Octoplus Swim School

01/03/2026

Not swimming related but just found this out and couldn’t not share it with those who follow us - and my customers and their children. I’ll
Let you know when I’m out the other side of this rabbit hole!!

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26/02/2026

Im sharig this as Dr Naomi Fisher is a great person to follow regarding her extensive knowledge on SEND education and rights.

No one is connecting the dots on SEND. More and more children need extra support with school - but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with our children. The problem is a school system that lacks flexibility, and which can’t accommodate the many different ways in which children learn and develop. The problem is a system which sees 'behaviour' as something to be punished, rather than feedback on a situation that isn't working.

We have a school system that prioritises test results over developmental needs, that favours control over autonomy and in which there is little time and space for meaningful relationships between adults and children. It turns too many children into failures, measuring them against a narrow academic benchmark. It punishes them for minor misdemeanours and teaches them that learning is mostly about doing what you’re told. It prioritises attendance over meaningful engagement.

Then when children show us that this doesn’t work, we say there’s something wrong with them. We say they need to attend more, try harder, put more effort in. And when that doesn’t work, then the system says they must have SEND, because why else would they need something different?

Of course SEND costs are rising, because the school system isn’t fit for the children it serves. We need an education system that start the goal of with providing what children need to thrive, not with ‘driving up standards’ or ‘100% attendance’.

More play for the younger ones. More autonomy for the older ones. More diversity of opportunity. More focus on relationships. And an emphasis on interest-led learning and finding purpose, rather than on tests and exams. It's not rocket science.

For the more you put the pressure on to get those standards up, the more of our children are squashed in the process.

24/02/2026

Pops - as I call him. My dad.
Recently turned 90 and still coaching swimming.
My inspiration.

23/02/2026

While this is a little beyond most kiddies in our learn to swim programme, I love this video and encourage parents of those trying to grasp front crawl, to take a little look at this!

20/02/2026

🐙 THE OCTOPLUS MANIFESTO

For families who need swimming done differently.🌊

Swimming is not just a sport. Swimming is Medicine.

It is safety.
It is regulation.
It is freedom.
It is life-saving.

And yet…

For too many neurodivergent children, swimming lessons become:

Too loud.
Too fast.
Too forceful.
Too focused on compliance.

We see you.

The child who was “not ready.”
The child asked to leave group lessons.
The parent standing poolside feeling judged.

We built Octoplus for you.

🐙 At Octoplus, we do not teach compliance.

We teach regulation.

If a child is overwhelmed, we do not push through it.
We pause.
We adjust.
We co-regulate.

Because learning only happens when the nervous system feels safe.

🐙 We do not rush independence.

We build it.

Wall before width.
Breath before bubbles.
Float before freestyle.

Survival skills before strokes.

Always.

🐙 We do not fight autonomy.

We work with it.

For children with a strong drive for autonomy — including many with a PDA profile — swimming can feel demand-heavy and overwhelming.

So we:

Offer real choice.
Use collaborative language.
Keep safety firm and calm.
Remove power struggles.

Boundaries stay.
Battles go.

🐙 We understand sensory worlds.

Pools echo.
Water splashes unpredictably.
Floats feel like falling.

What looks like “refusal” is often sensory overload.

So we make water predictable.
We teach recovery before risk.
We honour pace.
We build tolerance gently.

🐙 We see behaviour as communication.

Meltdowns are not manipulation.
Shutdown is not defiance.
Impulsivity is not naughtiness.

They are signals.

And we listen.

🐙 Safety is not negotiable.

Before strokes, we teach:

Return to wall.
Climb out independently.
Back float recovery.
Breath before movement.
Wait before jump.

Because swimming is not about badges.

It is about coming home safely.

If you are here because mainstream lessons didn’t sit right…

You are not overreacting.
You are not “that parent.”
Your child is not “too much.”

You have simply been looking for the right environment.

Welcome to Octoplus.

Here, we swim differently. 🐙

19/02/2026

Surviving half term with your little Spicy ones….?

I’ve just landed back from Barcelona having braved it by myself and my two lil’ monkeys.

Did we visit any of the major tourist destinations? No! But did we …find our own adventures climbing trees in random hidden parks…find palm trees fans and use them as weapons……explore the backstreets of the city…..climb old quarries in the centre overlooking the entire city (and for free- avoiding the expensive costs of everything else)…..spend hours collecting shells and iron pellets off the beach…..Yes!

Were we able to cope with lunches and dinners at restaurants without meltdowns. No! But did we experiment with lots of new cuisine? Yes!

Was it all fun and in the flow? HELL NO! But was this another opportunity for us to learn how to navigate each other’s demands, needs and whims?

While it wasn’t always easy, I’m so grateful for the adventures we had and the friends we made along the way. While some thought it crazy - me doing a city break with my two- its important to me that they see the world - and don’t fear it. It’s important to me that - the little family unit that we are- we learn to navigate each other’s quirks and test each other’s boundaries. And catch each other when we fall.

It’s by pushing ourselves beyond our boundaries - that we find them. And by finding those places - physically and metaphorically - where we feel unsafe - that we can become more consciously aware of the tools we need, to help us feel safe.

