Swim England’s Silver
Swim School of the Year and Swim Teacher of the Year (Neil Ireland) 2024!
Swim England’s Silver
Swim School of the Year and Swim Teacher of the Year (Neil Ireland) 2024!
Neil
Emma
Beth
Anna
Dave
Kate
Jess
Chloe
Roisin
Grace
Neil
Emma
Beth
Anna
Dave
Kate
Jess
Chloe
Roisin
Grace
Neil is the principal teacher and founder of Daddy Shark Swim School – and in 2024, he was recognised as one of the best in the business, receiving Swim England’s Silver Swim Teacher Award!
A Swim England Level 2, STA Baby & Preschool, and Autism Swim certified swim teacher, Neil has always loved swimming and all things water-related, from scuba diving to kayaking. As a teenager, he swam competitively for Ormskirk Otters and City of Liverpool swimming clubs
Neil lives in Ormskirk with his wife, Emma, and their daughters, Erica and India.
Before founding Daddy Shark Swim School, Neil ran what his daughters fondly called “sweet shops” in Ormskirk and Liverpool. Several years ago, he and Emma sold the shops, quit their jobs, and took the girls on a year-long adventure across Europe in a motorhome. When they returned, Neil became a stay-at-home dad until both girls started school. At that point, he combined his natural connection with children and lifelong love of swimming to become a swim teacher – and so, Daddy Shark Swim School was born!
– Laura
– Kate
– William (age 5)
Wife to Neil, mum to Erica and India, Emma is mainly found behind the scenes managing the daily operations of Daddy Shark Swim School.
Emma has an MA in Philosophy from Cambridge University and spent many years practising as a solicitor/team leader before becoming full-time Mummy Shark some three years ago. As a Swim England Level 2 and STA Baby and Pre-school swim teacher, she’s qualified to teach babies and children of all ages and abilities to swim and is Autism Swim certified. She thoroughly loves her time in the water teaching.
Emma’s big passion is yoga and she has recently spent a month in Goa training to be a yoga teacher. She also enjoys going to the gym and setting herself challenges – the latest is London Marathon 2025!
“Dear Emma, I think you’re so good at managing Daddy Shark. You’re so organised and are great at attending to the details. I like how you write emails so clearly and considerately. What a super team you are!”
Alya
“I want to thank Neil and Emma, from the bottom of my heart… Firstly, Emma was so reassuring over messenger, even helping me pick the best costume from the array I’d purchased…”
Joanna
“The best swim school around!!!… I contacted Emma to find out more about Daddy Shark 1:1 lessons and she was so helpful, everything she said they offered has been delivered.”
Jennifer
“The trial lesson on offer is such a good idea and Emma was so helpful at the start of the lesson explaining how to keep my daughter warm in the water etc.”
Amy
Beth is a Swim England Level 2 and Autism Swim certified swim teacher with additional training in teaching children who have visual and / or hearing impairments.
Beth has two young daughters both of whom join us in the water each week for their swimming lessons!
Beth is a fan of going to the gym and spending time with her dog Archie!
Beth is passionate about teaching children of all ages and abilities to swim.
“I have just seen Beth take a lesson and the progress of that student throughout the lesson was just amazing. So much so that I would consider a set of one on one lessons for us!”
Dennis
– Sam
Anna started her swim career as a lifeguard and is an STA certified swim teacher and baby and pre-school swim teacher.
Anna is a professional singer: The Golden Age Songbird. She specialises in Wartime, jazz and vintage tunes and has sang at a 100th, 105th and 108th birthday party!
Anna enjoys hiking, sewing and cross stitching.
She has a leapard gecko, Speckles.
Dave is a Swim England Level 2 swim teacher, who has been teaching swimming for over 30 years! Most recently he ran Burscough Swim School.
Dave practises Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and runs a gym in Burscough.
Dave swam for City of Liverpool and Southport Swimming Clubs. He represented Team GB in the European Catholic Schools Championships 1989, bringing home Bronze for 400m front crawl!
Kate is a Swim England Level 2 and Autism Swim Certified Swim Teacher.
Kate made the decision to become a swim teacher in November 2023 after her son started having Stage 1 swimming lessons with Daddy Shark and she decided she would love to be a part of the team! Since that time her younger daughter has also started Parent and Child swimming lessons so it really is a family affair!
Kate enjoys listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and going on muddy dog walks with her two young children.
Kate is passionate about helping children to learn an essential and invaluable life skill.
Jess is a Swim England Level 2 swim teacher.
Jess swam for Prescot Swimming Club making it to regionals and competed in the finals for 50m butterfly and 50m breast stroke. Jess volunteered as a coach for the club, teaching children ages 3 and above how to swim.
Jess is studying Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University and has a particular interest in the relationship between sports and mental health.
Jess loves to travel and has recently spent a summer at a camp in New York, teaching children of all ages to swim and acting as counsellor for children ages 6-8.
Chloe is a Swim England Level 2 swim teacher, originally starting her swimming career as a lifeguard.
Chloe is a physiotherapist and is studying for her Masters in sports and mental health, having recently achieved a First Class BSc in Sports Therapy at Edge Hill University.
Chloe enjoys going to the gym, watching Disney films and is always on the lookout to add to her Jellycat collection!
As an STA-qualified swim teacher and a competitive swimmer for Warrington Masters, Róisín brings her technical expertise and passion for the sport to every lesson. Her talent for teaching is matched only by her incredible creativity.
And if that wasn’t impressive enough, she’s also an Irish dancer!
With a First Class BA(Hons) in Drama and Theatre Making from the University of West London, Róisín’s vibrant personality shines through in her teaching. She’s a fantastic addition to our team, and we’re so thrilled to have her!
When she’s not in the pool, Róisín is a talented portrait artist who takes commissions—check out her stunning work on Instagram: @artiebeanie.
Outside of work, Grace is a huge animal lover, sharing her home with two Cumbrian Cocker Spaniels, Bracken and Luna, and a cat named Belle.
Swimming lessons for babies, toddlers, kids and adults.
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Daddy Shark Swim School is a trading name of Daddy Shark Ltd, Company Number 12635111.