Julia is one of the Birthlight infant aquatic tutors and has trained teachers in the U.K. and abroad. Her passion for teaching children to love the water shines through in every class,

She has a vision for Smart Swim School to grow and encourage many children to have a love for the water and to become little fish! Julia has four children of her own, three wonderful boys (Daniel, Taylor and Hudson) and a daughter, adopted from China (Amy).

Julia began developing the vision for Smart Swim School in the fall of 2004. Julia's innate water fluency and instant rapport with infants, children and adults alike brings a depth and richness to the palette of swim instructors.

Her youngest son, Hudson, was a 10 pound home water birth. She is, therefore, a first hand expert in the process of water birth, and has a particular interest in prenatal and antenatal aquatics. Read about Julia's own home water birth story at http://www.homebirth.org.uk/julia.htm. This amazing water birth experience has inspired Julia to pursue a profession in water working with babies-a passion of hers!

Julia loved doing the Birthlight Diploma course and is the only person in Birthlight to pass the diploma with a distinction in both her course work and her practical assessment.

Certificates:

• STA (Swimming Teachers Association) Level 2 Aquatic Teaching; Baby & Pre-School

Diplomas

• Birthlight Diploma in Infant Aquatics (Distinction)

Further Qualifications

• RLSS: National Rescue Award
• VLS: Child & Baby Resuscitation
• Homebirth Support Group Co-ordinator
• Birthlight Tutor

Affiliations

• Associate Member: Swimming Teachers Association

Alison has had a love for both swimming and teaching for as long as she can remember. She was a member of a swimming club at the age of 6 and swam competitively until the age of 15. She always knew she wanted to teach and became a secondary school teacher in 1992. After 9 years of teaching French, she got married to Paul and started a family. Both her boys (Oliver and Innes) have been taught to swim with Smart Swim and this inspired Alison to become a swimming teacher herself.

Certificates:

• STA (Swimming Teachers Association) Level 2 Aquatic Teaching: Beginners

Diplomas:

• Birthlight Diploma in Infant Aquatics

Further Qualifications:

• NaRS: National Rescue Award
• BA Honours in French and Linguistics
• PGCE

Affiliations:

• Associate Member: Swimming Teachers Association