Gold accreditation for AC Baths Swim School

9 November 2015

What makes a fantastic swim school? The team at the AC Baths know - they've just become the first swim school in the country to be presented with a gold accreditation!

The swim school has been accredited as a Quality Swim School or several years, but the system changed this year to three levels to determine excellence - bronze, silver and gold.

Pools and activities operations manager Nigel Newbery said swim schools were audited annually and were marked on criteria including the percentage of qualified staff, the curriculum, staff performance, community involvement and more.

Mr Newbery said he believed the Swim School had a winning formula for success. We have dedicated teachers and coaches, a strong curriculum and a strong relationship with our swimmers and their families, he said. They know we will do everything we can to help them and build their children into confident swimmers.

The Swim School was audited earlier this month and was presented with their gold accreditation certificate on Friday. Mr Newbery said there were many benefits to being accredited. Course fees for swim instructors and coaches were reduced, Swimming New Zealand could run on-site training sessions and have its mascot Koru the Kiwi come to visit, and the Swim School also had the use of Quality Swim School branding, making it stand out as a good school.

All of the Swim School's staff are qualified swim teachers and many have additional qualifications in teaching swimmers with a disability, teaching early childhood swimmers, competitive coaching and more.

We are thrilled we have the support of the community and that we are able to give back to it through the Contact Swim Well Taupō programme, Mr Newbery said. Contact's sponsorship means we can provide free swimming lessons for many children in the district who may otherwise be unable to learn to swim.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lisa Nairne Communications Manager 07 376 0762 027 839 8410

Vicki Waterhouse Communications Advisor 07 376 0718 027 484 2549

Taupo District Council

www.taupo.govt.nz