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Education

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Original poster

dd1 going into yr 4 and i'm really nervous cos she can't swim yet.

17 replies

cutekids · 05/09/2006 12:57

we've tried to help her - although my hubbie hates going swimming and I can't take 3 kids on my own - but she's very nervous. i'm so worried about her going.how many teachers should there be per child?

OP posts:

Hallgerda · 05/09/2006 13:01

I'm sure there will be lots of other children who can't swim yet either - there were in my DS1's class. Having seen some rather weedy school swimming lessons in my local pool, I'd be far more concerned over whether your daughter will actually learn to swim than over her safety.

LIZS · 05/09/2006 13:02

ds is same sort of age and can only just scrabble a length at their pool and he's had lessons regulary at school. Think they do a ratio of 1:8 or perhaps 1:10 depending on ability/age at his school.

KTeepee · 05/09/2006 13:04

Where my school goes they put non-swimmers in the learner pool so she wouldn't be out of her depth if they do the same at yours. Can't remember what the ratios of teachers to children are but there are national guidelines. Have you never thought of getting her swimming lessons outside school? Lots of places do crash courses in the school holidays. Maybe you could find one for the autumn half-term? Don't want to make you feel bad but when dd started school lessons in Yr 3 there were only a couple of kids unable to swim. I specifically sent dd to after school lessons because I didn't want her to be the only one lagging behind (but she still was in the learner pool at first lol!)

BettySpaghetti · 05/09/2006 13:09

DD (just starting yr 2) has after school lessons and , after what seems like millions of lessons, is starting to get somewhere.

However, a few parents have said that 1:1 lessons were what really got their child swimming -like us they'd been sending their child for lessons with little progress but after a few 1:1 sessions there was a drastic improvement and they were swimming. Probably expensive but maybe worth it if you're worried?

figroll · 05/09/2006 13:11

Send her to swimming lessons outside school. My 2 would never do anything with me and were most uncooperative, but they had to get in and get on with it when they went to a swimming class. I felt that one of the most important skills for safety's sake was to learn to swim, so both of my kids were in lessons by the age of 4. I know that it can be expensive, but it could save their life.

themoon66 · 05/09/2006 13:55

I had no success trying to teach my two. I sent them both to private swimming lessons. I think I paid about £30 for ten lessons. Its was at the local swimming baths and run by Leisure Connections Aqua Action Classes. DD learned very quickly and DS took about 30 lessons just to get his feet off the bottom.

I have to say it was worth every penny. They both reached the top class on onto Rookie Life Guard by the age of 10.

Once they can swim your holidays become much more relaxed too.

tegan · 05/09/2006 22:42

dd1 is also going into yr 4 tomorrow but in our school they do swimming from yr 2 and have to of achieved stage 1 by yr 3.

snorkle · 05/09/2006 22:54

Message withdrawn

Original poster

cutekids · 14/09/2006 12:28

well,she starts tomorrow. another thing i'm so nervous about is the depth of even the shallow end as-even though she's nearly 8and a half,she's tiny----about the size of an average 6 year old.What's the usual depth of an average learner-pool?

OP posts:

Original poster

cutekids · 14/09/2006 12:29

OP posts:

charliecat · 14/09/2006 12:32

The learner pool depth is ...I dont know...so a 3 year old could more than happily stand up.
The children that cant swim are well catered for and she wont be in water that shes not confident in. Stop worrying
Although I confess to having both my dds in swimming lessons from 4 coz I was worryed about this and its only now in the 4th year that dd1 has really started to swim properly. the other years were confidence and practise...expensive!!!

LIZS · 14/09/2006 12:33

Normally it is under a metre in the shallow end. dd is 5 but only about a metre tall and can just stand up in theirs even though it is not particularly shallow. It will probably be around chest height on her. You could ring and check ?

Original poster

cutekids · 14/09/2006 12:37

Thanks for that. I'm really obsessing about this. Told Hubbie I was going in to talk to her teacher...make sure she's not the only learner etc. but he says I shouldn't do that!?It's funny how I'm not frightened of water at all myself but having had my younger daughter fall in a shallow pool and found her floating on the top-i literally looked away for 2 seconds!-I'm so nervous for my kids now.

OP posts:

Lilymaid · 14/09/2006 12:41

Swimming lessons outside school - either group or individual. She is unlikely to learn through school lessons - you do need to go to your local pool and find classes which will be run by qualified ASA coaches.

Hallgerda · 14/09/2006 12:43

My DS2 had his first school swimming lesson yesterday. The majority couldn't swim.

Peridot30 · 14/09/2006 13:27

my ds 5 has been having swimming lessons at our local pool. hated it the 1st few lessons but has came on leaps and bounds now able to put face in water which was a major hurdle. Definately recommend lessons outwith school. Good luck dont worry bout her there will be other kids that cant swim.

notagrannyyet · 14/09/2006 22:26

If you can't manage weekly swimming lessons, look out for 'crash courses' at you local pools in the school hols. One of mine learnt to swim in 2 weeks with 5 half hour lessons per week in the summer holidays.Our local pool runs crash courses every holiday even during the 1 week 1/2 terms.

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