Help! My child doesn’t want to go on school swimming lessons

Swimming and water safety is a statutory part of the National Curriculum, with the aim that by the age of 11 (the end of key stage 2) all pupils should be taught to:
 

• pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance and personal survival
• swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25 metres
• use recognised arm and leg actions, lying on their front and back
• use a range of recognised stroke and personal survival skills (such as front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, sculling, floating and surface dives)

If you don’t have happy memories of swimming lessons as a child, knowing that your child must learn to swim can be stressful enough. But, if your child is also a bit water-wary, it may leave you wondering whether they’ll have the same negative experience that you did.

If your child is still hesitant to do more than splash around the shallow end when it’s time for their first swimming lesson at school, don’t worry – swimming teachers are prepared for this. Here’s a sneak peek at what teachers do when a child is reluctant to participate in a class:
 

• Let the student observe the lesson from the poolside.
• Involve the student in the swimming lesson by having them help the teacher.
• Speak to the student to discuss and agree the task they need to achieve, however small it is.
• Make sure swimming is fun and enjoyable by using a games-led approach to learning to swim.
• Praise each small task that is achieved.

According to the ASA, the school should ensure that a nominated member of staff is given the responsibility of swimming coordinator, which means they’ll also apply the swimming pool safety policy and procedures in the school. This includes the proper operation of the school’s own swimming facility or use of another pool, as well as monitoring and keeping records of the following documents and procedures:
 

• risk assessments
• pool safety operation procedures (Normal Operating Procedure (NOP) and Emergency Action Plan (EAP))
• monitoring of staff training and maintaining records of qualifications
• all swimming-related communications to staff
• conditions of pool hire
• liaising with the school swimming provider

Schools must also consider their responsibilities for other areas such as teacher-to-pupil ratios, lifeguards, other adults involved in the swimming programme, and what qualifications are required. The ASA provides training in the delivery of a primary swimming programme to all school staff (teachers, classroom assistants, learning support staff, nurses, swimming teachers, parents, trainee teachers, etc.). The ASA’s National Curriculum Training Programme (NCTP) for the Certificate for Teaching School Swimming (key stages 1 and 2) teaches the right skills to ensure school children receive the best quality aquatics education.

If you have any questions about your school’s swimming policy, staff training and learning objectives, you can speak to your child’s teacher and ask to see the school’s NOP and EAP documents.

You can also contact the ASA on [email protected], and visit the ASA website for further swimming information.

You can find details of what swimming events are happening at your local pool on the Poolfinder.