Dagenham Swimming Club operates 5 evenings a week at Loxford School, Loxford Lane, Ilford. We run a swim school, providing lessons for beginners and all levels up to competitive standard. Over the years our swim school has earned a good reputation for providing quality teaching and we are now nationally accredited by the sport's governing body, the ASA.

All our teaching staff are qualified and CRB checked. Have a look around the site and feel free to get in touch using the contact page if you have any questions!

Dagenham Swimming Club are pleased to announce that in June 2011 we were successful in being SWIM 21 re-accredited. SWIM21 is a 'Quality mark' that recognises both nationally and regionally the clubs that are committed to providing safe, effective and quality services for the benefit of their members. To achieve this clubs need to demonstrate a commitment to development and ensuring that they provide an excellent service to their swimmers and community.

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham have stated that they will now be the sole provider of swimming lessons in their pools. This therefore means that after some 62 years of being involved with swimming in the Borough, we have to now look elsewhere for water space. Loxford School, whose pool we have used for a number of years, have kindly said we can hire their pool 5 nights a week and we hope to be able to announce a new schedule shortly.

| 01.05.11 |

For some considerable time, in conjunction with our neighbours Becontree SC, we have been meeting with the Borough and London Swimming about the future of aquatics in the Borough.

At a meeting on Wednesday 25 November, the Borough basically decreed the following :

   -   All Learn to Swim up to Stage 7 will be delivered by the Borough from when the new pool opens

   -   They will only allow one club to hire their facilities.

The ‘one club’ will deal solely with swimmers at Stage 8 up to competition. Pool time will be allocated to ‘the club’ at all three pools at prime times. For the Becontree Heath pool this will probably mean 5 lanes being given to the club Monday to Friday. To accommodate all the development levels swimming and training will take place using Abbey and Goresbrook on the same nights. The Learn to Swim up to Stage 7 will all be operated by the Borough and once the swimmers reach the appropriate level they will progress through to the club.

In conjunction with Becontree SC we now have to consider how to move forward. It has been said that a new or merged club should be formed ( perhaps entitled Barking & Dagenham Aquatic Club ) and this will inevitably mean that DSC and BSC are no more. Discussions will need to take place very soon with interested parties because the new pool, which opens in May 2011, is on offer to only one club and things will need to be in place before then. In the meantime we will endeavour to operate on a ‘business as usual’ basis, but watch this space for news on developments.

It is appreciated that all this will create a period of serious uncertainty for parents, swimmers and staff, as there are an awful lot of questions with very few answers at the moment. All we can suggest is that you watch this space.

Over the last couple of years there have been a number of draft strategies issued and comments fed back. For sight of the latest version which details this – please access the members’ section. For details of the password ask anyone on the committee or send a request to this website providing your details.

Teacher Qualifications
In our drive for continual improvement which does involve development of our staff, many congratulations to Jamie, Julie, Leanne and Marylou who have all just passed their Level 2 and congratulations to Kirsty for passing her Level 1 Teaching course. Well done.

Tesco Vouchers
A massive thanks to all who donated their vouchers. We managed to buy three stopwatches, replacement first aid equipment and a rounders set for our annual Summer fun-days.