University of Nottingham Sport
University of Nottingham Sport at David Ross Sports Village
University of Nottingham Sport runs Pay As You Go adult swimming lessons from £10.00 a session in its 25 metre pool at David Ross Sports Village, open to the public as well as students.
Who it suits
Adults and teenagers from 14 who want to book a single group lesson at a time rather than commit to a term, in a serious 25 metre pool open to non members.
Why it stands out
- 25 metre eight lane pool plus a separate hydrotherapy pool, built in 2016 as part of the £40 million David Ross Sports Village
- Adult lessons split into Beginners in shallow water, Improvers who must already swim 25 metres in three strokes and tread water for 30 seconds, and Advanced for continuous 200 metre swimmers
- A single 30 minute Pay As You Go group lesson costs £10.00; the same slot booked as 1-2-1 across a 5 week block works out at £19.50 a lesson
- The waiting list for the regular programme is currently closed because of demand, with only school holiday sessions still taking names
- Public membership needs a £20 joining fee on top of the monthly rate, and non members can pay £8.00 before 3pm or £10.00 after just to swim outside lesson times
Our verdict
This is a proper competition pool run at university prices, not a soft play style leisure centre experience, and the £10.00 Pay As You Go rate is honest about what you get, a half hour group slot with no long term commitment. Do not book if you want a guaranteed weekly place straight away, because the main waiting list is shut, and do not expect the pool to always be free for a casual swim afterwards. Google reviewers rate the venue 4.5 out of 5 from 47 reviews but describe it closing to the public for clubs and school bookings, and for a long stretch outside term time.
What it is
University of Nottingham Sport runs its Swim School out of the David Ross Sports Village on University Park, a £40 million complex built in 2016 around a 25 metre, eight lane pool and a separate hydrotherapy pool. The adult programme covers three stages: Beginners for people who cannot yet swim ten metres, Improvers who can already manage 25 metres in three strokes and tread water for half a minute, and Advanced for continuous 200 metre swimmers. All are taught in 30 minute group sessions with a Level 2 instructor on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Who should book
You do not need to be a student or staff member to use this pool. The university sells public membership and lets non members pay to swim outside lesson times. That makes it a realistic option for any Nottingham adult who wants a competition standard pool rather than a shallow learner tank, particularly anyone training toward a specific stroke or distance goal rather than just water confidence. A single Pay As You Go lesson costs £10.00, so it also suits someone who wants to try one class before committing to a block.
What stands out
Booking is unusually flexible for a programme this serious. Alongside the group Pay As You Go rate, you can buy a 5 week block of 1-2-1 lessons for £97.50, a 60 minute 1-2-1 block for £162.50 on Mondays and Tuesdays only, or a private bubble lesson for £15.50 a head with up to four swimmers during school holidays. The catch is availability. The regular programme waiting list is currently closed altogether because demand is so high, and only school holiday lessons are still open on a first come basis.
The verdict
For £10.00 a session this is one of the cheaper ways into a genuinely good pool, and the stroke based grading (10 metres, then 25 metres in three strokes, then 200 metres continuous) is more precise than most leisure centre systems. It will not suit anyone who needs to start this month, since the main waiting list is shut, and it will not suit anyone who wants to swim casually straight after a lesson. Google reviewers give the venue 4.5 out of 5 from 47 reviews but describe the pool closing to the public for clubs and schools, and shutting for long stretches outside term time.