Children fail to meet swimming targets before leaving primary school

Current swimming provisions are failing to teach children to swim adequately, before they leave school, finds research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Curriculum requirements for Key Stage 2, specify that children should be able to swim at least 25 metres before they leave primary school.

No funding, transport costs and limited pool access are the main reasons for the lack of swimming provisions.

This led to a 2013 report by Ofsted, finding that one-fifth of 12o primary schools did not meet the required swimming standard.

Manager of the ASA’s School Swimming programme, Susan Barlow said: “With 51 per cent of primary school children unable to swim the minimum of 25 metres, it has become essential for secondary PE teachers to understand the fundamental, core aquatic skills of swimming and how these skills transfer to the development of swimming strokes and other aquatic activities.

“The NCTP allows secondary PE teachers to gain this knowledge and understand where these key skills fit. The number one resource is school teachers: with the correct training they can give pupils the best possible start to swimming.”