We believe that every child in Rochdale should have the opportunity to learn to swim in primary school.
The main aim of the School Swimming Academy is that every child will be safe and confident in the water and achieve Key Stage 2 standard prior to leaving primary school.
All pupils taking part in our school swimming lesson will work towards the STA (Swimming Teachers Association) School Swimming awards scheme, specifially designed to encourage skill development and enjoyment of the water, with the hope to increase the number of pupils leaving school with water confidence and water safety awareness.
In order to meet National Curriculum guidelines and create a well-rounded swimmer, water skills, water safety and stroke expectations are included in every lesson plan for each ability group. Water skills included are: floating, treading water, push and glides, submerging and jumping. A specific water safety lesson has been developed for all pupils to take part in together, which covers the dangers of playing near water, self-rescue techniques and personal survival skills.
Our service for your school
We will provide:
• 17 weeks of one hour lessons per block (two blocks per year)
• Up to a maximum of 34 children per allocation of class
• Each class of 34 children will be allocated a minimum of 2 swimming teachers following Swim England ratios and recommendations
(If your school has more than 12 non swimmers a third swimming teacher may be allocated).
• Free two hour toolbox training sessions for all accompanying teachers/teaching assistants
We will:
• Monitor and evaluate all swimming teachers on a regular basis
• Work in partnership with Swimphony to report and monitor the pupil’s progress and report in line with the Department for Education requirements for KS2 PE
• Maintain the professional qualifications of their swimming teachers
• Undertake DBS checks on all swimming teaching staff and recruit and select teachers in line with safeguarding children policies
• Ensure swimming teachers receive regular training to maintain their professional development and health and safety responsibilities
• Provide swimming teachers with child protection policies and appropriate training
• Provide swimming teachers with templates of scheme of work and lesson plans
• Deliver a water safety package to all
• Swimming lessons can be provided on request. GCSE swimming requirements can be delivered
For Key Stage 1 – Key Stage 4 pupils