to complain to the school about their swimming pool (sorry long winded)

[piggypoohsmum]

DD aged 11.5yrs is 4'11" tall and very developed. she attends a small primary school where the class is made up of yrs 4,5,6. The pool is an unheated outdoor pool and is 3' deep. It measures approx 3x4m (10' x 13') MAX! She finds it almost immpossible to swim in (as mothers in learner pools will understand).

On top of this there are no showers for before or after swimming (health & hygeine issue?). But her main concern is that they have to change in the classroom. The boys are allowed in the toilet area but can come out when they are ready EVEN if the girls are not dressed. DD is adamant that she does not want to swim but it is part of the NC. However she cannot possibly swim 25m (as stated in NC) in this pool.

Am i unreasonable and would i be within my/her rights to refuse to allow her to do this.

The HT is always telling parents & staff they should be grateful the school has a swimming pool but frankly I feel it should be regraded to a paddling pool !!!

I think she should just get on with it and swim personally.

i can swim in leanrer pools.

yes the changing situation should be reviewed.

dd's old school had a paddling pool, that was ankle deep.

The changing would concern me. All the children should be able to change in private if they want to.

Absolutely unacceptable that the children should not have single sex privacy for changing. In addition it is unhygeinic to not be able to rinse off before and after entering pool. My dd has very sensitive skin and if she doesn't rinse off after swimming she ends up with rashes.
I think it's perfectly reasonable to excuse your daughter from swimming. Although I would recommend making sure she is getting lessons elsewhere and make the school aware of this as part of your letter of excuse.

Ridiculous! No-one could swim distance awards in such a small pool. No privacy for changing, no foot bath, no showers, no reasonable depth to teach diving, treading water, etc.

Bring this to the attention of the parents association and governors and downgrade this to a fun pool. Press for swimming lessons at a proper swimming pool. Meantime, make sure your DD gets good swimming lessons privately.

ppm - my kids learnt to swim in a pool like this up to Year 1, iirc. Y2, Y3 and Y4 (which is the highest year the school did swimming) went off to a local proper pool.

I think you could reasonably refuse to have your dd swimming in these conditions. You could take her to a local pool to get her 25 m certificate.

Changing should be private, no question at that age.

I'd send a note in refusing.

Most pools require children over the age of 7 or 8 to use appropriate gender changing room. The same sort of age should apply at school for swimming changing (different for PE where undies stay on IMO).

Heres the link for national curriculum:
www.sta.co.uk/parent/natcurr.html

Swimming is apparently somewhat optional, but IF its taught should include survival skills at this level. My DD in Yr4 did it this year - I go along to help sometimes so I've seen some of what it entails and there is no way you could teach that properly in the small pool you describe. (incidentally, its a private school but they go to the local leisure centre for swimming lessons. Proper pool, proper teachers). I doubt you could do much by way of 'recogised strokes 'in such a small pool either, and presumably only a few at a time can go in.

Thank you for your comments. I am not the only parent of year 5 & 6 children who are not happy with the whole overall set up.
i will approach other parents and see if we can get the school to arrange for the older ones to have lessons at the leisure centre nearby. I often do the transport runs and help out so that wouldnt be a problem.
It isnt that she doesnt want to swim as usually i have to drag her out but she doesnt want to use this pool in these changing circumstances.

Also DD has done school swimming every year since yr 2.

IMO children need same sex privacy from about year 4 - lots of girls at your DDs age have started their periods and while they may not be swimming even changing for gym/PE should be separate.

Sounds simply ghastly

Even Gordonstoun has a heated pool nowadays

Complain to the Headmaster immediately

Isn't 25m just two lengths of the pool?

I would raise the issue of the changing facilities, as I think you have a valid point.

Otherwise I think that they are fortunate to have the pool and the ability to lean to swim in school time

Isn't 25m just two lengths of the pool?
check the units ...3x4metres .... big enough for infants water familiarisation and getting out of armbands, but hardly big enough to swim in. Anyhow 25m is minimum requirement. Quite a lot of kids years 4-6 will be able to swim hundreds of metres and they'd be far better served by a proper sized pool.

That's appalling! Children of your daughter's age should always have single-sex changing areas. You are completely right to refuse.

Ah, misread the feet and Meters bit!

Can't your DD change in the girls' toilets? When I was at primary school, we all changed for PE in the classroom but the girls who were more developed and already wearing bras were allowed to use the toilets for privacy.