Swimming
As well as being good for your child’s health, swimming is a skill that could ultimately save their life. Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death in children, and therefore it is absolutely vital that every child has the opportunity to learn to swim and gain core knowledge regarding water safety. Even if your child can swim, they may still be exposed to danger in water in the wrong circumstances. Your child should be encouraged to practice their swimming regularly to improve their basic skills and become a more competent swimmer.
Swimming and water safety is a statutory element of the P.E. National Curriculum. This means:
All schools must provide swimming instruction either in Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2. In particular, pupils should be taught to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively such as front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.
School Swimming Lessons at Yardley Primary School
Every child who attends Yardley Primary School and goes through Year 4 will receive school swimming lessons.
As swimming is part of the National Curriculum, all pupils must participate in lessons.
We always take every child, regardless of their ability, to complete a block of swimming lessons in Year 4.
Our swimming lessons take place in a pop-up swimming pool on school site.
Parents/guardians are not able to accompany their children to swimming or attend as a spectator.
School Swimming Lessons - What You Need
The following information is adapted from Swim England and is followed by Stechford Leisure Centre and Aspire (the provider of our 'Pop Up Swimming Pool Programme').
Swimming is one of the most accessible and inclusive activities and everyone should feel confident and comfortable while in the water.
Over the years swimwear has come on leaps and bounds. So have policies relating to guidance about what can be worn in pools. It’s important that children feel confident and comfortable – but that they are also safe.
What clothing to wear in the pool
Your child will get changed for swimming lessons in school. On the days of their swimming lessons, children
should come to school in either their school uniform or school P.E. kit, whichever is easier for them to change quickly and independently out of and in to. This will give them the maximum amount of time in the swimming pool.
There are different styles of swimwear. These include:
One-piece swimsuit (standard / full sleeved/ 3/4 / full)
Skirted swimsuits
Swim shorts (not long or baggy)
Trunks
Swim briefs
Wetsuit style or fitted swimming t-shirt
Fitted t-shirt
Burkini swimming costume
3/4 length swim shorts in thin nylon material
Fitted leggings under swimwear
Fitted leggings with or without shorts
ALL SWIMMING KIT MUST BE LABELLED WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME AND CLASS
What clothing not to wear in the pool
The important thing to note is that clothing shouldn’t be overly baggy or made of heavy materials such as denim or wool. These can become water logged and heavy, making it difficult to swim or float. It is also important to make sure pieces of clothing can not get stuck in filters or other parts of a pool, which makes lycra a good material to wear.
Clothing which shouldn’t be worn includes:
Bikinis
Leggings over swimwear
Baggy t-shirt and trousers
Tracksuits or jogging bottoms
Outdoor shorts or trousers
Jeans
Jewellery
Jewellery is not permitted during school swimming lessons, this includes watches.
If your child wears earrings there are two options on swimming days:
Children do not wear their earrings on the day that they have swimming.
Children remove their earrings before swimming. Earrings are the responsibility of the children - staff are not able to look after them.
What else to bring
Other things that children MUST bring on swimming days include:
A towel.
Hair clips or hair bands (if applicable). For those with longer hair, unless a swimming cap is worn, it must be tied up/back.
Footwear to wear whilst walking to and from the pool (this cannot be school shoes). This should be something easy to get on and off and be able to get slightly wet. Examples of this are sliders, flip-flops, aqua shoes or jelly shoes. This footwear must not be worn to school, it must only be used during swimming sessions.
A named swimming bag.
What else may be needed
Children may bring the following if needed:
Goggles. Although not essential, wearing swimming goggles is recommended if you are new to swimming. They will make swimming a bit easier and protect your eyes from chlorinated water. Children must be able to put goggles on by themselves. Snorkel goggles/masks are not permitted.
Swimming cap. Swimming caps can be useful for those with longer hair. They not only keep the hair out of the face, but also reduce ‘drag’ to make swimming that bit easier. Children must be able to put swimming caps on by themselves.
Swim/changing robe. A swim/changing robe can be useful if a pupil requires a little extra warmth (or privacy) when drying and changing after swimming.
Swimming nose clip. Nose clips can help you stay underwater longer, control your breathing and keep water out of your nose.
Swimming ear band/aquaband. Ear band/aquabands act as a splash guard to keep water out of the ears.
Swimming ear plugs. Ear plugs keep water out of the ears.
Visit our Uniform & Equipment page for details of where to purchase swimming kit.
Parents Role In Swimming - What You Can Do To Help
As a parent, guardian or carer you play an absolutely vital role in encouraging your child to swim and learn about water safety, survival and lifesaving.
Here are several ways you can help your child.
Swimming lessons at school
Make sure your child has everything they need to participate in their school swimming sessions.
