Developed in 1938, the Shapland family has taught Southeast Queensland kids to swim for over 85 years. We chat with Chris Shapland from Shapland Swimming to learn more about what makes his family’s unique learn to swim program so successful.
85 years of Shapland Swimming schools
How did Shapland Swimming begin?
The Shapland Swimming story spans generations and pools! It all began in Toowoomba in the late 1930s with my grandfather, who used a unique method to teach swimming. This method was then passed down to my father, who, in 1947, secured the lease of the Toowoomba Municipal Baths—a place where I spent most of my childhood!
By observing children learn to swim at the pool, my father continued to refine their teaching method, and in 1973, he opened the very first Shapland Swim School. I took over the family business in 1980, partnered with a business associate, and expanded the swim school over the last 40 years. Today, Shapland Swim School boasts 16 locations across Queensland and Victoria, all offering the unique Shapland learn-to-swim program.
And how does the Shapland Swimming program work?
The Shapland program is all about breaking down the learn to swim process into manageable steps. We call it Swim in Five, which revolves around one key idea: conquering gravity—more like befriending it!
Back then, we only had two categories: floaters and sinkers. We focused on teaching sinkers to trust the water’s support, relax, and experience that amazing weightlessness feeling. It’s a significant shift for a little one to go from feeling gravity’s pull to feeling almost like you’re floating in space! That’s why stage one is all about getting comfortable on the water’s surface.
Teach someone how to lie on top of the water and relax. Don’t be frightened. You won’t fall.
It’s really very simple.
Then, for those who already know how the water supports your body weight, we teach them how to hold water with their hands and their feet so they can start to get forward motion.
Swim in Five is all about building confidence. We remove fear from the water and replace it with the fun of discovery. It’s a program that’s been in the Shapland family for generations, and I’m incredibly proud of it.
How does your learn to swim style differ from typical swimming lessons?
In most swim schools, you’ll find ‘station teaching’. Imagine an assembly line—kids rotate through different stations, each with an instructor giving orders for a specific skill. It’s a one-size-fits-all approach, often with a rigid script and a focus on checking boxes.
Here, we ditch the stations for more dynamic teaching. This unique process is designed to be adaptable whether you’re teaching a nervous toddler or a stroke-refining adult.
Our instructors are highly trained in Swim in Five but are not robots reciting a script. They are free to interpret the process in a way that resonates with each child. Some kids respond better to clear instructions, while others thrive with visual demonstrations. There’s no cookie-cutter approach—it’s all about finding what works best for the student in front of them.
And even your pools are uniquely designed for the best learn to swim experience! How?
Yes! I have to credit my dad for our specially designed teaching pools.
The key lies in the varying depths. Our standard pools offer eight different water levels. The steps in the deep end are subtly deeper than the shallow end.
Why the complexity? It’s all about building confidence one step (or splash!) at a time. Half the pool is shallow enough for a two-and-a-half-year-old to stand comfortably, eliminating that initial fear of the unknown. The other half gradually deepens, allowing them to experience deeper water progressively.
These varying depths are like a built-in confidence course. As they move through the pool, they can feel how their body reacts to the changing water levels, gradually introducing that feeling of reduced gravity.
We also take water quality very seriously. Standard chlorine or salt pools are fine, but we believe in Shapland’s ultimate “healthy water”—magna mineral water. This water has been used for its healing properties for centuries, and it’s packed with magnesium and potassium chloride. It’s a win-win—gentle on the skin and a great learning environment.
And the classes are semi-private. How does that help?
Our class sizes are limited to a maximum of three students, which is crucial for providing individualised instruction to children. With this small class size, there is no waiting around for each child to take turns. We strive to create a friendly and nurturing environment to help your child learn to swim quickly and confidently.
What ages do you teach?
We welcome swimmers of all ages at Shapland! Our journey starts with our free at-home Baby Development Program, which helps prepare little ones as young as six months for their first swim lessons. We’re proud to offer a trauma-free approach focusing on breath control and getting babies comfortable in the water. And the fun keeps going for adults, too—you’re never too old to learn to swim!
Why do you believe kids must learn to swim without goggles?
Goggles are great for experienced swimmers, but they can be a false sense of security for children just starting out. Imagine accidentally falling in without them—the surprise and lack of clear vision can cause panic. That’s why we emphasise learning to swim without goggles at Shapland. It helps kids develop a natural comfort in the water and teaches them valuable water safety skills, no matter what they’re wearing.
“We want children to know the sensation of swimming without goggles if they fall into water without goggles on. If a child can fall into the water, float and get to the side of the pool without goggles, they are more likely to survive an accidental fall into the water.
Kids of all ages can learn to swim at Shapland Swimming
Shapland Swim School locations in Queensland
Alexandra Hills
73 Lyndon Road, Alexandra Hills Qld 4161.
PH: 07 3206 1622
Aura
2 Packer Rd, Baringa Qld 4551.
PH: (07) 5221 5801.
Buderim
93 Jingellic Drive,
Buderim Qld 4556. PH: 07 5476 8066
Carindale
250 Scrub Road,
Carindale Qld 4152. PH: 07 3843 4388
Everton Park
184 Old Northern Road,
Everton Park Qld 4053. PH: 07 3353 3016
Gaven / Pacific Pines
23 Glade Drive,
Gaven Qld 4211. PH: 07 5502 3066
Ipswich
23 Cambridge Street,
Silkstone Qld 4304. PH: 07 3812 7712
Kallangur
50 Goodfellows Road,
Kallangur Qld 4503. PH: 07 3886 0446
Logan Reserve
197-201 School Road,
Logan Reserve Qld 4133. PH: 07 3803 6714
Moorooka
31 Anson Street,
Moorooka Qld 4105. PH: 07 3848 2777
Morayfield
46 Grant Road,
Morayfield Qld 4510. PH: 07 5498 3838
Sinnamon Park
1-3 McPherson Road,
Sinnamon Park Qld 4073. PH: 07 3279 7088
Stretton
596 Gowan Road,
Stretton Qld 4116. PH: 07 3272 4132
Taigum
189 Beams Road,
Taigum Qld 4017. Phone: 07 3265 4225
Warner
300 Samsonvale Road,
Warner Qld 4500. PH: 07 3882 4816
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