The 30 Best Pools for swimming in Birmingham

“My daughter has really enjoyed learning to swim at Newhall school. She has had great teachers and really enjoys going every week. A bit of a late starter at 6 years old, she hasn't felt out of place and has taken to it really well. I learnt with Sue back in the 80s so was thrilled to see her legacy has continued and that there are several local venues to choose from. Highly recommend Sue's Swim School.”

“I haven’t been swimming for a while so needed a little boost to get back into it, Katalina was an amazing teacher put me at ease straight away and I picked things up easy. Would highly recommend Katalina”

“My daughter has been swimming with the school since mid way through last year and Andy and Matt handled the whole restrictions so well and their updates are well timed, thoughtful, and most importantly, personal. The instructors are lovely and my daughter is still excited to go to her lessons every week (trust me, we’ve tried other after school classes, this is a huge deal!). Love the app that’s recently been deployed and would highly recommend”

“Our little girl has had baby and toddler lessons at Chessgrove and it’s been amazing. The only reason we’ve left is because we’re moving away. The staff are lovely and facilities are great. She’s nearly 2 and is so confident in the water. Every teacher has been fantastic and we’ve loved every lesson. We will really miss our Sunday morning swims. Couldn’t recommend more for anyone thinking about lessons.”

“We had tried a few other pools and set ups that had been recommended on Facebook (turns out it was their own staff and owners recommending them), they were okay, but the teachers were constantly changing and they didn't really make it exciting- they just went through the motions. My 2 have been at this pool and swam on all 3 days over the last 18 months due to scheduling issues. The admin side have been great, they reply to emails, answer any questions and got us sorted quickly. The girls at the pool have been great. Super friendly and the kids have progressed well and love every minute of it. What else can we ask for!”

“Julie is brilliant! She was so kind and patient enough to answer all of my questions and reminded me that there was no such thing as a silly question. Julie built my confidence in the pool in a manner that was constructive yet safe. I have swimming experience but that was over a decade ago, so she taught me as though I was a beginner - she is very experienced and will tailor your swimming lesson to you. Julie is also very observant, so whether you’re feeling nervous, confident or anxious to learn how to swim, she will bear that in mind whilst teaching. I’m a young adult and I felt very confident, so I can imagine she would also do a great job for people both younger and older than myself. I’ve taken everything Julie taught me on board, and now I am confident to swim in swimming pools at leisure centres on my own. So so grateful! Thank you for your passion Julie, you are doing amazing work x”

“My three kids have been to GSA for the last few years. The improvements in their swimming and confidence in the water have been worth every penny, and the enthusiasm and genuine sense of care from the likes of Lillia and Dan who have coached my current two kids has been stand out (a big compliment as I know through running my own coaching business the challenge of developing and retaining exceptional coaches)”

“We have been using Second Nature and can honestly say that the improvement in the swimming ability of our children is remarkable. Our instructor, Katalina, is wonderful in engaging the children, initially making sure they were confident and safe in the water before moving on to teach them the usual swimming strokes. Being safe in the water in a short space of time allowed our children to have the best holiday yet as they were able to move about in the water independently and gave us the peace of mind that swimming accidents would be reduced so more relaxing all round. All in all, well worth the investment.”

“Me and my son have had lessons from Beth and we have found them to be a high standard. We look forward every week to our lessons her friendly manner makes it a joy to be taught by her. My son has come on in his swimming and feeling comfortable in the water and that is a credit to her as the previous swimming instructor he had, he was very happy when he left. Beth has this calming way of delivering our lessons, I have also come a long way in my confidence in the water and it's down to how she coaches me. Over all she is pleasent, amenable, flexible approachable and always has a smile. In my sons words "she is a diamond"”

“S4 Swimming School is truly a standout in swim education! From the moment you walk in, it's clear that they prioritize not only skill development but also creating a fun, safe, and supportive environment for swimmers of all ages. The lessons are tailored to individual needs, and the instructors are patient, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do. A special shoutout goes to Steph, the manager, who is nothing short of amazing. She is organized, approachable, and ensures that every detail is taken care of seamlessly. Whether it's scheduling lessons or addressing any concerns, Steph goes above and beyond to make sure that both parents and swimmers feel confident and cared for. Her warmth and professionalism really set the tone for the whole program. If you're looking for a swimming school that excels in every aspect, S4 is the place to be!”

