1 out of 4 children can’t swim when going into year 7.

[Quiethelper]

As the title says really. I was shocked to read over 1 out 4 children can’t swim 25m when going into year 7.

Secondary schools in our area don’t do lessons. Surly this needs to be addressed for the ones who couldn’t save themselves if they fell into water.

I would fully support and be happy for budget to be allocated for children to have essential swimming skills.

I feel really sad about this statistic.

I suppose it depends on if you grow up with those experiences or feeling like you are missing out if others around you are experiencing those things. It doesn't feel awful to me because paddle boarding, kayaking and snorkelling sounds awful to me and isn't something that makes me think 'I must do everything in my power to learn how to swim'. I don't know anyone who does any of those things either and also didn't as a teenager so never felt like I was missing out and I've also never felt embarrassed that I can't swim.

I don't have the money to learn how to swim, though I doubt I would if I did but even then the money would likely go towards finding out if it's possible for my son to learn because no one knows. We'll probably never find out though because it's just too expensive.

I know it’s overstepping but I just have to say, please break the cycle. I can almost promise you, if you scrape the money together or find a way to teach your child to swim their life will be enriched in many ways you can’t imagine - one of those being not continuing the cycle of not teaching your child to swim and having the gift of being able to teach, and swim with their own child.

Unfortunately, money doesn't grow on trees and I can't scrape money together that isn't there.

As I've also said, it may not even be possible for him to learn how to swim.

I used to take DS to his lessons when he was young enough to need me to go in with him. I suffer with quite severe pain from endometriosis and the pressure of the water against my lower body was always so painful. Once I tried to sit on the side while he was still in the water within arm's reach for a breather before dipping back in and the teacher said 'mums in the pool!' pretty quickly haha. I'm sure I could have spoken to let her know the situation but ultimately they need parents with them in the pool as that's cheaper than paying staff to get in and actively support/supervise. I kept going but used to dread it.

Once he got to an age where he could go in alone it was such a massive relief.

So many adults just can't swim, I have relatives that don't even go in a pool because they can't swim and they have a fear that they'll somehow go under even if it's only waist deep. So no wonder the kids of those adults don't learn. I can barely swim, maybe a width of doggy paddle in perfect conditions despite lessons as a kid and going a bit as an adult. I find that people who can swim well presume it's something anyone can manage and comes naturally, but for so many people it just doesn't! I always felt confused when people would say humans are buoyant in water and was surprised that obese people can stay afloat and swim.

Primary schools have to teach it as it’s in the curriculum - coaches to a swim school are expensive plus the cost of lessons (which school has to cover, not the coach)

schools I’ve worked in hire pools in, some send each year group for half a term per year (that’s sometimes the only time they get in a pool so skills are forgotten the year later)

our school sends year 3 for 3 half terms. They make amazing progress but if it’s not backed up by swimming lessons or parents taking them swimming, then it’s again strength that’s lost. Some kids are 8 and can barely walk across the shallow end and if they’re lucky, by the end of their swimming block, they can swim 5m. If it’s not picked up again by parents, it’s going to be a bigger statistic soon.

PS as a parent, this is the one thing I have enforced as a parent. My daughter is 8 and just swam 2500m - lessons since birth. £5 a week.
my son is 6 and just did 25m - again since birth with Covid between. It’s a sum I’m willing to sacrifice when it’s life saving.

What a terrible take! It’s embarrassing that there’s 3 generations of non-swimmers. I’d be the one to break that cycle. Yeah, maybe 50m won’t save your life. But having the ability to tread water for 5 mins until help arrives is vital! You can drown in seconds.

When we lived in Germany I could take the children swimming in the local outdoor pool for free in the summer, while enjoying a drink and a pizza on the picnic tables watching them... (including beer)

It was a lot healthier lifestyle so it doesn't surprise me that the swimming levels were a lit more functional

Embarrassing for who, who is the judge? It really isn't anyone's business.
I'm sure there is families with generations of non swimmers, the black community seem to have a much higher numbers of death of teenagers drowning every year. It isn't for everyone. I can't swim, I've no intentions of learning, it isn't something I'm interested in, don't plan on any water sports or ferry rides.

Every swimmer judges. We all judge. And rightly so. We just don’t normally tell you.
Not teaching you child to swim is a dick head parent move. Along with not teaching your child to read or not teaching the child to cross the road. Or giving an 8 year old full access to the internet and social media.
That goes for your own parents for not teaching you.
It’s basic 101 parenting. Teach your child to be able to tread water, doggy paddle to the side wearing light clothing at the very very least.
So yes, I judge.
If your child at any point has an accident near water or sees their own child or even another stranger struggling and can’t help, there will be no harder judge than yourself.

