Swimming schools in Singapore: seven schools, in order

Isplash Swim School charges S$120 to S$150 a month for children's group classes and from S$260 for 8 weekly adult lessons, with no registration fee or deposit for its weekly classes. Its FAQ gives class sizes of up to 6 for toddlers, 6 or 8 for beginner children depending on the pool, and 10 for adults, and its home page says its instructors are certified under NROC, AUSTSWIM or the Singapore Swimming Teachers' Association.

It teaches at The Chevrons and ActiveSG pools in the west, offers lessons in a condominium pool, and runs a free matching service with its network of coaches. Singapore Aquatics lists it as an associate member.

Able Aquatic School teaches babies, children, adults and swimmers with special needs at most public swimming complexes and at condominium pools around Singapore. Its rates start from S$100 a month or S$260 a course, private lessons cost S$100 a session, and weekend slots or female coaches cost S$20 more; its home page says all its instructors are certified by NROC, AUSTSWIM and STA.

Singapore Aquatics lists it as an associate member. ACRA shows Able Aquatic School as a sole proprietorship registered in June 2001; the number its pages print belongs to another business at the same postcode.

Marsden Swim School takes a maximum of 5 students a class, from infants of 4 months to adults, and its about page says every coach holds AUSTSWIM certification, with squad coaches adding ASCTA accreditation and NROC qualifications. Group classes cost S$44.69 on weekdays and S$47.96 at weekends, the swim squad S$239.80 a month and private classes S$92.65, with a one-time enrolment fee of S$54.50.

It teaches at four pools: Bukit Timah, Potong Pasir, the German European School and Delta Sport Centre. Singapore Aquatics lists it as an associate member.

SWISH! Swimming charges S$40 for a weekday group class and S$46 at weekends, with a maximum of 5 children a class; single ad-hoc classes cost S$60 or S$70 and private classes S$85 or S$90. It teaches babies with a parent from 4 months, children, adults and a swim squad with competition preparation, and its home page says its coaches are AUSTSWIM-certified.

Its pools are in Dempsey Hill. Singapore Aquatics lists Soul Swim Pte Ltd / Swish Swimming as an associate member.

Happy Fish Swim School teaches babies from 4 months, toddlers, children and adults, with ladies-only classes, in its own indoor pools heated to 32°C. Children's group lessons start from S$32.70 a lesson, depending on the pool, and adult terms of 10 lessons cost S$327 to S$545, with a maximum of 6 in an adult class.

Its pages say its coaches are fully trained in house and name no outside qualification. Singapore Aquatics lists it as an associate member.

Singapore Swimming Academy teaches at more than 25 public, private and condominium pools, and runs group classes at a condominium for children aged 5 and above from S$150 a month. Its children's classes elsewhere start from S$120 a month, adult classes from S$320 a course and ladies' classes from S$380, and its pages say its coaches are NROC registered and SwimSafer certified.

Singapore Aquatics' list of affiliates has no row for it, and its pages give no class size.

Red Dot Penguins teaches babies from 6 months, children, teens and adults, with a maximum of 6 children per instructor in learn-to-swim and baby classes and 4 in toddler classes, and runs a race team. Its locations page lists five pools, among them the YMCA at One Orchard and ACS on Barker Road.

Singapore Aquatics lists Red Dot Penguins as an ordinary member. Its fees are paid monthly in advance, but the pages read print no fee figures and name no qualification for its coaches.