“S4 Swimming School is truly a standout in swim education! From the moment you walk in, it's clear that they prioritize not only skill development but also creating a fun, safe, and supportive environment for swimmers of all ages. The lessons are tailored to individual needs, and the instructors are patient, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do. A special shoutout goes to Steph, the manager, who is nothing short of amazing. She is organized, approachable, and ensures that every detail is taken care of seamlessly. Whether it's scheduling lessons or addressing any concerns, Steph goes above and beyond to make sure that both parents and swimmers feel confident and cared for. Her warmth and professionalism really set the tone for the whole program. If you're looking for a swimming school that excels in every aspect, S4 is the place to be!”

“I started swimming at Wyre Forest when I realised that people at my school who trained with the club were much better than me. I've been there 3 years now, learned to swim very well with the LTS programme (better than the swimming pool training at my local pool). I am now in the Gold squad and am looking at competing in regional and national competitions when they start again. Excellent club”

“Such a lovely, tranquil place to escape to. You need a fob to gain access which is easily obtained via the website or just hang around the gate long enough aha. Clean toilets on site and tennis courts. One of my fave places to take a book and relax”

“WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Went yesterday afternoon for the 1hr 30 min slot. Clean pool⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Facilities I.e toilet and shower aboustly clean ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hot tub⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Manger made us feel very comfortable⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Throughout the experience the manger only came down once to start the hot tub. After that she left us to enjoy. Jules is such a nice, caring and welcoming host. Thanks for a great experience Jules. Will be definitely coming again with my family.❤️”

“Fantastic venue, plenty of parking, loads of staff to guide you, and the pools are amazing. They have hydraulic floors enabling variable water depths. State of the art gym. Also all types of classes available”

“Making Waves is such a fantastic place to take your child to have swimming lessons! All instructors are brilliant and really friendly! They are very supportive to all the children’s individual needs. Our son has been attending for a few years now, his confidence has flourished!”

“Lovely small instructional pool - great for smaller kids and those learning to swim. Friendly staff and great atmosphere - no lockers etc things are stored in cubicles around the pool. Have to book by phone but will need your leisure number (get one on Bham Council site)”

“I have used the facilities multiple times and I have found the staff welcoming and friendly. The pool is lovely and warm which makes swimming more enjoyable for me. I have seen multiple reviews about their car parking and ‘lack’ of signs for registering their vehicles. In my eyes you shouldn’t be driving if you can’t see multiple signs darted about, along with a 6ft banner in the reception area! In all great pool and staff”

“Nice and relaxing good,spot for water fowl and nature”

“My teenage son and his friends go swimming here every Sunday after closing time during a private male only swimming session. They love it. P.s. the picture is taken from the backside of the building. Free parking is available at all times.”

“A long walking trail with spectacle views, you can spot different birds, wild walking trails and can pick some berries as well.”

“I’ve been coming here for 3-4 months now and really enjoy it. The pool is lovely and so is the gym. The lifeguards are very helpful, and in particular Bradley is very friendly, he cleans quite a lot to keep the pool up to standard and has been very helpful when necessary. PT Kat is also very helpful too and is a great PT. I would rate Nuffield 5/5 stars, I really enjoy it.”

“Very welcoming and helpful pleasant staff. I had a free open day trial session and thoroughly enjoyed my session. Very clean and was able to use all gym and joined into an excercise class. Enjoyed swimming and especially the jacuzzi, brilliantly hot steam room and sauna. Well worth going to. Well enjoyed my session. Thankyou”

“Brilliant facility and service. My children have grown in confidence and are so happy. They really enjoy swimming here. The instructors are brilliant, so kind and caring. Not forgetting the amazing Libby! I would definitely recommend this place!”

“I wanted to say a very big thanks to u Jo and the girls at the swimming class for supporting my daughter and encouraging her to push further to achieve her goal.. she has become a very confident swimmer and is very nervous and excited to start at the new swimming pool.. this challenge is a very good opportunity to develop my daughters swimming further.. i would definitely recommend this swimming school as it's small swimming pool and also has small classes.. x”

“Brilliant Swim school, the staff are incredibly patient, friendly, understanding and excellent swimming teachers. I have 3 special needs children who all love learning with S 4 swim school, they are made to feel very relaxed and thrive with highly intuitive instructors. Highly recommend them.”

“S4 swim School have been really great. My daughter had been going for 6 months and the teachers have been fantastic. Would recommend to all.”

“Very professional instructor, was great with the kids!”