About Us

DIRECTOR

Over the last ten years Connie has managed a number of Leisure Centre and Club sports programmes giving her a wide range of experience in running gymnastics, trampolining, synchro, water-polo and diving programmes.

However her number one passion is swimming. An ex-international swimmer, she qualified as a swimming coach whilst living in Fiji and coached the Fijian national team.

Connie lives in WInchester with her three sons.

DIRECTOR

Sarah has been teaching and coaching for 40 years. From 2003-2008 she was Head Coach at Tritons Swimming Club and National Coach of Fiji. Sarah’s swimmers competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at the 2012 London Olympics.

In 2008 she joined Winchester City Penguins Swim Club, eventually retiring from her head coach position in 2021 in order to create The Standen Swim Academy in partnership with her daughter Connie.

Sarah has four children, all of whom became competitive swimmers and later swim teachers and/or coaches. Her four grandchildren all swim with The Standen Swim Academy. Many of our current teachers are also former students of Sarah.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Jeannette has had a lifelong love of swimming. It runs in the family; Jeannette is an ex-international swimmer and her brother is a cliff driver!

Jeannette has been teaching for over 15yrs and loves seeing her swimmers gain confidence and fall in love with the water. Her patience and caring nature instantly put her swimmers at ease.

In her spare time, she is kept busy with her two sons and going away as a family in the camper van.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Hannah started her journey as a swimming teacher as a teenager, always wanting to return to it one day. Now, nearly fifteen years later and as a mum of three, Hannah has come back to the pool.

Although she teaches all stages at Durley House, Hannah’s passion is in the Baby & Preschool classes where she loves to bring lots of energy to the lessons; using different toys and equipment to engage both the adult and child to have fun while learning in the water. Hannah is eager to add more sensory experiences to her lessons so children can play and explore as well learning the core skills of swimming.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Freddie is not only a Swim England Level 2 teacher but also a NPLQ lifeguard.

Otherwise known as the BFG, Freddie’s calm and friendly demeanour puts his swimmers instantly at ease. He finds the perfect balance between ensuring his swimmers are always being challenged, while still having fun and respecting the water.

In his spare time you will often find Freddie on the rugby field.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Fraser is a Swim England level 2 teacher but started as a poolside helper at the humble age of 13 at Eastleigh Swim Club. He is training and competing in swimming and gained a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke at Nationals in 2022.

He loves being able to teach from in the water and watching swimmers develop skills while having fun in their lessons.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Gary qualified as swimming instructor in 1984 and has over 40 years extensive experience teaching swimming at all levels to include Lifesaving and Diving.

His passion for swimming started when he was young, swimming for his local swimming club. He then started to coach for the club at 17.

Starting as a lifeguard he worked his way up to management and set up and ran a swim school in local authority and charitable trust.

His style of teaching is energetic, passionate and fun. He strives to get swimmers swimming with great style once they have had fun gaining water confidence.

Away from the pool Gary can often be found on a bike. He has attends many sportive and cycling events on the road, gravel and mountain bike

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Vikki has been a swimming instructor for over 10 years and has worked with a huge range of swimmers during this time.

Vikki specialises in teaching swimming to children and adults with learning disabilities. She regularly incorporates sign language and visuals into her lessons to assist children/adults in lessons.

In her spare time Vikki loves to take her son Samuel swimming.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Jorja is a fun and enthusiastic teacher, who loves teaching all ages. She finds watching a child grow in confidence and ability to be hugely rewarding. She hopes to progress each child to their full potential.

Jorja was a diver for 5 years and even met Tom Daley!

When not in the pool, Jorja loves going out with her dog Bailey and playing netball.

She is currently studying Uniformed Service and hopes to be a firefighter in the future!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Sally adores the water and especially enjoys teaching the beginner stages and watching those breakthrough moments when a child does something for the first time.

Sally says she is always found surrounded by children as she has 5 children and 1 grandchild, Sally is a qualified nanny and also teaches gymnastics and dance.

In her spare time Sally and her husband have a ceramics business so are mostly found their studio (garage)!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Jessica started as an assistant teacher for her local swimming club Portsmouth Northsea at 14 years of age. She has taught swimming for 17 years with a brief break to study Children's Nursing in London.

