Swimming

Swimming lessons

Since 1994, swimming and water safety has been a statutory element of the national curriculum for physical education in England.

This means that every 11-year old child should leave primary school with the skills to keep themselves safe while enjoying swimming with friends and family.

The three national curriculum outcomes

Swimming is the only sport to be included within the national curriculum physical education statutory programme of study. All primary schools must provide swimming and water safety lessons in either Key Stage 1 or 2.

Each pupil is required to be able to do the following:

Perform safe self-rescue in different water based situations
Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
Use a range of strokes effectively, for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke.

Current data

As at 14 January 2024:

In year 6:

13/17 (76.2%) Children have learnt water safety and self rescue
14/17 (82%) Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
9/17 (53.%) Use a range of strokes effectively, for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke.

In year 5:

11/12 (92%) Children have learnt water safety and self rescue
7/12 (58%) Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
5/12 (42%) Use a range of strokes effectively, for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke.

In year 4:

10/15 (66%) Children have learnt water safety and self rescue
9/15 (60%) Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
8/15 (53%) Use a range of strokes effectively, for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke.
3/15 (20%) Are new learners

Swim England certification

Our lessons are based on standards set by Swim England whereby children start at level 1 and progress up to level 6, and for advanced swimmers Aquatic Skills and Self Rescue.

Our swimming lessons start in the second half of the summer term in year 4 and continues until the first half of the summer term in year 6 so each child has a total of two years tuition. Each child is initially assessed to see if they start in the Dolphins group or can jump straight into the Sharks group.

Our swimming lessons are a tremendously popular part of the school week with enormous enthusiasm shown by even the beginners. We divide the children into sharks who swim at the deep end and dolphins who are learning at the shallow end. It is a measure of their great joy at swimming that very nearly all of this years year 6 children are Sharks and aside from assessment of self rescue are at the standard required by the national curriculum.