COVID-19 Considerations
Last updated:For many children, particularly those living in more deprived areas, school may be the only opportunity they will have to learn how to swim and be safe in and around the water. Despite being on the national curriculum, around one in five children leave primary school unable to swim. This figure rises to almost half of children from the least affluent families. It is therefore incredibly important that children do not miss out on School Swimming and Water Safety lessons as a result of COVID-19 (taken from SE Return to School Swimming Guidance Dec 2020). Primary schools must liaise with secondary schools where pupils have missed these vital lessons. We urge secondary schools to provide some form of catch-up for pupils who have been unable to meet the minimum national curriculum requirements for school swimming. BSSP are happy to offer support to schools where possible. As a minimum, schools should ensure that pupils understand key water safety messages, this can be done through dry side cross-curricular lessons. The RNLI, in collaboration with BSSP, have produced a really exciting resource with links to a range of easy-to-use activities. Please get in touch if you would like to use this by emailing swimming@ahs.bucks.sch.uk
Please follow the links below to find national guidance including risk assessment considerations, checklists for schools, and national advice in light of COVID-19.
Useful Links
- Guidance from Swim England (SE): There is a wealth of information on the Swim England Website, including Guidelines for Swimming Lessons and for Operators; FAQs; Top Tip Videos; example lessons plans plus more.
- Swim England COVID Learning Opportunity
- Guidance from Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA)
- Guidance from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS)
- Pool Technical Notes issued by the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG)
- COVID-19 Guidance for schools can be found on the Bucks School Swimming Partnership website