Monday was a sad day for us because our wonderful teacher Jennifer Byatt taught her very last Puddle Ducks lessons.
Jennifer is 22 but quite unbelievably has worked for Puddle Ducks for nine years! How? She joined us, aged 14, as a Poolside Assistant at Our Pool in Wrington, and, when she was 16, she trained to be a Swim Academy teacher. We’d never trained such young teachers before, so it was a bit of a trial.
Jennifer completed her training and then Covid happened! The plan for our young 16-year-old Swim Academy teachers to be progressed slowly went out of the window. Jennifer was suddenly teaching Swim Academy solo – with parents in the water - everyone socially distancing! Did this faze her? No, it did not! She got stuck in and from the very beginning taught her swimmers with authority and fun!
Happily, Covid restrictions ended and Jennifer came into her own, training to teach Elite Swim Academy and taking on more sessions – at theclub at Cadbury House; Winterbourne Academy and St Mary Redcliffe & Temple School (SMRT).
Three years ago, Jennifer became one of our Senior Teachers – observing and supporting her peers to ensure the quality of teaching was tip top! She has literally taught thousands of children to swim and has been such a great team member – covering for her fellow teachers when they needed time off and being there for anybody who needed her.
Sarah went to watch one of her last classes at SMRT on Sunday and said,
“There was an enormous pile of thank you gifts on the poolside and tears from both children and parents. What an amazing job you’ve done Jennifer - teaching so many children to swim brilliantly. Thank you. We’ll all miss you and wish you all the very best of luck with whatever you do next.”
