Coming Soon!

Active Nottingham and Nottingham City Council is planning a new free school-holiday swimming programme for under-16s, designs to help more children and young people across the city of Nottingham enjoy the benefits of swimming.

Launching from summer 2026, the programme will offer free access to dedicated swimming sessions during the school holidays at Active Nottingham leisure centres.

More details will be shared soon as planning progresses.

What is the programme?

The Under-16s Free Swimming programme aims to remove cost as a barrier and help more children take part in swimming during the school holidays.

Swimming is an essential life skill and a brilliant way to support children’s confidence, health and wellbeing. This programme forms part of Nottingham City Council’s wider work to support active, health communities and reduce inequalities across the city.

Who is it for?

The programme will be open to:

• School age children under 16
• Nottingham City residents

In line with the Pool Admission Policy:

• Children under 8 years old must be accompanied by a responsible adult or a person aged 16+
• The accompanying adult will be able to attend at no cost

When will sessions run?

• During school holidays only
• Weekdays (excluding bank holidays)
• From July 2026 to Easter 2027

Sessions will be dedicated swimming sessions, with support available for children who are non-swimmers or less confident in the water.

Where will sessions take place?

Free swimming sessions are planned to run at all six Active Nottingham leisure centres:

• Clifton Leisure Centre
• Djanogly Community Leisure Centre
• Harvey Hadden Sports Village
• Ken Martin Leisure Centre
• Southglade Leisure Centre
• Victoria Leisure Centre

How to book

Session timetables, booking information and full details on how to access free swimming will be published once operational planning is complete.

Please check back soon or keep an eye on Active Nottingham’s website and social media channels for updates.

Investment in children and young people

This programme is part of Nottingham City Council’s wider investment in services that support children, young people and communities across the city.

In March 2026, the Council agreed a balanced budget that included funding to support additional activity aligned to the Council Plan objectives. This was made possible through careful financial planning and a prudent approach to future funding, allowing the Council to reinvest in frontline services where there is the greatest benefit.

The Under-16s Free Swimming programme is backed by £197,000 of investment and will provide up to 22,000 free swimming opportunities during school holidays. By investing in free access to swimming, the Council aims to help reduce inequalities, support healthy lifestyles and give more children the chance to develop confidence and vital life skills in the water.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve pulled together a dedicated Frequently Asked Questions page to help answer common queries. This will be updated as more information becomes available once final operational planning is complete. Visit the FAQ page here.