Swimming Academy

Swimming Academy

The BCS Swimming Academy is open to both pupils and non-pupils and is affiliated with Swim England.

We aim to help every swimmer fulfil their potential, learn the importance of working as a team plus enjoy new experiences and friendships.


Key Features 

  • Timetabled swim sessions incorporated into the BCS school day
  • A yearly integrated competition calendar/racing plan
  • High performance support
  • Elite level coaching both in the pool and gym
  • Progress reports
  • Mentoring sessions with your coaches
  • Long course training sessions

Entrance Criteria

The Swimming Academy is a competitive programme that is performance driven with an entrance criteria. Potential members will undergo a trial in an academy session to decide which level they would swim at. Swimmers will be placed in either the blue, silver, or development training group. This directly dictates the level and amount they swim with blue being the higher ability swimmers performing at National level. Selection Criteria: The BCS swimming programme is not just for Bournemouth Collegiate School pupils but is open to all to apply.


How to Join

Request a trial by contacting Head Coach Sam Woodward by emailing: 


Selection Criteria: The BCS swimming programme is not just for Bournemouth Collegiate School pupils, but is open to all to apply.


Semotion

For existing members, please follow the Sports Engine Motion link to login. 

Team Unify Access 

Learn to Swim Programme 

Meet the Coaching Team

Sam Woodward (website)Sam Woodward

Head Coach | County Coach | ASA Club Coach - Level 3 | ASA Level 2 Teacher with advanced coaching | IOS Level 3 Assessor

 

 

 

James Ryan (website)James Ryan
Swimming Coach | ASA Level 2 Coach | ASA Level 2 Teacher




 

Tony Watson (website)Tony Watson

Development Coach | ASA Club Coach - Level 3 | Olympic Coach - Sydney 2000 | World Championship Coach 2003 | Commonwealth Games 2002 | Multiple World Cup Meet Swim Coach
 
 
 
Sharon Abley 
ASA Club Coach - Level 2 | ASA Level 2 Teacher

Swimming Schedule

Competition Information

Licensed Meets are swimming events licensed by Swim England. This means they have to meet certain standards to ensure fair competition.

The English swimming licensed meets calendar contains a range of ‘open’ meets, designed to give all competitive swimmers in England the chance to achieve their true potential. All licensed meets are subject to ASA laws and regulations and the ASA Technical Rules of Racing. They are graded into four levels.

Level 1 - Meets are long course (50m) only and cover National, Regional and County Championships. Their purpose is to enable athletes to achieve qualifying times for entry into National, Regional and County Championships.

Level 2 - Meets are short course (25m) only and cover National, Regional and County Championships. Their purpose is to enable athletes to achieve qualifying times for entry into National, Regional and County Championships in short course.

Level 3 - Meets are long and short course events. Their purpose is to enable athletes to achieve times for entry into Regional and County Championships and other Meets at Level 1 or Level 2.

Level 4 - Meets are entry level events in pools 25m or greater. Club Championships are an example. They are for inexperienced athletes and swimmers seeking to compete outside their club environment. If times are good athletes progress to Level 3 Meets.

The coaching team will put together and publish a competition calendar at the start of each season (September-July) with the aim of giving all members of BCS swimming club the opportunity to compete and achieve their personal goals.

Competition Calendar

DATE COMPETITION VENUE SQUAD
September

04 

Welcome back BBQ 

 

BCS senior 

All members 

 

05 

Welcome back Meeting 

BCS senior 

All members 

23 

ESSA Secondary School Team Relay 

 

Millfield 

BCS pupils 

October 

02-04 

Winchester Open Meet  

 

Winchester 

National Qualifiers & Regional Finalists 

 

03/04 

Dorset Development Meet 

 

Littledown 

All members 

04 

Swim England National Team County Championships 

 

Sheffield 

County Selection 

November 

05 

ISA South West National Qualifier 

 

Millfield 

BCS pupils 

06-08 

South West Winter Championships 

 

Millfield 

Qualifiers 

07/08 

Windsor Sprint & Slog Open Meet 

 

TBC 

800 & 1500 swimmers 

by invitation 

15 

Swim Bournemouth 

Open Meet 

 

Littledown 

All members 

21 

ESSA National Secondary Team Relays Finals 

Birmingham 

Qualification via ESSA South West Secondary Team Relays 

 

27 

ISA National Finals 

London Aquatic Centre 

BCS pupils selected from ISA National Qualifier 

28/29 

Windsor Level 3 Open Meet 

Maidenhead 

All members 

December 

10-13 

Swim England National Winter Championships 

 

Sheffield 

Qualifiers 

 

24 

BCS Time Trials 

 

BCS Senior 

All members 

24  

Christmas Eve Breakfast 

Ludo Lounge 

All member 

January 

17 

Dorset County Championships 800m 

 

Dorchester 

Qualifiers 

 

23/24 

Dorset County Championships 

 

Littledown 

Qualifiers 

 