Jess says swimming is her passion and she loves seeing swimmers gain confidence and enjoy being in the water. She enjoys teaching all stages.

Outside of work Jess spends most of her time chasing around after her two boys who are one and two years of age.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Alice started swimming when she was only 6 months old and has continued to swim ever since. She started swim teaching at 14 years of age. Alice enjoys seeing the progress her swimmers achieve and watching how their confidence and willingness to challenge themselves develops. She loves creating a fun environment for her swimmers to learn in and enjoys watching them become excited to explore their abilities.

Alice is currently studying physics, maths and Spanish at college.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Ben has had a life long passion for swimming and has progressed through Winchester City Swim Club from lessons, all the way to Finals at British Nationals.

His experiences have taught him not only how to be safe in the water, but also how to enjoy it. Through his lessons, Ben strives to pass this on to his swimmers and believes that fun is the core aspect to swimming and sport.

Ben has a sister with Down syndrome from whom he has learnt valuable lessons such as patience and the important of clear communication.

Outside of the pool, Ben is studying biology, PE and geography and is in the second year of his A levels.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Sharon’s first job was a life guard and qualified as a level 2 teacher over 32 years ago. Also Sharon is an aquaphobic coach and has previously taught dolphin snorkelling.

Sharon taught one of our most popular teachers, Fraser, how to swim!

As soon as the water touches Sharon’s toes a big smile comes on her face, as it is a very magical place to be. Sharon’s lessons are safe and fun and Sharon really enjoys the moment ( tear of joy ) when the child or adult swims for the very first time.

Sharon loves the outdoors, walking her dog, playing netball, gardening and socialising lots.

SWIMMING & LIFESAVING INSTRUCTOR

Hannah has been teaching swimming and lifesaving for over 20 years and loves to see the development of our swimmers into lifeguards of the future!

Having an awareness of how to stay safe around water is so important, whether it's on a family holiday to a villa, a day trip to the beach, or just walking next to the river on the way home!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Beth is a bubbly and enthusiastic teacher who loves to incorporate fun into her lessons. Beth loves to see a child progress throughout the term, filling her lessons with praise and encouragement. 

Beth finds teaching to be incredibly rewarding in watching each child’s confidence grow. She ensures she builds a trusting relationship with her swimmers so each child can reach their potential and have fun! 

Outside of the swim school, Beth studied English literature, Psychology and Religious studies at A Level and will be going onto study Law at university.

Beth has a passion for staying active in the gym and hopes to help children stay active in swimming whilst learning a life long skill! 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Andrea is a qualified swimming teacher and an assistant coach.  She has been involved in swimming for nearly 20 years in a number of different voluntary capacities, primarily for Winchester City Swimming Club.  With 3 children (now adults) having progressed through the learn to swim programmes and on to become National swimmers.  She has gained her experience from all of these levels, fostering her love for swimming and its life skills and many benefits. 

Seeing children smile and laugh as they learn to swim confidently and safely is a pleasure to watch and be a part of. 

When Andrea is not at the pool she enjoys spending time outdoors with her Labrador Yoshi.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Jordan is an engaging, thoughtful and passionate swim teacher. Having worked with children for over 10years, he prides himself in understanding that every swimmer is individual and tailors his teaching style around their individual needs. With his favourite themes being anything involving fancy dress - Jordan throws himself into the creative play part of lessons ensuring swimmers are engaged and loving learning. 

In his leisure time, Jordan is a big fan of Portsmouth Football club and can often be found cheering them on (but don't hold that against him!). He is also a very talented singer and sings in a band. 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Cat is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to swimming. She first started helping with swimming lessons at 14 before gaining her qualification at 16. As a competitive swimmer she has qualified for England Nationals 4 times , achieved a silver medal at Regionals and swam the English Channel as part of a relay team. She feels as though swimming is a vital skill and is passionate about teaching others.

