qualife Swimming
Meet the Team - The Partners
"We believe that it’s not enough just to learn to swim, we want to inspire our swimmers to love the water."
Penny Watkins - Founder and Instructor
I’ve always felt more at home in the water than on the land and for me, swimming was a skill that came naturally. As a child, I swam competitively for many years and my passion for the water stayed with me into adulthood.
I first experienced the joy of teaching others about the wonder of water and the aquatic world when I managed a Scuba Diving centre in the Canary Islands. I gained a wealth of experience in teaching diving and snorkelling skills to people of all ages, nationalities and abilities.
When I returned the UK, I decided to follow my heart and pursue a career in swimming teaching.
In 2012 I was offered the opportunity to take over the running of a small local swimming school and Aqualife Swimming was born.
Five years on, I am proud to work with a passionate and talented group of swimming teachers to deliver swimming lessons to hundreds of individuals every week. I am now also a STA Tutor and absolutely love helping people to become swimming instructors and introducing them to this amazing career.
Qualifications:
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STA Tutor
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STA Level 2 Swim Instructor
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STA Junior Lifeguard Instructor
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STA Baby & Pre-School Instructor
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STA Antenatal Swimming Instructor
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STA/ PADI Snorkelling Instructor
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Water Fitness Aquacade Instructor
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Aqua Stretch Instructor
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RLSS Life Guard
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PADI Diver
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Safeguarding Children & Adults Certification Makaton User (Foundation level course for professionals)
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Reiki Level 2
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Fin2Fit Mermaid Instructor
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Enhanced DBS Check
Anna Hodges - Partner and Instructor
I remember swimming lessons fondly as a child, starting in beginner classes and working my way through to the Personal Survival Badges. I always felt very comfortable in the water, but it was during my pregnancies and early experiences in Adult and Child lessons with my little ones that a passion in me ignited for swimming teaching.
I have been working with Penny at Aqualife since leaving London, I joined as an ASA Level 2 Qualified Teacher with ASA Pre-Fundamentals Qualifications enabling me to teach Adult and Child lessons. Since then my own Aquatic Journey has continued, obtaining further qualifications as an STA Tutor, STA Junior Lifeguard Programme, Adult Lessons, STA Aquacise, and STA Antenatal Swimming Instructor.
Qualifications:
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STA Aquatic Tutor
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ASA UKCC Level 2 Certificate in Teaching Aquatics (QCF)
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ASA UKCC Level 1 Award in Teaching Aquatics (QCF)
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ASA Level 2 Award in Coaching Aquatic Pre-Fundamentals (QCF) – Teaching Baby and Pre-School
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STA Level 2 Aquatics - People with Disablities
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STA Aquatic Teaching: Aquacise Instructor
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STA Antenatal Swimming Instructor
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STA Teaching Adults Instructor
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STA Junior Lifeguard Instructor including Diving, Starts and Turns specifications
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STA Internal Quality Assurance Assesor
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Member of STA
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STA Award for Safety Award for Teachers
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STA Pool Emergency Responder Award
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Emergency First Aid at Work
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Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
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Fin2Fit Mermaid Instructor
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Enhanced DBS Check
