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Original poster

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

681 replies

Jobseeker19 · 21/09/2021 13:53

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?

OP posts:
SpeakingFranglais · 22/09/2021 20:21

I would have loved three kids but the reality is, most of us have two because three doesn’t allow us the same standard of living. …..including swimming lessons

skodadoda · 22/09/2021 20:25

@SummerHouse

It absolutely is part of the curriculum. There is a responsibility on schools.
True. Also, Covid is not stopping schools taking children to swimming lessons; just today I saw a class at the pool.
canonlydoblue · 22/09/2021 20:25

I know one local school who did swimming lessons in a (large) bath sized tank as they didn’t have the opportunity to use a pool. Another who taught them them the principle of the strokes in the classroom and then hired a pool for the final sessions. Swimming provision differs greatly and covid has put pay to my children going with their school for the last two years. There is a requirement in the curriculum but how the school delivers it may not be the same as you experienced in school. Lessons here are around £24 a month. As others have said, it’s a life skill. I have five children, four of which currently have lessons. We do them all on a Saturday morning. We’re by no means well off but I do prioritise swimming - plus they get free swimming outside of their lessons so it’s a ‘free’ activity the rest of the time.

Iflyaway · 22/09/2021 20:28

just waiting for the school to start doing it

That's just it. You can't expect others to rock up and sort your stuff out. You have to become pro-active as a parent.

That's not a dig at you, it's reality. Everyone has personal and profesional shit going on in their life.

You have to keep on top of stuff.

Yes, it's hard.

Jbh333 · 22/09/2021 20:30

Wow some of the comments…..

Maybe op can’t swim to teach them herself - I can’t so no hope of that ever happening 😬Also fitting in lessons around work, the cost etc.

And as for getting my told about don’t have kids if you can’t afford them… who is anybody to judge without knowing anyone’s backstory!?

sunshineandshowers40 · 22/09/2021 20:40

My DC had half a term of lessons in Y3 and half a term in Y5. We also had to pay (pool and coach). They would never have learnt to swim if they only had the school lessons.

I know some parents that taught their own DC how to swim but most like me have spent years at the local swimming pool whilst they had their lessons. Always felt I was winning when they had their lessons on the same day and at the same time.

WTF475878237NC · 22/09/2021 20:43

Some really mean comments on here. It is a profession, so to properly teach a child to swim safely isn't just now wave your arms doggy paddle style surely.

Owl55 · 22/09/2021 20:43

Our primary used to take children for swimming lessons from year 3 and if a child didn’t learn to swim they went the following year with as different year group till they could swim . Not everyone can afford to send their child for swimming lessons , some people in this group have no idea how other people live , I’m sure if she could afford lessons she would!😡

Scorpiostar · 22/09/2021 20:44

I’m a bit evangelical about this - ex-swimming coach here! Swimming is not just a sport, it’s an essential skill that could potentially save your life. Not being able to confidently take to the water can have an impact on your enjoyment of lots of stuff. If your kid is in year 6, why haven’t you made sure that he can swim before now? School swimming is not a substitute for proper lessons.

Miseryl · 22/09/2021 20:48

Most pools do swimming lessons at the weekend. All three kids don't have to learn at once. Prioritise them by age - eldest first and when they can swim, sign up the next one. This is your responsibility.

Dontgetyerknicksinatwist · 22/09/2021 20:51

@Trumanshow

Pay for him to have swim lessons! How have you let him get to y6 without being able to swim?? I took my daughter swimming from a few weeks old and she started lessons and could swim unaided by about 2.5. It’s not schools job to teach your son. With a class of 30ish how on earth do you expect them to accomplish what you haven’t?
Maybe they can’t afford it. Have you thought of that?!
HambletonSquare · 22/09/2021 20:53

*RobertGalbraith
Swimming 25m by the time a child leaves primary school is part of the PE national curriculum so schools should provide some lessons. However, academies do not have to follow the national curriculum. Is your child’s primary school an academy, OP?

Reposting this as it’s clearly being ignored. 39% of primary schools are now academies*

Choose your schools well, maintained schools do have to meet NC guidance for swimming.

Rubbish that academies can opt out. They can pay their CEO's six figure sums, but choose not provide swimming lessons. Disgraceful.

Teenagehorrorbag · 22/09/2021 20:55

I'm amazed you left it this long - children should be encouraged to learn to swim from about age 4, if they're up for it. Haven't read the full thread but if money is tight, I think there may be support available, speak to the pool. But it's not that expensive anyway.