Outside of swimming and teaching Cat is doing geography, history and biology A level and enjoys doing other sport.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Isla has worked at Durley for 4 years as both Front do House and as a teacher. She loves teaching all ages from new swimmers helping beginners feel comfortable and confident whilst building basic skills such as floating and kicking, up to more advanced swimmers where we start to refine their technique and stroke development. She finds every stage rewarding to teach and privilege to work with students as they get closer to meeting their goals.

She is currently studying maths politics and economics at A level and will be studying economics and politics at university in the near future . 

In her spare time you will find her in the studio doing ballet and performing in shows.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Hannah is just getting back in the water after having my little boy 2 years ago.

She started her career as a lifeguard and very quickly moved onto teaching, now with over 12 years experience teaching children from first time beginners up to competitive squad levels. 

She grew up swimming competitively and reached a national level at age 14 so has a huge love for competing and enjoying all aspects of the water. She started open water swimming before having her little boy and hopes to enter some events again this year. 

She enjoys teaching all ages and abilities and being able to encourage children to reach their full potential, perfecting their strokes and skills, whilst keeping the lessons fun, enjoyable and safe. Also recently qualified in teaching adult and baby lessons. 

She had a child who she taught a few years back fall into a fast flowing river on holiday where she was able to use the skills learnt in lessons to keep herself safe. That was one of the moments that made Hannah realise how important our jobs as teachers are to all learners and how proud she was of her to stay calm, even at a young age. 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Having been a qualified swim teacher for 20 years, Scarlet has travelled world teaching in NZ, Fiji, Crete, Australia, & London. She has a passion for challenging her swimmers and installing a life long love of water. She ensures every swimmer leaves her lesson feeling proud and accomplished.

In her spare time you will find Scarlet in her art studio. She resides in Winchester with her partner and 10yr old daughter.

Teaching once more for the Standen Swim Academy, Henry was part of the original team that first started delivering lessons at Durley House. Qualified as both a teacher and coach, Henry has spent nearly fifteen years working with multiple learn to swim programmes around Winchester in addition to the local club.

Having taken a brief hiatus from the world of swimming to eventually start a degree with the Open University, Henry returns as loud and as enthusiastic as before. Maintaining a strong technical focus, he remains committed to starting positive habits - streamlining and neutral body position as key examples - as early as possible whilst fostering an enjoyment of all things aquatic

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

With over 15 years of teaching experience and a background as a competitive swimmer, Bethan brings a wealth of knowledge and a sharp eye for technique to every lesson. She particularly enjoys working with the older stages, helping swimmers refine their skills and build confidence in the water. Friendly and approachable, Bethan has a natural ability to put swimmers at ease. She loves seeing her students leave their lessons feeling proud of what they’ve achieved — whether it’s mastering a new stroke or simply gaining more confidence. Outside of the pool, Bethan is busy renovating her new home, diving into a good book, or enjoying the energy of live music at festivals.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Sam has been teaching swimming lessons in Winchester and Southampton for over 15 years. With a passion for helping swimmers of all levels, he finds joy in every stage of the journey—from little Stage 1s bravely putting their faces in the water for the first time, to confident Stage 6 swimmers smashing their first 1km swim.

Sam is known for his calm, cool, and charismatic approach, which works especially well with our older swimmers. He’s brilliant at building trust and rapport, helping swimmers feel confident, capable, and supported in reaching their goals.

Outside the pool, Sam is a self-confessed car enthusiast. If it has four wheels, Sam’s interested—he’s always eager to learn more and swap stories about engines, models, and everything in between!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Geraint, otherwise known as G, is an enthusiastic, engaging and passionate swim teacher and lifeguard. With his mother also being a swim teacher he has grown up around poolside and qualified as a lifeguard as soon as he turned 16yrs old. Geraint is never seen without a smile on his face and ensures that his swimmers are exactly the same. In his spare time Geraint enjoys playing basketball and studying chemistry & maths. 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Lauren is an enthusiastic swim teacher who loves working with all ages and takes pride in helping swimmers grow more confident in the water and reach their full potential. Her lessons are fun and tailored to each child’s pace, ensuring every swimmer feels comfortable and proud of their progress. She holds the NPLQ lifeguard qualification, so safety is always a priority.

