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You are here: Home / Education support / Education Durham / Primary school swimming

Primary school swimming

SwimmersSwimming is a statutory requirement within national curriculum physical education. All pupils are required to participate at key stage 1 or 2 schools must provide the opportunity for pupils to learn water safety and develop the ability to swim 25 metres confidently.

By the end of year 6 every child must meet the statutory minimum standard of capability and confidence in swimming and self-rescue as set out in the national curriculum (2013). Many pupils will achieve significantly more than this.

Our primary school swimming programme is provided through a school swimming management group, made up of head teachers and business managers from all of our primary schools with swimming pools. This co-ordinated, high quality programme is non-profit and values swimming and water safety as a vital life skill.

What we offer

  • delivery of one lesson per week throughout the school year with a choice of year group attending. Extra sessions can be provided at an additional cost
  • a schools swimming development manager to organise, manage and coordinate the programme, including:
    • monitoring and evaluation of the quality of lessons in the pools used for the delivery of national curriculum swimming lessons
    • provide oversight of pupil attendance, progression and attainment regarding national curriculum outcomes
    • provide regular liaison with swimming teachers, school sports partnerships, county aquatic coordinators and national governing bodies
    • planning, organisation and delivery of training and development for swimming teachers
    • plan, organise and deliver high quality and comprehensive training opportunities for school staff who accompany children participating in swimming and water safety lessons.
    • Provide quality assurance across the pools used (includes quality of provision, health and safety etc.)
    • determining all policy, procedures and guidance for the programme alongside physical education specialists
    • lead in the coordination and delivery of Level 2 and Level 3 school games with County Durham’s School Sports Partnership and County School Games organisers
    • work in partnership with Swim England and other external partners on behalf of the local authority
    • work with national partners to promote and publicise County Durham’s swimming programme as a model of outstanding practice
    • coordinate with the school swimming management group and head teachers regarding to the service level agreement (SLA).
    • liaise and coordinate programming with our transport team.
  • tuition from fully qualified level 2 swimming teachers with nationally recognised rescue test for swimming teachers and coaches certificates
  • guidance and information on school swimming programming and models of delivery
  • provide opportunities for schools to participate in additional lessons during the summer term, for pupils who have not achieved national curriculum outcomes. (additional costs apply)
  • identification of gifted and talented pupils and provide sign posting opportunities for additional opportunities for participation
  • continuous professional development opportunities for school swimming teachers over a minimum of three days per year
  • provide schools with the accessibility to real time pupil, attendance, progress and attainment data via a data reporting portal system
  • provide schools with a minimum of 34 weeks swimming within the SLA entitlement before any reimbursement entitlement considerations. (separate to swimming continuous professional development training)
  • provide schools with current and up to date information and resources for water safety during the year

As part of the agreement, schools must:

  • ensure all pupils attending lessons have the necessary and appropriate swimwear, towels and swimming hats prior to leaving the school at the agreed time
  • ensure all pupils follow the health and safety rules and policies of the swimming pool and local authority at all times
  • ensure class sizes do not exceed the recommended safe supervision recommendations ratio of 24:1 in the swimming pool at any time
  • provide swimming teaching staff with current and accurate class registers, details of medical conditions and special education needs, support plans and cancellations
  • ensure all pupil and class information is accurate using Swimphony
  • ensure that designated school staff accompanying classes, fully participate in the safe supervision and delivery of lessonsand take responsibility for all pupils throughout their time away from school
  • where pupils have identified SEND conditions, disabilities or there is a potential for situations to arise, ensure additional staff attend to support pupils throughout their lessons

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Contact us

03000 263 311

cpd@durham.gov.uk

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We understand the critical role schools, academies and other public sector organisations have in the fight against COVID 19. As a result of national guidance, many of our staff are working from home but are available to support customers via telephone, conferencing, portal or email. We may have to reduce support in some non-essential areas, therefore, if you are unable to contact us through your normal communication channels, you can contact us through our Customer Services Helpdesk on 03000 26 0000 or by email commercialservices@durham.gov.uk
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