Swimming
"Swimming is not only a healthy activity, but acts as an essential life-skill. Unless completed at Key Stage 1, swimming and water safety are statutory activities at Key Stage 2 - designed to ensure children are able to swim unaided over a distance of at least 25 metres. Swimming is also one of nine work strands within the national PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP) strategy.
In 2004, the Prime Minister announced funding for a national programme of top up swimming lessons to support the weakest swimmers in primary schools. This followed two successful pilot schemes - which looked at how best to support those children who reach the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2) and are not able to swim.
Top up swimming is an intervention designed to enable every child to achieve the KS2 standard in swimming at primary school. Pupils will be expected to develop the other range of skills related to the KS2 requirements, which are about general water confidence and water safety.
The extra lessons that top up swimming involves are designed to build on the existing swimming arrangements that a school should be running. It exists to support pupils during term time." (ASA British Swimming website)
The South Northants and Daventry SSP, in partnership with the ASA, is fully committed to ensuring that as many children as possible are able to swim 25 metres uniaded by Year 6. This is being achiveed in several ways:
SSP 'Top Up' Swimming Survey - All primary schools within the SSP have received swimming surveys since 2005/6. This survey have evolved to requesting information on the total number of pupils in Year 6, the numbers and names of non swimmers (available ONLY to the SSP staff), which member of staff at the school teaches swimming and the teacher:pupil ratio, the swimming venue the school uses and the number of sessions children participate in. This information enables the SSP, along with primary school PE Coordinators, to highlight specific children to then invite to 'Top Up' Swimming sessions (more information below).
National Swimming Survey Data - In addition to SSP-specific surveys, the SSP were fortunate to be one of only 40 SSPs nationwide able to access an additional question on the annual PESSCL survey regarding figures for children swimming at Key Stage 2. This enabled the South Northants and Daventry SSP to gain even more information which, although not child-specific, enabled the SSP to access information from schools in the SSP which have not returned SSP swimming surveys over the past three years. This information, coupled with information collated from the previous two years, has enabled SSP staff to target specific families and even schools in need of assistance with their swimming programmes.
'Top Up' Swimming Sessions - To date, sessions are being rolled out, both during school holidays and, for 2009, after school sessions, across four centres; Daventry Leisure Centre, Brackley Swimming Pool, Towcester Centre for Lesiure and Roade School Sports College. Invitations are sent out to parents of children specifically highlighted through the surveys. Sessions vary in time and duration, but are typically held on mornings of school holidays for 1-2 weeks, 30-45 minutes per session. After school programmes are held over 7-8 weeks for a similar duration. Further information is available by contacting the SSP here.
Teacher Training Programmes - For the past three years, the SSP, in partnership with 'LASI' (Local Authority Schools Improvement) has included swimming training for teachers on their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme for primary school teachers. This is to recognise not only the importance of swimming at Key Stages 1 and 2 but also in response to demand from teachers. The 'Top Up ' Swimming Module 1 course is a one-day course aimed at primary school teachers and learning assistants (who do not receive the 'full' qualification) who work with swimmers during school lessons. This course is consistently well attended and more information on bookings can be found here. Book early to avoid disappointment!
Rookie Lifeguard Programme - This exciting new initiative is based on the American/Australian model of competitive lifeguarding and lifesaving. developed under the Royal LIfe Saving Society (RLSS) banner, more information is available at their very distinctive website (http://www.lifesavers.org.uk/rookie/). Rookie LIfeguarding is aimed at young swimmers who are able to swim the 25 metres requirement unaided. Therefore, it is an ideal progression for schools who have achieved 100% of Key Stage 2 swimming 25 metres. The aim is not only educational but also fun and children, teachers, parents and swimming tutors alike have all remarked on how much fun it is to observe, participate in and deliver. Rookie Lifeguarding clubs are currently being run at Daventry and Towcester venues and Roade School Sports College and the SSP recently set up their first Rookie Lifeguarding club. Typically run in ten week blocks, ALL participants receive certification, based on gold, silver and bronze standards. The SSP ran its first Rookie Teachers course last year and is being run again on Tuesday 9th June 2009. Booking information can be found here.
As you can see, there are many opportunities for children and schools to access the 'Top Up' swimming programme, the majority of times, for FREE. Please contact us for more information.