31 

Dorset County Championships 1500m 

 

Dorchester 

Qualifiers 

 

February 

06/07 

Dorset County Championships 

 

Littledown 

Qualifiers 

 

27 

Dorset Novice Gala 

Littledown 

 

 

Development 

TBC 

Aquatics GB Para Swimming Winter Meet 

 

TBC 

Qualifiers 

March 

20/21 

Nuel Level 1 National Qualifier 

 

London Aquatic Centre 

Elite  

20/21 

Level 3 Long Course Meet  

TBC 

 

 

Performance 

25-28 

Portsmouth NorthseaEaster Open Meet 

 

Mountbatten Centre 

Elite 

30-03 

Warm Weather Training Camp 

 

Spain 

By invitation 

April 

13-18 

Aquatics GB swimming championships 

London Aquatic Centre 

Qualifiers 

 

14-18 

Scottish Swimming Age Group Championships 

Glasgow 

Qualifiers 

 

24/25 

South West Regional Championships (age) 

Millfield 

Qualifiers 

 

May 

01-03  

South West Regional Championships (youth) 

Bristol 

Qualifiers 

 

08/09 

South West Regional Championships (age) 

 

Millfield 

Qualifiers 

 

15 

PNSC Level 3 Long Course Meet 

Mountbatten Centre  

All members 

15 

Dorset Graded Meet 

 

 

Dorchester 

Development  

June 

No competitions blocked out for training 

Exception of regional open water championships 

July 

03/04 

Poole End of Season Long Course Level 3 Open Meet 

 

Millfield 

All members 

TBC 

Aquatics GB Next Gen Swimming Championships 

TBC 

British Rankings top 24 by invitation 

Boys 15+ / Girls 14+ 

 

August 

TBC 

Swim England Open Water Championships 

 

TBC 

Top 4 in each age group from regional open water 

TBC 

Swim England Summer Championships 

TBC 

English Rankings top 22 by invitation 

Boys 14+ / Girls 13+ 

 

TBC 

Swim Wales Summer Championships 

 

TBC 

Qualifiers 

 

TBC 

Scottish Swimming Summer Championships 

 

TBC 

Qualifiers 

 

 

Club Structure

Swimming Management Team

  • Principal - Maria Coulter
  • Head of Senior - Helen Pike
  • Head of Prep - Karen Wyborn 
  • Business Manager - Carly Guy 
  • Head of Academies - David Tomlinson
  • Head of Swimming - Sam Woodward
  • Swimming Development - Tony Watson

Welfare

At Bournemouth Collegiate School, the welfare of our members comes before anything else we do. Should you have any welfare issues you feel you need to discuss with someone in confidence, please contact one of our welfare officers who will be able to help you. 

Both swimmers and parents are welcome to contact the welfare officers. Even if you think your concern is small, we are here to help. All issues will be treated in confidence.

Marie Spriggs (Senior) marie.spriggs@bcschool.co.uk

Laura Riggs (Prep) laura.riggs@bcschool.co.uk

In addition, as an independent school, Swim England require us to have an additional welfare officer that is not employed by the school or not related to, or in a close relationship with, either the management team, or a coach of the organisation. If you feel a safeguarding matter is not following the correct process then please feel free to contact our external welfare officer:

Mr Andy Brown (external) andy.brown@bcschool.co.uk

Child Protection and Welfare

BCS Swimming Academy is committed to protecting children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. The welfare of children is the responsibility of everyone involved with the swimming club – whether a committee member, a club official, a coach, parent, friend and the children themselves. If you have any concerns about the safety of any child in the Club or the behaviour of any adults please talk to one of our Club Welfare Officers.

Swimline can also be contacted on 0808 100 4001.

Swimline: Protecting Children

Swim England with the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) operates Swimline. Swimline was launched over 10 years ago and is a confidential freephone number provided for anyone involved in aquatics, adults or children, who believe that the welfare of someone under the age of 18 is at risk. This concern could be neglect, abuse, bullying or fear of someone or anything that is worrying you and you don’t know who to discuss it with.

When calling Swimline you will get through to an answerphone where you will be asked to leave your name and contact details and if you wish some brief details of your concern. The Swim England Safeguarding Team or a Swimline volunteer will call you back, listen to your concerns and agree a way forward with you. If you leave a message they aim to contact you back during the next working day. If you leave a message after 3pm on a Friday, or over a weekend they will contact you back on the following Monday.

If you need to speak to someone immediately you can follow the instructions on the answer phone message and be transferred immediately to the NSPCC. The NSPCC counsellors will advise you directly if you choose this option. Swimline calls are free and do not appear on an itemised phone bill unless your call is made from a mobile phone.

Swim England have updated all their policies and a new Wavepower document has been published in 2024. We have adopted the Swim England safeguarding policies and procedures as laid out in the Wavepower Documentation. This is the framework we will follow in any safeguarding matters; the rest can be found in the Swim England Wavepower document below. 

Swim England Wavepower

Swimming Policies

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