So what would you think if your primary school says it requires volunteers to teach swimming?

[daftdame]

Just that really. Our primary school says that swimming lessons may have to be cancelled if they don't get enough volunteers to help. I know they have to teach this, as it is part of the national curriculum, although I know the guidelines do not stipulate much in terms of how many lessons they are supposed to teach. I do not like the emotional blackmail aspect though...what do you think?

I imagine if the school don't get enough volunteers they will reduce swimming lessons so they only cover what they need to in order to fulfil the National Curriculum rather than provide extra lessons.

Thanks guys, excellent information. Cancelling lessons (vague term could have meant altogether as far as anyone knew) is quite an emotive term, so you'll appreciate my concern. Good to get the info on neutral ground.

What age children are we talking about here?
At my DCs school they start swimming lessons on yr2 and there are no adults in the water with them. They position their own bodies.

I'm with you daftdame. There are much better ways of asking than "if we don't get enough volunteers we'll cancel".
Why not, we would like to offer swimming to x year groups but require x number of volunteers to fulfil this.

As for scary class reps, I don't blame them. The majority of parents can't be arsed and just take, take, take. It's the same minority who do everything. I'm a rep this year (not too scary!) and it's not been fun.

Thanks amidaiwish, it bugs me when things are promised to children and then cancelled (eg trips / workshops have been cancelled) because school cannot raise enough funds / get enough volunteers. Does put parents in an awkward position.

I'm sure the staff are just as upset at having to cancel things they planned for the children.

mrz, so the simple solution seems to be plan then promise, rather than promise then plan. Obviously planning involves consulting all the relevant parties (at least to some extent).

But trips etc are always like this "if not enough people pay for the trip, it will be canceled" - I would hope teachers don't start telling kids about the trip until after the forms have been returned.

Isn't it better that you know swimming is at risk of cancellation so people can't say "oh, I would have volunteered if I'd known it was critical"?

I'm sure no one makes unconditional promises ...We will go swimming IF we can find plenty of volunteers ...We will visit the seaside IF we get enough contributions ...

The children know when they get handed a letter. That was why I thought better use could be made of the parent survey, which asked questions like this instead of how brilliant do you think we are?

Isn't part of the planning finding there is support from parents

mrz - Not to my knowledge, how do your school do this?

As I said earlier when our children go swimming there is only the class teacher and the swimming instructor - both poolside no one in the water so we don't ask for volunteers.
For visits and events I usually word letters home -

We would like to take Y? to museum or theatre ... on date The cost of this is X and we are asking parents for a contribution of Y.
For trips I try to arrange for them to take place on a day when I know I have a volunteer/student and a TA in my class so I don't have to ask parents.

mrz..brilliant in it's simplicity.

daftdame - I know what you mean when it is the same small group of parents that always help. But schools NEED help. Our local primary had it's own pool, but got rid of it because they constantly needed parent volunteers and to keep a certain number of staff trained in various swimming related stuff. Now the school no longer has it's own pool and only one year group get to go swimming. Shame.

Kathy, Yep but its about priorities, sounds like a large proportion of teachers and TAs aren't that fussed about swimming (or pesky parents questioning them)..some thing's got to give.

A large proportion of teachers and TAs know their own limitations. I freely admit I wouldn't know where to start teaching a class of 30 kids to swim and I say that as someone who was married to a swimming teacher.

Daftdame, it's pretty unusual for a school to have its own pool, if it didn't then this would prob not be an issue as there would be far fewer swimming lessons.

Why do you think the school views you as pesky parents?

Sorry I clearly missed a meeting what exactly is wrong with parents being in the water with kids. How many incidents of child sex abuse occur in a swimming pool with a teacher watching and other parents in the water too

At our school we have been asked for a voluntary contribution to cover swimming with the caveat that 'children whose parents do not make a voluntary contribution will not be taken swimming' which is an interesting interpretation of voluntary but that's another debate.

Primary school classes are busy, the more hands on the ground the better. Whether they are TAs, teachers or whatever. If you want to help, help, if you don't, or can't, don't - it's really very simple. :)

The Doctrine - Our school..nooo..seen and not heard we are.

Chocolate, point more about safety and training, what is and is not safe / acceptable. With a group of 10, 4 year old children a little one can easily be over enthusiastic in exploring their underwater skills. Assisting in the pool means you are the first on hand in most situations. Obviously the instructor supervises but training would prepare the uninitiated.

What age are the children?

From reception to Yr6.

Wouldn't you expect proper lifeguards to be in attendance, aside from the school staff (teachers/pool instructors/voluntary helpers/TAs?
I certainly would!

They want parents to go with Y6
I can understand with reception children who may struggle to dress and undress but not with older children