Lauren is currently studying business, maths and psychology at college.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Lucy started swim teaching at 15, and has now been teaching for 8 years and has been working for the Standen Swim Academy since they opened in 2021. She has swum all her life, and was captain of her university swim team. At university she studied Criminology, and is hoping to work in Forensic Science in the future. 

For the past 4 years she has worked in America at a Summer Camp running their Waterfront programme.

She loves teaching all stages, particularly stage 1 & 2 as she loves to see their confidence grow in the water and watching their skills develop. 

She recently returned from travelling Australia, where she worked as a swimming teacher in Perth! 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Grace has grown up in a swimming club environment and started volunteering as a teaching assistant at age 14yrs and going on to take her teaching qualifications as soon as she turned 16yrs. She is returning to teaching at The Standen Swim Academy this term having taken a break for her studies.

She loves teaching children from all ages and currently works as an assistant coach at Miters in Bishops Waltham. She finds it very rewarding when a swimmers makes a break through - whether that is putting their face int he water for the first time or perfecting butterfly technique. She says building a rapport with her swimmers is key and ensuring that their learning experience is an enjoyable one.

Grace is planning to study medicine at university in 2026. When she is not busy in the pool she loves to run!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Maria is passionate about swim teaching as she loves to work with children and watch them progress whilst having fun. She approaches her lessons with enthusiasm and encouragement allowing each swimmer to reach their potential. Swimming has always been an important part of Marias life as she has been a competitive swimmer since the a young b age, and then went on to qualify as a swim teacher. Maria particularly enjoys open water swimming and has had a diverse background growing up in Oman, Brunei and Australia. 

Maria is planning to study psychology at university in 2026. 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Evie believes that children learn best through creative and imaginative play. A competitive swimmer from the age of 9, she developed a strong foundation in the sport before turning her passion into a teaching and coaching career. She began as a swim assistant at Winchester Swim Club at just 14, and has since earned her coaching qualification, gaining valuable experience working with swimmers of all levels. Evie enjoys blending games and challenges into her lessons, all while keeping the focus on key swim skills and water safety. Her favourite part of teaching is watching her swimmers grow in confidence and have fun along the way. With Evie, every lesson is packed with energy, encouragement, and imagination!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Juno has had a lifelong love for the water, having started swimming at just 3 years old. A former competitive swimmer, she’s passionate about sharing her enthusiasm for the sport and believes that swimming is not only an essential life skill but also an exciting and enjoyable way to stay active. After three years of experience as a swim assistant, Juno qualified as a swim teacher at 16.

Working closely with children in the pool and watching them grow in confidence and ability has become one of her greatest joys. She’s especially passionate about helping young swimmers feel comfortable in the water and hopes to inspire them to fall in love with swimming just as she did.

Outside of the pool, Juno is currently studying English, Geography, and Psychology. When she’s not swimming, you’ll often find her sailing or playing rugby and lacrosse.

Juno brings energy, dedication, and a deep love of the water to every lesson—she can’t wait to welcome her next group of swimmers!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Ben started swimming when he was 5 years old, where he rose through the competitive ranks in his home town of Essex and reached all the way to British national level.

These experiences have shaped Ben’s teaching methods which centres around the enjoyment and safety of his swimmers. However watching his swimmers progress and become more confident whilst watching them grow as individuals is what he finds the most rewarding. 

Outside of teaching, Ben is an aspiring Sport and Exercise Psychologist attending the University of Winchester whilst having various interests in other sports such as football and golf

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Jodie has been working with children her whole career in both schools and early-years settings—so she knows how to bring out big smiles and even bigger confidence! She is a total water enthusiast: if she is not in the pool, you’ll probably find her happily bobbing around in the sea somewhere. Her favourite part of teaching is watching that “I can do it!” moment.  She loves that she gets the opportunity to see children grow in confidence right before her eyes -  in just one session progress will be made! She is all about creating fun, lively, and encouraging lessons where every child feels excited, supported, and ready to make a splash.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

With a background in lifeguarding and sports and leisure, Rachel is excited to dive into the world of teaching swimming at The Standen Swim Academy! She loves creating fun, positive sessions where children can grow, gain confidence, and master an essential life skill. She is really looking forward to joining a supportive, friendly team and bringing plenty of energy, enthusiasm, and passion to the poolside.

