School swimming lessons are not enough, say parents

Parents in Bradford say more needs to be done to teach children to swim, as figures suggest the proportion who can is well below the national average. We have been looking at what might lie behind the statistics, and what could be done to improve them.

All children in England should be able to swim 25m by the time they leave primary school, according to the national curriculum.

Research carried out by BBC News found, on average, 72% of Year 6 children were able to do that in 2024-25.

But in Bradford, the proportion was just 58% - and two schools in the district said none of their Year 6 leavers could swim 25m.

At Bingley Life Saving Club, volunteers have been teaching children to swim for more than 50 years.

Duncan Davis said the club had helped to educate people on how to stay safe in and around water.

He said it was "critically important" that children learned how to swim.

"We need to teach people how to cope in water and what to do if someone falls in," he said.

"Everybody needs to learn to float, that is the first thing, then if someone falls in then at least they can float and they're not going underneath.

"Beyond that, we would like to see children to be able to swim at least 25m and to understand the dangers of currents and cold water and obscure locations so that they can keep themselves safe when they are out and about - and save themselves if they fall in."

Speaking of the statistics, he said: "I would expect it to be a higher number, I guess we are struggling for pool space, we have a waiting list and we can't see as many people as we would like.

"The change we have seen is the lack of availability in different things.

"We meet in Ilkley because Bingley Pool isn't functional any more. That change over time has led to an increase in the amount of people who can't swim."

Davis said: "I do worry about it."

"I think if people don't learn now, then the next generation which will be bigger, more of those people won't be able to swim and it will continue to get worse."

Some parents worry that school swimming provision is not enough.

Adam Ahmed, whose children are 13, 10 and eight, brings them to lessons in Ilkley and said they had "progressed really well".

"When I was at school, there was nothing," he said.

"There should be at least one lesson a week at school, even for half an hour.

"They do need to change teaching in schools because if they ever get into difficulty while we are away on holidays or anything, they will know what to do."

His partner Becky said: "Swimming lessons offered at school are not enough.

"My son didn't learn anything from school swimming lessons, they only did a term not a year like they used to do."

She said she had brought her children to lessons for the past two years, which had improved their skills.

"It is really important, just things like walking down the canal or going into rivers, so if they get into trouble they know how to get out."

In Bingley, the local swimming pool closed during lockdown and has never reopened.

Campaigner Jeremy Thackray, chair of Friends of Bingley Pool, said the cost to schools was a "massive barrier" to children learning to swim.

He said: "The pool was last open in 2020 and had 13 primary schools in the catchment area.

"Since then, those schools have had to go elsewhere to do the statutory provision that they are required to do.

"We know some are now going to Keighley Pool which is not as suitable, and the others are going to Shipley Pool, which is now oversubscribed.

"Some schools now have to travel and that doubles the price, and that can't come from their PE and sports grant, it has to come out of their own budget and they are already in deficit, so that is a big problem for them."

He said: "There is always going to be a cost, but as soon as you take away local facilities you may be saving in one way but you are passing on costs to schools."

The national curriculum in England states that when they leave Year 6, all pupils should be able to:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25m
• Use a range of strokes effectively (for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke)
• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

A BBC Freedom of Information request to the Department for Education (DfE) revealed the proportion of Year 6 pupils at individual state schools, excluding special schools, who were able to meet the targets.

While 70% of 2024-25 Year 6 leavers nationally could on average perform a safe self-rescue, only half of children from schools with the highest level of free meal eligibility could do so.

The DfE said it was aware of the skills gap and something needed to change.

A spokesperson said a new PE Partnership Network would help close the gap seen by disadvantaged children.

It would bring together schools, local clubs and national bodies like Swim England.

"This means targeted support for the areas and pupils who need it most, so that every child, wherever they live, gets the same chance to learn to swim," the spokesperson said.

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