Ratios for Swimming Teachers

The building design of swimming pools varies greatly as do specific circumstances, thus each class will be very different.  Therefore, definitive sets of ratios are not always appropriate.

For example, shallow-depth learner pools are much easier to supervise than large public pools where the presence of public swimmers can present problems. The starting point for any such policy should be the completion of a thorough Risk Assessment based on:

• Numbers of ‘qualified staff’,
• Numbers of ‘non-qualified’ adult helpers who are on poolside in a supervisory/spotting role,
• Pupil ability,
• The facility, including water depth and un-programmed activities taking place at the same time,
• Pupil behaviour,
• Pupils with additional needs and disabilities.

Please talk to your leisure provider who should be happy to advise on the Risk Assessment.

Teacher: Pupil ratios (not to be confused with bather capacity) will be found in the pool’s NOP and will be based on risk assessments.

All pools will have a designated maximum bather capacity appropriate to the size of the pool. This should be available in the pool’s NOP. Class sizes will be calculated from both bather capacity and an appropriate Risk Assessment.

Occasionally, specialist swimming teachers will request a dedicated named person to provide additional support for an individual pupil who has particular health and safety need/s whilst swimming. Sometimes this person is referred to as a "spotter".  If spotters are in the water, they become a participant and should be included in the numbers under the supervision of the specialist swimming teacher.  They will be added to the Swim England Teacher of School Swimming trained staff.

In exceptional circumstances, specialist swimming teachers may ask individual pupils to sit out of lessons until their health and safety in the water can be managed satisfactorily. A member of the school accompanying staff is responsible for the safe supervision of any pupil asked to sit out of a lesson.

Additional school accompanying staff, swimming teacher assistants, or support teachers, who may be in the water to aid a pupil, do not count towards the Teacher: Pupil ratio, but do count towards bather capacity numbers. They also need to be fully aware of their role and understand relevant aspects of both NOP and EAP.

Statutory Information

Irrespective of the Teacher: Pupil ratio, there must always be at least 2 qualified members of school staff present at the poolside during the swimming lesson.