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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Concerned - reception swimming lessons

41 replies

Worriedlisa · 18/03/2016 20:21

Very concerned about this
DS who is still only 4 is expected to walk 1/2 mile to the leisure centre and then have a group swimming lesson.
He can't swim and isn't fond of swimming but all the other parents have opted in and paid the fee.
It doesn't help last year a child left the leisure centre after getting changed and walked back to school alone, crossing a main road and nobody even noticed - well until he turned up in the reception area.
They're still so young, what a stupid idea.

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KP86 · 18/03/2016 20:25

My not-yet-2yo can walk that far so I wouldn't be too worried about distance.

I'm assuming since it's swimming lessons there will be lots of parent helpers to ensure the right adult to child ratio so they should be properly supervised for swimming and walking. (Albeit I acknowledge last year this must not have happened properly - no doubt the school have learned their lesson.)

As a final precaution, maybe also speak to your son to remind him to not go off without an adult or teacher?

parrotonmyshoulder · 18/03/2016 20:25

Half a mile really isn't far!
And the school won't make the mistake of leaving a child again.
There will probably be loads if parent helpers and it will be fun. Children are often more keen at school swimming lessons than with parents.

ILoveMyMonkey · 18/03/2016 20:26

As a parent no way would I agree to that - not the walking but to the swimming. As a teacher no way would I take responsibility for that - again the swimming not the walking.

Can you opt out? Or offer to be a parent helper?

spanieleyes · 18/03/2016 20:32

why on earth not? All our reception children swim each week-although we have our own pool so don't have to walk and haven't lost a child on the way to and from the classroom. The children swim in small groups of 8-10 with a TA in the pool, a swim instructor/trained teacher and a lifeguard by the side. A couple of parents come in to help with changing. The children love it and soon learn water confidence and even swimming!

zoemaguire · 18/03/2016 20:33

Blimey, my 2yo walks that most days!

andadietcoke · 18/03/2016 20:36

I used to help with reception class swimming when I was in sixth form and doing a lifesaving qualification. There were two of us in the pool with the kids and the swimming teacher and class teacher at the side. The children loved it.

elevenweekstogo · 18/03/2016 20:40

Yeah sorry but my 2yo will probably do at least 1/2 a mile "walk" a day then run in the garden, charge round the house, power up and down the stairs, wash the car with his dad etc etc etc.

Is the problem the physical exercise or the concern about safety on the walk? It's two separate issues. At the end of the day, if you don't want your child to take part...write a letter asking him not to take part. Simple.

Fedup21 · 18/03/2016 20:42

As a parent no way would I agree to that - not the walking but to the swimming. As a teacher no way would I take responsibility for that - again the swimming not the walking.

They will be taught by a qualified swimming teacher, I assume?! What's the problem?

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 18/03/2016 20:43

Children are on the go all day ... They are able to walk that far and back.

Swimming is good for them and no 4 year old is a "fantastic" swimmer

Depends where you live but statistically children from cities are more likely to drown than those from seaside towns -

It's a life (saving) skill -

You should be grateful the school goes beyond the curriculum to make this happen

No swimming here till they are year 3 cut back from year 2 due to budget cuts.

ILoveMyMonkey · 18/03/2016 20:50

They will be taught by a qualified swimming teacher, I assume?! What's the problem?

Because as the class teacher if, heaven forbid, anything happened then I would be held accountable and personally liable (despite a qualified instructor being present) and that isn't a risk I'd be prepared to take. Imo reception age is too young for whole class school swimming. Like I said just my opinion.

MidniteScribbler · 18/03/2016 21:24

Good grief, our preps (like your reception year) start in first term. Swimming lessons are run by qualified instructors who work with small groups in their appropriate levels of skill (usually 3-5 students per instructor at that age). Most come to school having already done swimming lessons (My DS started at six months and at 4 is already an independent swimmer). It's an essential life skill as far as I'm concerned.

ILoveMyMonkey · 18/03/2016 21:31

It's an essential life skill as far as I'm concerned.

Absolutely agree with you but it's not a schools responsibility to teach all life skills. Parents can, and should, teach some of these; or at least organise the teaching.

TheTroubleWithAngels · 18/03/2016 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MidniteScribbler · 18/03/2016 22:14

Absolutely agree with you but it's not a schools responsibility to teach all life skills. Parents can, and should, teach some of these; or at least organise the teaching.

Of course parents should. There are plenty of things that parents should teach, but don't. Which is why schools spend so much time teaching things that children aren't learning at home.

ILoveMyMonkey · 18/03/2016 22:22

Of course parents should. There are plenty of things that parents should teach, but don't. Which is why schools spend so much time teaching things that children aren't learning at home.

Exactly, which is why the school curriculum is so overstretched and why things are dropped off the timetable in order to fit other things in.

kilmuir · 18/03/2016 22:31

i was a parent helper when our school took KS1 pupils to local swimming pool for lessons.
Parents were asked to fill in a form with details of childs experience of swimming and children alloacted a small group accordingly.
Was very well organised event,

jo164 · 18/03/2016 22:31

We take our children from year 1 onwards. They also walk half a mile then swim and walk back. They all enjoy it, are making great progress and believe it or not after a few weeks can all manage to dry themselves and get changed with little assistance. Oh and we have managed not to lose any yet ( in the 6 years I have been there). It would be a real shame to take your child out of swimming lessons.

Canshopwillshop · 18/03/2016 22:41

What a fantastic opportunity. It's an essential life skill and excellent for health and fitness - you should be embracing it! Could you offer to help out?

WhattodoSue · 18/03/2016 22:47

Our reception children walked and went on the bus. They loved it, highlight of the week. Kids are so protected, they don't have room to develop a sense of independence and responsibility.

IoraRua · 18/03/2016 22:56

Honestly I wouldn't have a problem with this. I wouldn't necessarily take my junior infant class (equivalent of reception - that is if I was teaching that age), ime the Irish schools take them later and they have better self-care skills (dressing, drying) when older. But other than that, no concerns.

alltouchedout · 18/03/2016 22:58

Oh, I'd be pleased! They don't get lessons til year 4 here and that seems incredibly late to me. School took us swimming when I was 5 in the 80s and I think that's a good age.

JimAndTonic · 19/03/2016 08:40

Fgs! What IS the problem here?

Less than half a mile to walk to the leisure centre? Is that really an issue - im sure ttere would be adequate adult supervision, walking in a crocodile line holding hands etc. Gives an extra opportunity to teach about road safety along the way and the exercise is invaluable.

Or is it the swimming itself? A life skill the earlier taught the better. There will be life guards and adequate supervision - why be THAT parent who wraps her child up in cotton wool and objects to everything just for the point of objecting ?

Inkymess · 19/03/2016 15:43

I'd be delighted if ours did it!! 1/2,- mile is a 10-15 walk only and swimming is brilliant opportunity

WhatWouldFlopDo · 19/03/2016 16:09

The walk wouldn't bother me so much, I assume they'd do a 'Sammy snake' and all hold a rope or walk in pairs holding hands with an adult at both ends of the line. I don't send DD (just turned 4) swimming with nursery, even though she'd love to, because it's 5 miles on a minibus with no age and weight appropriate restraints, just adult seat belts.

Gobbolino6 · 19/03/2016 21:03

I don't see the issue. Half a mile is no distance and it sounds like a great opportunity.

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