Find out details of the swimming programme and what your child’s attainment level is.
Swimming lessons at a local pool
Don’t just rely on school swimming lessons – sign your child up for additional lessons at a local facility as soon as possible – they can start to learn as a baby.
Swimming as a family
Visit a pool regularly to add to your child’s swimming experience.
Go swimming as a family or with a group of friends to ensure that swimming is a fun, enjoyable and social activity.
There are lots of games you can play with your child to boost their water confidence – there are some on the Swim England website here.
It’s never too late to learn
Are you a proficient swimmer yourself? If not, set an example for your child and learn to swim – it’s a fantastic experience, and not as daunting as you might think!
Once you can swim, a whole world of other activities open up for you – and your child will be impressed at how much you can join in with!
Celebrate swimming successes
Take an active interest in your child’s progress in learning to swim and encourage them do their best during lessons.
Recognise and celebrate their successes at home – and don’t forget the small steps are just as important as the larger milestones.
Just keep swimming
Once your child has learnt to swim, don’t stop there. It’s really important to continue with their regular lessons, to take them beyond the ability to swim a length and ensure that they have the skills to save themselves if an unexpected incident should occur.
They could move on to joining a local swimming club and develop their skills further. They could also take part in other aquatic activities such as diving, lifesaving, synchronised swimming or water polo.
Being able to swim also means they will be able to take part in more adventurous water based pursuits such as sailing, canoeing and surfing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pop-up pool?
A pop-up pool is a fun and exciting addition to our school's physical education program. With dimensions of approximately 10 metres by 5 metres and a depth of 1.2 metres, the above-ground pool structure provides a high-quality and safe swimming experience for children. The pool meets industry standards and safety requirements, ensuring that all children can enjoy a fun and secure swimming experience. Equipped with a filter and pool heater to maintain a safe water temperature, the pool is situated under a 6 metre by 12 metre solid structure marquee for shelter and shade.
Who teaches swimming lessons?
Swimming lessons are delivered by a fully qualified swimming teacher, supported by a fully qualified lifeguard. We use a company called Aspire Sports to deliver our swimming programme.
How often are the swimming lessons?
Your child will swim for up to 45 minutes every day for 3 weeks. They may have more opportunity for swimming with additional booster and water safety focused lessons, this will be communicated to you by us at the end of the 3 week programme if necessary.
What should my child wear to school on swimming days?
Your child will get changed for swimming lessons in school (details below). They should wear either their school uniform or school P.E. kit to school on swimming days, whichever is easier for them to change quickly and independently out of and in to.
Where will my child get changed for swimming?
Your child will get changed inside in a designated changing space next to the pool. This is overseen by school staff. Your child will use an individual changing cubicle.
Does my child need to bring swimming kit every day?
As your child will be swimming every day, swimming kit can be left in school Monday to Friday, to dry overnight. Kit will be sent home at the weekends. If you would prefer your child to change swimming kit throughout the week then feel free to do so, but they must have kit in every day.
What is the size of the swimming pool?
The pool is 5 metres wide and 10 metres long. It is 1.2 metres deep. There are edges/sides for the pupils to hold on to.
Will the pool be open on the playground?
The pool is enclosed in an industrial solid structure marquee and not in view of anyone not taking part in the swimming session.
Will my child get cold?
As the pool is within the solid structure marquee and the water is heated to a constant temperature, the children will be in a warm environment both in the water and within the marquee.
Will my child go outside to get to the pool?
There will be a very short distance between the changing room door and the marquee, for which the children will require suitable footwear and a robe/towel (see kit details above).
Can i watch my child go swimming?
Parents/guardians are not able to accompany their child to swimming or attend as a spectator.
Can I opt my child out of swimming?
No. Swimming and water safety is a statutory part of the P.E. National Curriculum. As swimming is part of the National Curriculum, all pupils must participate in lessons.
My child has never been swimming before, will they be ok?
We always have children of different abilities taking part in school swimming. If your child has never been swimming, they will not be alone. Children are arranged into ability groups so they will be with other children of a similar ability. For non-swimmers, the first sessions are all about entering the water, moving around in it safely and gaining confidence in it - children are not expected to swim straight away.
As a parent, guardian or carer you play an absolutely vital role in encouraging your child to swim and learn about water safety, survival and lifesaving. It is important to get your child swimming as early and as much as possible - don’t just rely on school swimming lessons. See the previous section for more advice on your role in swimming and what you can do to help.
Our School Swimming Data
Our school swimming data for pupils in Year 6 is based upon our assessments carried out when the pupils were in Year 4, the year group in which school swimming takes place.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not all pupils were able to attend swimming whilst in Year 4. Below are the numbers and percentages of our Year 6 pupils, who went swimming in Year 4, who can:
