aquatic learning. Both our children have learned to swim very well and gained lots of water confidence. The swim teachers have been supportive and very encouraging to the children allowing them to progress well through the swim levels.

Thank you so much for the last 7 years aquatic learning We are so glad to have had our children learn to swim with you. Laura”

Laura White, Google Review

Great guidance

“Highly recommend Aquatic Learning! My sons progressed through the levels really well with great guidance from the coaches.  Having the instructors in the pool when they were younger really helped with their confidence and the small classes mean they get a lot of pool time and learn quickly”

Catriona Blair, Google Review

What we like most about Swimtime Edinburgh is that they’re qualified to provide swim lessons for different ages—babies, children, and adults. We’re particularly impressed with their lessons for 2 to 4-year-olds since it takes more guidance to teach babies than an 8-year-old kid. 

They’ve crafted appropriate programs for different age groups, and for a more personalized approach, you can get private lessons—you can get an individual session or a class with up to three students.

Another highlight is that you can get a trial lesson before diving in and paying for a real lesson. You can check out how their swimming lesson goes by trying it out first without any upfront commitment.

It’s also nice how they do their best to accommodate your schedule, making it easier for families or students to participate. 

On the flip side, newer students may have to wait for a spot to free up since their slots fill up pretty fast. Still, this shows that Swimtime Edinburgh is a solid choice for swim lessons.

So patient with the kids

“Lewis has been my daughters swim teacher for almost one year and he is absolutely amazing! So patient with the kids and always has a smile on his face. My daughter has learnt so much at her lessons and gets so excited to go each week”

Christina Murray, Google Review

Incredibly patient and skilled

“My son went from refusing to go into the water to excitedly running to his classes over the last term. Heather, his teacher, was incredibly patient and skilled with my very reluctant 4 year old. I’d highly recommend!”

Chelsie Wyatt, Google Review

Turtle Tots Edinburgh is quite on brand since they emphasize a child-led methodology, making sure lessons are enjoyable and adaptable to each kid’s comfort level. They specialize in introducing babies aged 0-14 months to swimming and beginning a lifelong love for water. 

For 14-month-old and 3-year-old toddlers, their lessons are thoughtfully put together to strike a perfect balance between teaching technique, safety skills, floating, and even some water games. Having your toddlers learn to float is an important skill, especially for their safety. 

Parents we talked to also shared how much progress their kids made, especially when it came to building water confidence. They also loved how patient and fun the instructors were—always finding ways to keep kids engaged and feel safe. 

Hearing all this—it’s a bummer that they don’t focus on swimming lessons for adults. So, if you’re also looking to get a lesson, even alongside your kid, you’d have to look elsewhere.

That aside, we can’t deny how Turtle Tots Edinburgh is a top contender for your kid’s swimming lessons.

Great to see the progress

“We made the switch from Edinburgh Leisure swimming lessons around 18 months ago and are so glad we did. Nikki is an amazing teacher and it has been great to see the progress with our daughter’s swimming. Our daughter looks forward to swimming every week and so do we. We highly recommend Turtle Tots to everyone we know”

Megan, Google Review

Friendly and engaging

“We have loved swimming with turtle tots from 8 weeks to almost 5yrs. The teachers have all been so friendly and engaging with both parents and children. They really have got the best swimming out of my children who are now very confident in the pool.”

Clare Cockburn, Google Review

Swimming Nature Edinburgh goes for an innovative and more direct teaching method that focuses on a natural connection with water, skipping floats, and swim aids entirely. Their approach helps students develop genuine swimming skills and water confidence.

It might sound too jarring for some, but the parents we chatted with mentioned how they eventually felt relieved after seeing the instructors teach. 

The instructors are highly experienced, have ASA or STA qualifications, and have up-to-date life-saving certifications renewed every two years. They also undergo CRB background checks for added peace of mind.

We also love that they offer lessons throughout the week, which means they can better accommodate your schedules—especially for busy students on weekdays.

The only catch? Their rates and lessons can be pricier than others. So, it’ll probably be best to go for group sessions if you’re on a tight budget.

Nonetheless, Swimming Nature Edinburgh is a great choice if you want to learn without depending on swim aids.

Make the swim experience fun

“Our daughter has been having classes for over a year now. We can see how she developed her swimming skills from not being able to swim to confidently swim with different styles and more importantly loving swimming now. All this thanks to great teachers Jen and Joanna who make swim experience so much fun!”

Ula Tarkowska, Google Review

Show genuine care

“Delighted with the way in which Joanna and Jennifer in Edinburgh have taught my children to swim. They are kind, gentle and show genuine care. Both my children have grown hugely in confidence as well as ability and always look forward to their lessons. Thank you so much!”

Marie James, Google Review

As Edinburgh’s only 50-metre pool, the Royal Commonwealth Pool gives visitors and students plenty of room to practice and sharpen their skills. Plus, it’s a good place for just an overall fitness experience, given that they also have a gym and other activity spaces.

We like how you can choose from different swim lessons, from beginner to advanced level classes. Both kids and adults are also welcome to join in their classes.

That said, Royal Commonwealth Pool has a family-friendly environment, featuring things like warm changing facilities and a soft play area. This makes it a good choice if you’re looking for a place to swim around while one of your family members takes lessons.

On the downside, there might be a waitlist and fewer spots for swim lessons due to the shortage of instructors. And note that parking can be tricky during peak times, especially for those needing disabled or accessible parking spaces.

Regardless, Royal Commonwealth Pool is a solid pick, especially for swimmers who want a large and long pool.4

Great facilities

“Great facilities. Nice staff. The kids love the diving boards but you need to check when they are open. Great pool for little kids too.”

Matthew Wilcken, Google Review

Fantastic place for families

“It was the perfect family outing! The facilities were top-notch, and the atmosphere was welcoming. Our son is now a proud member of the swimming club for kids, and we couldn’t be happier. It’s a fantastic place for families to enjoy quality time together while staying active. Highly recommended!””

Manuel Domo, Google Review