I can swim, my daughter goes to swimming lessons, but I don't judge non-swimmers. We are not aquatic mammals. It's really not hard to avoid water. I have lived on Earth for 36 years and never once been in water that I didn't get into on purpose.

You’ve been lucky then that you haven’t had an accidents or seen anyone else struggling.
I have - I save a boy once on holiday in the pool. Life guard hadn’t seen him at all and he was right in the middle of a fairly busy pool way out of his depth with no parents. Happens in seconds.
It’s not just you though. Imagine you not teaching your child and because of that, there are 3+ more generations of non swimmers- multiple children and adults. What’s the likely hood do you think that at some point someone is going to need that vital skill to save themselves or someone else?

I was going to say, not all swimmers are judgemental.

I haven't found it difficult at all to avoid water either.

It didn't happen in seconds though did it. No-one flung him from the side of the pool into deep water as he was going along minding his own business. Most non-swimmers are not putting themselves into the middle of a crowded swimming pool and if they are it's not their swimming ability that's the problem, it's their common sense.

As I say, I can swim, reasonably well. I did about 10 years of swimming lessons.

If I was to fall off a boat into freezing water, or land in water after a plane went down, or any other circumstance in which a non-swimmer might end up in water unexpectedly, I'd have basically zero chance of survival, along with anyone else who wasn't not only a good swimmer but also extremely fit, strong and able to maintain stamina for potentially hours whilst awaiting rescue.

Swimmers who judge are swimmers st rusk of drowning. A truly strong swimmer knows that swimming 25 m in a swimsuit, in a pool without waves and at a comfortable temperature is completely pointless for survival. If your child can swim a substantial distance fully clothed, in cold water - then you can talk about survival. Everything else os just a (dangerous) illusion

I don't understand the 'didn't happen in seconds' comment. I've seen two children nearly drown on holiday and it certainly was seconds. If either of the children had been able to star float, they'd have survived even if not immediately rescued (which thankfully they were, though not by their parents). No most people couldn't survive in the North Sea for hours unless super fit but being able to swim a bit or float makes a huge difference.

Not to mention how no parents were around. If they were watching him in the first place, he likely wouldn't have got into difficulties because he'd have had someone watching him telling him not to go any deeper.

The ability to swim and a mouthful of decent teeth will be the new markers of middle class in another 15 years.

But starfloating in an emergency isn’t what kids are taught in swimming lessons! They are taught butterfly well before treading water (for 30 seconds in stage 5!), and you can make it fairly high up in the swim stages with floating for all of 3 seconds. These 3 seconds that are practiced from standing (not jumping in) are not very relevant for survival.
Stages 6 and 7 adres a little bit of life saving stuff, but you need to learn to swim a length of butterfly before you are taught that!

It is, it's taught in stage 1 - float on front and back with a float - and progresses from there.

I'm not a confident swimmer and generally hate being the water. I can swim but not well. My parents could not afford lessons. I wish I was better and plan to have lessons one day.
My children have lessons are both good swimmers. Almost all children are in lessons in my area. When DD did swimming lessons at school in Y4 there were only about 5 children who couldn't swim. It must be very area dependent.

It's shocking in one way but not in another. Lessons can be expensive and not every family can afford it. Or they are poor quality. Primary school lessons are often a term per year which is unlikely to result in confident swimmers.

My son started at age 3 with the local council lessons and although he loved water, the lessons were poor - not enough being done, poor technique and too much waiting around.

Did 12 months and gave up to go to a private pool with one to one instruction. Cost a fortune but he loves swimming and I am lucky that I could afford it and only have one child. He thrived and is now a club swimmer (year 7) but a lot of his primary friends aren't good swimmers.

DS will still swim at school too as they have their own pool (independent school) but few state senior schools will swim.

I grew up by the sea and am raising my child by the sea.
So it's alien to me that there are people who just don't see a problem with not being able to swim and just reason that they will avoid water. I suppose that does make sense if you're living and raising children in a city though. For my son swimming lessons have been essential because we spend all summer at the beach.

for 3 seconds (stage 3), from standing. never from jumping in.
Stage 4 has log rolls and changing shapes.
Stage 5 has 30 seconds treading water and perform an action to get help
Stage 6 has swimming with clothes.
None have floating for a longer amount of time, none have floating from jumping in or even in deep water.

I’m the judge in this scenario. I’d be the parent breaking that generational cycle - to blame parents and grandparents and use that exact fact ‘I have no intention’ alongside black teenagers have a higher chance of drowning - I’d be doing something about it!