When she is not teaching, you’ll usually find her out exploring the area with her two beautiful, totally crazy dogs — who definitely take after their owner!

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Amiee comes from a competitive swimming background. Her favourite thing about being a swim teacher is teaching new skills and watching that moment when swimmers finally crack it! She loves learning all about her swimmers and watching them be sponges; absorbing all the information they can. Her favourite theme of the week is food week! She loves that The Standen Swim Academy is full of such lovely staff. Its makes teaching so enjoyable and with the small class sizes it means she has a real opportunity to get to know her swimmers.

Having ADHD has played a key part in loving to stay active. She has climbed Snowden and has now set her sights on climbing the 3 peaks! In her spare time you can find her walking her doggy Rocco and baking.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Lizzy has a background in competitive swimming. She brings enthusiasm to every lesson and takes pride in watching swimmer progress and gain confidence within the water. Her favourite theme of the week is Dinosaurs week - but really she find an excuse to incorporate dinosaurs in to her lessons.

Lizzy was a competitive swimmer for 8 years and loves sharing her passion for the sport with her swimmers. She is currently studying Biology, Geography and Media Studies.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Joanna is a familiar face around poolside as she has worked as both a teacher and front of house at The Standen Swim Academy. Her friendly and calm approach helps to put newbie swimmers at ease. Her favourite theme of the week is "Flintstones" and loves challenging swimmers to make caves out of the boulders where the dinosaurs can hang out. 

Jo is a driving instructor and spends her free time with her 2 boys - who also swim at The Standen Swim Academy! 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Swimming has always been a defining part of Ivan’s life. What began as a personal passion grew even stronger when he entered the world of competitive swimming. As a swim teacher, he especially enjoys seeing children develop their skills and grow in confidence each time they enter the water. He believes every child deserves the opportunity to learn how to swim and takes great pride in supporting their progress as part of the Standen Swim Academy team.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Will has been in the water for as long as he can remember. He started swimming as a baby and quickly fell in love with the sport. By the age of 7 he had joined competitive squads, going on to become a county champion across multiple strokes and distances. His years of training gave him a genuine passion and love for all things swimming.

Now, Will loves passing that passion on through teaching. His favourite part of being a swim instructor is seeing the children progress week after week watching their confidence grow as their technique improves every session. He aims to make every session positive, supportive, and full of small wins that help swimmers feel proud of themselves.

Outside the pool, Will stays active by playing football and spending time with his dog. He brings the same energy, enthusiasm, and encouragement from his own sporting background into every lesson he teaches.

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Allana has been swimming competitively since seven years of age, starting at Winchester swimming club. She loves being in and around the water, and wishes to pass on her passion to the next generation of swimmers. She has volunteered with a SEN group as an assistant coach and has helped them gain the skills needed for recreational and competitive swimming. This has taught her valuable lessons in communication and the importance of adapting.

Her favourite theme is Construction. She loves the pure excitement on her swimmers faces when they get to build huge towers - and then of course knock them all over!

Out of the pool she is studying biology, chemistry & maths with the goal of studying medicine in the future. 

SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR

Anita has been passionate about swimming from an early age, moving from competitive swimming  to beginning her teaching journey at just 15 years old. With 25 years of swim-teaching experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge, skill, and dedication to every lesson.

She began coaching at her local swim club in Malta, where she continued to expand her qualifications and experience, working with swimmers of all ages and abilities eventually becoming a head coach. 

Inspired to take her passion even further, Anita went on to establish her own successful  swim school in Malta.  Later, she moved to the UK to further her studies and continue developing her teaching career.  Alongside her studies, she taught swimming at various pools in Southampton, and also spent several years as a swim school coordinator. 

Anita has worked with a wide range of abilities from beginners and improvers to advanced swimmers, teaching both children and adults in groups and 1:1’s. With a lifelong love of the water and decades of hands-on experience, Anita is committed to helping every swimmer build confidence and thrive.

In her spare time, she’s usually at the pool with her son and daughter, who are both keen swimmers and share her love of the water.