Why Southwark?

At Southwark, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to feel confident, safe, and happy in the water, and our Swim Teachers make that possible every day. When you join us, you become part of a passionate team working at the heart of one of London’s most diverse and vibrant communities.

We’re proud to run some of the capital’s most popular leisure centres, where thousands of children and adults take their first strokes, build lifelong skills, and discover the joy of swimming. As a Swim Teacher in Southwark, your impact goes far beyond the pool, you’ll be helping to improve health, wellbeing, and confidence across our borough.

We’ll support you to grow in your career, whether that’s developing as a specialist teacher, or progressing within our wider Leisure Services team. You’ll have access to modern facilities, strong managerial support, and a culture that values creativity, teamwork, and delivering high-quality, inclusive programmes.

If you’re passionate about inspiring others, making a real difference, and being part of a community-focused organisation that invests in its people, Southwark is the place to be.

Dive in..... your next chapter starts here.

What You'll Be Doing

Help Southwark Council shape a leisure service that empowers every resident to lead a healthy, active life.

Do you have an Swim England Level 1 or 2 Qualification or STA Award or Certificate in Teaching Swimming, and experience of teaching a diverse customer base? Do you have the passion to teach swimming?

If the answer is yes - We are looking for a passionate and experienced Swim Teachers who will help us to deliver our swimming lessons, Southwark Splash and school lessons to our residents, members and visitors at the centres.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about swimming and helping people to achieve their goals, brings good energy, has a proactive and positive attitude and cares for our customers.

Reporting to the Centre Aquatics Manager, the successful candidate will have a passion for delivering excellent customer service. The successful candidate will -

• You will be responsible for undertaking sessions according to the programme timetable, and ensuring classes commence and finish at the designated times.
• You will need the natural ability to establish and maintain excellent relationships with our customers and potential customers, putting people at ease, with a real “can-do” attitude.
• You will comply with the Swim England Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct at all times, and ensure all concerns of a child safeguarding nature are referred in a timely and appropriate manner.
• You will ensure all lessons are delivered safely and effectively, delivered to a standard that complies with regulations and guidance.
• You will be passionate about always looking for ways to improve our swim lesson programme and better our service to swimmers and customers
• Deliver consistent excellent customer service and provide a professional, efficient and cheerful presence at all times.

What We're Looking For

You'll be:

• ASA Old Level 1 or SEQ Level 2 Teaching Swimming or equivalent
• STA Award or Certificate in Teaching Swimming – will need to covert to Swim England
• Experience working in a customer facing environment, providing the highest levels of customer care.
• Child Protection Training Additional CPD Accreditation
• Experience of delivering swimming lessons in a comparable role

If you would like to informally discuss, please contact Tony Evans, Aquatics Manager, .uk

Application process:

Please upload a full CV detailing your employment history and qualifications, along with a one-page cover letter outlining your key achievements and successes

This role is classed as Regulated Activity under safeguarding legislation. To help us ensure the safety and wellbeing of those we support, you’ll be asked to declare all cautions and both spent and unspent convictions as part of the recruitment process.

Additional Information

Closing date: Sunday 4 January 2026

Interviews: W/C 12th January 2026

Additional Information:

Level 1 - (£16.38 per hour)

Level 2 - (£19.94 per hour)

• Job type – Casual (Full Time/Part time available)
• Will be required to work occasional weekends and evenings to meet the needs of the service.
• Enhanced DBS check required.
• Comply with and promote the Council’s Equality and Diversity Policy

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Attachments

• Click here to view the Job description and Person specification