Please don't leave it any longer - swimming is a massively important life skill (both for safety and social reasons), and it's so much harder to learn things when you're older!

nopuppiesallowed · 22/09/2021 21:00

My dad taught me to swim. He wasn't a trained swimming teacher or even a good swimmer but he held my head above the water and taught me to do a basic doggy paddle. Everything else I learnt by going to the swimming pool with my friends when I hit my teens. Primary schools are now expected to teach lots of things other than reading, maths and English with some history, geography and science thrown in. Many teachers complain that there isn't even time for a story at the end of the day - even though listening to well written stories has a huge impact on children's literary skills. Swimming is really important, but there just isn't time for everything. Travelling to and from the pool, changing etc can take up half a morning and that time needs to be spent on the core curriculum. (Says this ex teacher)

Talkwhilstyouwalk · 22/09/2021 21:03

I'm not quite sure what you expect, are your children at private school?

I don't know if any schools that offer free swimming lessons.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 22/09/2021 21:07

Mine got one year of lessons on year 4 but DD missed it due to covid.
Mine have been swimming with me since they were babies so she could swim. Take him yourself, I can’t believe that idea got to yr 6 unable to swim, as a parent it’s part of giving your child the skills needed to keep safe. Prioritise it.

MeredithGreyishblue · 22/09/2021 21:11

What a strange thread. 🤔

CaptainNelson · 22/09/2021 21:17

If you want swimming lessons to actually happen effectively, vote for a government that will fund schools properly. They've been drained for the past 10 years by this party of nepotists.

worriedatthemoment · 22/09/2021 21:21

I went to a school in the 80's and we did do swimming from what would now be yr 5-76 and for about half the year each school year, my secondary also did swimming first year now yr 8 as we went to secondary a year later but that was unusual just how our schios worked
My da school did swimming lessons year 4/5/6 but just one term so 6 weeks
Mine could already swim though as we had paid for lessons and took them ourselves as amount in school isn't a lot now

itsgettingwierd · 22/09/2021 21:25

@tiredoldusername

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.
I agree with you children should be taught to swim and a lot of my councils nearby have free swim sessions for those on benefits/low income.

I also think a certain amount of free lessons should be available.

But I don't agree it should come via school. State maintained schools must follow the curriculum and provide lessons for those who can't swim.

But with more and more becoming academies this will dwindle out because they aren't required to follow it.

It would be far better for a government run system of councils providing certain number of free lessons than trying to make it another thing schools provide on top of the ever increasing demands of academics that's provided.

Moll2020 · 22/09/2021 21:30

Swimming was on the curriculum pre-Covid, every day for 2 weeks for children in Year 4. It’s been cancelled because of the virus.

Ohhelppp · 22/09/2021 21:31

As others have said, unless it’s an Academy, they have to provide swimming lessons. My school pays for it out if the PE budget. This year we’re having to pay ££££ for an intensive course for Year 6 as they’ve missed out in previous years due to Covid. Usually they go once a week for one term in years 3, 4 & 5. But we were re-thinking it pre-Covid anyway as what we provided wasn’t sufficient for them to swim the 25m in year 6.
As it stands, I’m aghast at the fact we’re having to pay so much money for the intensive course in year 6 because I view swimming as a life skill and therefore parental responsibility.
Bet then, I feel the same way about dental health care and early years teachers now need to teach that in Reception so… 🤷🏻‍♀️

helpIhateclothesshopping · 22/09/2021 21:32

My kids school did 1 term in year 4 (parents paid towards the coach) and a top up term in year 6 for anyone who couldn't swim 25 m by then.
Swimming is an important life skill, my parents ensured we learnt early as kids because my dad was 11 when he learnt and didn't want us to suffer the same difficulties, it's much easier when you are younger apparently.
We took ours when they were tiny and made sure they had lessons until they were competent to manage safely in the water. So many of the best experiences I have had in my life wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been able to swim. It really is worth the investment.

Queenbee77 · 22/09/2021 21:41

Take your child swimming? Simples! Or pay somone to give child lessons.

Endoftether2000 · 22/09/2021 21:44

Truemanshow 😅🤣😂our village schools manage to get 7 classes of 30 kids in the bigger schools and 6 classes of 30 in the smaller schools, swimming by each class going once a week from start to finish of primary school. I guess you wouldn't be surprised if a Teacher couldn't get a child achieving basic reading and writing by the end of primary school 😂🤣😂