School offering zero swimming lessons, son is now in year 6 and cant swim

[Jobseeker19]

Is it compulsory for a school to do swimming lessons?

My son has never had them and is now in year 6.

When I was a child we did it every year.

I asked them today and was told that they are not doing it because of covid, when I told them my child is in year 6 and never had them they told me they only do it in year 5 for one term thats it and thats how all primary schools do it.

They are chatting shit as I have had an older child through there who also never had lessons.

What can I do about it?

You don't have to be a swimming teacher to teach a child to swim it's not the school's responsibility to teach them it's the parents They usually only swim for one half term of the year that's not enough. Kids need to go from a really young age instead of leaving it till they are well into primary school

The government putting on the curriculum that it's compulsory for schools to provide swimming lessons is a bit like when they did the same for computing, whilst neglecting to offer any funding for the provision of computers.

Swimming is a compulsory requirement for KS2 who can't swim. It's usually taught in Y4 or 5 to all students as a compulsory PE item and then any students who can't swim in older years. I would explain to the school it's a legal requirement for a non-swimming Y6 and yours can't swim.

Both my kids have sn and I swim like a brick but I taught both of mine to swim by the time they were 4. (( we live by water so it's very important))

It really isnt that hard, those floatie jackets are fab for them learning the basic stokes etc then most important and easiest part is teaching them to float. Theyll already know the arm and leggy bits so just join the two.

Are the schools really expected to do everything? Tie show laces, use a knife and fork etc etc where’s your parental responsibility

@Leedsfan247

Are the schools really expected to do everything? Tie show laces, use a knife and fork etc etc where’s your parental responsibility

What if the parents can't swim

@DumplingsAndStew The National Curriculum is what any school not in the private sector must teach. And it includes swimming. So to all those people who say it's not the school's responsibility. Actually it is.

OP, you might want to check with the school, if they are an academy/academy sponsored/MAT or an LA controlled school.
If the primary school is deemed an academy, they don’t have to follow the National Curriculum.

www.gov.uk/types-of-school/academies

My son has swimming lessons at school from reception to y2 when they shut the pool down. He's y4 now. I pay £6 PW at local leisure centre and they are starting lessons back up at school at some point

Your local council pool is probably free for under 16. Take them yourself and teach them.

Can you swim?
Could you not have taken them yourself from a young age?

From my experience it's very unlikely that your child would have made much progress in the one term of school swimming lessons.

If cost of lessons is an issue then take the children regularly to a discounted rate session and just have fun in the water and teach them yourself. In my day noone had lessons, we just taught ourselves with our parents guidance.

My youngest had hundreds of swimming lessons and made hardly any progress. It was only when we went on holiday and had constant access to a pool that he loved that it suddenly clicked and he became a water baby!

My children are Y4 and Y5. At our school lessons are usually one class per term for Y4.

Obviously my oldest child missed out last year, so they are attempting to cram both year groups in this year (so 6 classes of 30ish) I think each class will get 4 or 5 lessons.

Both my kids CAN swim and have attended weekly swimming lessons since they were 6 months old (paid for by my mother who learnt to swim at the same time through the same swim school)

I'm trying to see if they can opt out as neither need the school lessons and other children could benefit more, but I'm not sure how much more work that would be to organise for our already overwhelmed leadership team.

Pay for swimming lessons, although they cost an arm and leg, we can’t afford it.

My boy went with the school and still can’t swim.

@IrishCharm

Can you swim? Could you not have taken them yourself from a young age?

The OP doesn't wish to spend her own time doing this.

Ok I am assuming that maybe the OPs school has year 5 swimming and hey 2020 happened?

Take him to the classes at the local swimming baths.

What most gets me is you waiting until your son is in year 6 to complain about him not having lessons. You've had 10 years to sort them out yourself...

This is bull shit. So by your reasoning they shouldn't do P.E either?

Um, no, their point is don't rely on the school for everything, not that swimming should be abolished in schools. Yes, kids need more than the 1.5hrs of exercise they get in a school week. That means parents pay for extras outside of school or take them out themselves.

I understand not being able to afford swimming lessons, but if you can swim yourself, take kids at least once per week, it’s easy for someone to teach this if they can do it. No different than teaching how to ride a bike or most life skills. I taught other kids when I was about 9 or 10.

Its a parents job to ensure their children can swim, not a schools! Pay for it yourself or teach them yourself but stop blaming the school!

It's true, both of my children only had 1 term on lessons, not sure on year but it was either 4 or 5. Both of my children can swim so it wouldn't have bothered me if they didn't go with school.

Swimming is not on the curriculum at our school? We do a term of swimming lessons but only because the parents pay half and the PTA pay the rest.

Most parents pay for years and years. Pre receptionto year 6.

Do you not speak to pp at school gate. Everyone does swimming lessons. Try local council pool for cheaper ones.

OP, there are a lot of very privileged people on here and I think you're being given a very hard time. Swimming lessons should be provided, especially in a country where our lifeboat service has to be funded by charitable donations. Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to afford the time or money to teach their children to swim and some of the comments here saying you shouldn't have three children are just shocking.

And to add. One term will not teach them to swim. My children had 5/6 terms that I paid for when they were pre/school infants over about 2.5 years. It might be possible for older children to learn in one term but I can't imagine it is.