So proud of my little boys - both my youngest with Autism/PDA who pushed through his anxieties (and there were some big ones around flying and not understanding different languages) and big brother, who swallowed his pride to be kind to his little (annoying) brother!

Hope this might inspire others to just go do it!!

Book that holiday.

I cried and I had my own meltdowns, but I survived - and have made beautiful Memories.

(Oh and spot the Neurodiverse Catalonian pigeon!)

13/02/2026

Customers and followers alike! We are using the AMAZING Orca Swim Vests to help our children swim. The kids have responded to them so well and for each child, there is a different reason for using them. The big big difference has been in some of our childrens confidence - suddenly allowing them feel like they are swimming independently without noodles, arm bands or adults!

For any one wanting to buy one for their kids, please use the link below:

https://www.miniwateradventurers.com/?af=V9NWA

Any questions, please ask.

Mini Water Adventurers offers swimming products and services for children aged 3 months - 7 years old. Includes the Orca swim trainer designed by a swimming expert to build confidence, strength and indpendence in the water.

04/02/2026

RSD - one to be aware of incase you think this could be your child - or you. In our Octoplus Swim School sessions we purposely choose REGULATION over CORRECTION.

This keeps trust with the teacher, and a love for the water.

26/01/2026

"Subtle Scaffolding" - I have stolen this from one of my wonderful customers. This weekend we were speaking about the approach of working with children with autism, particularly with PDA profiles, and how even a "well done" can be interpreted as a demand. With some of my children, such as her son, I give so much space to allow them to:

- discover what they can do in their own time, on their own terms
- figure out where their limits are
- feel into how they would like to push themselves
- take their time to get regulated
- have the time and space to actually enjoy the water

**The more I hold back, the more they come forward**

I have had to spent two solid years building up the confidence to follow my instinct, that nurturing a swimmer is not always about - in fact, very rarely is.... in fact (!!) never should be about:

- trying to fit in as many activities as possible
- pushing for "progress"
- chasing milestones over wellbeing

If a child has a strong trust in me as a teacher and a positive relationship with water and my water sessions, this creates the foundation needed for everything else to flow from.

The last two weeks - so many of my swimmers have blossomed and bloomed - making sudden leaps in progress. They are mostly 1:1 so it seems a little uncanny! I feel that the continued building of trust -not just the child in me - but I in their own ability and trust - that they will get there in their own natural time - really is working.

Due to being conditioned in the idea that activity quantity is the best approach, I still constantly reflect on the nurturing space I provide my swimmers - Am I giving too much space? Is this meeting the paying customers expectations?

When I explored this with the parent in order to help with my reflections, this is when the mother said that I was providing "subtle scaffolding". A house cannot be built without proper scaffolding. It's not just a good idea, it's essential.

So I'm stealing this phrase... as I feel it both illustrates and helps to justify perfectly, the OctoPLUS methodology.

26/01/2026

6 years ago today I posted this!! It was such a big deal for me getting qualified to teach baby preschool level with a nation wide swim school. I did all my training while heavily pregnant and with a new born - Jago was just 6 months old when I passed all my observations and exams. These are tears of relief and happiness! And here I am 6 years later… and I still feel this happy and lucky at the end of every lesson with the children and families iI work with. Taking the plunge - putting in the hard work - was so worth it!

25/01/2026

We’re excited to share a new development at Octoplus — the launch of a pilot using the ORCA SWIM TRAINER 🐋

At Octoplus, we are always evolving. Our approach is built on reviewing traditional swim teaching methods, staying aligned with the most up-to-date innovations and research, and adapting practice for swimmers who don’t always thrive in one-size-fits-all models.

We’re proud to say we’re now moving a step further — from applying research to actively contributing to it.

Why Orca Swim Trainer?

For some swimmers — particularly those developing confidence, body awareness, regulation, or calm independence — the Orca Swim Trainer can offer meaningful support by:

- encouraging a more horizontal body position
- allowing arms and legs to move freely
- reducing physical tension and emotional load
- supporting engagement and success in the water

Importantly, the vest also provides consistent proprioceptive (deep pressure) input, similar to the calming effect of a HUG or compression vest. For some children, this type of input can support body awareness, emotional regulation, and a sense of security — while still enabling active movement and skill development.

How we’ll use it:

The Orca will always be used teacher-led and progressively, with buoyancy carefully adjusted as each swimmer’s confidence, coordination, and independence grow.

As part of this pilot, we’ll be collecting structured parent and teacher feedback at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months. This allows us to build practical, real-world field data that reflects the lived experience of SEND swimmers and their families.

By swimming with Octoplus, families are invited to be part of this evolving, evidence-informed journey — helping us update outdated practices and shape the future of inclusive swimming.

Huge thanks to Helen at Mini Water Adventurers for providing the Orca Swim Trainers and supporting us in this work.

Please note: the Orca Swim Trainer is a learning aid, not a safety or lifesaving device. Constant supervision is always required.



For more information: https://www.miniwateradventurers.com/orca-swim-trainer

22/01/2026

Guess what we’ll be practicing this week! Im so excited!