Swimming

Growing, achieving and flourishing together in mind, body and spirit.

Living by the coast learning to swim is an essential skill to ensure children are able to stay safe when on the beach or around water. At St George’s we recognise the importance of this, children in Year 2 swim fortnightly throughout the Spring and Summer terms. We swim at Active Torridge in Northam and each child has access to eleven weeks of 45 minute swimming sessions across the two terms. Groups are split by need and three highly qualified swimming instructors support children to develop their swimming and self-rescue skills. 

Active Torridge follow the Swim England School Swimming and Water Safety Charter. There are six levelled awards that are progressive. In Level 1 and 2 children use swimming aids and planned activities allow children to develop water confidence and explore pool rules, help signals and why beach flags are used. Award 3-6 are performed with no swimming aids. Children explore different types of floats, skulling and treading water. They learn stroke technique and how to identify hazards and ways to get help. Once Level 6 has been achieved children progress onto the Aquatics award which explores peer work, mini-polo and develops stamina and a Self-Rescue award which focuses on and further develops self-rescue skills. 

Children at St George’s enjoy swimming sessions and for many children it is their favourite part of the week. Some children are nervous as they have never been swimming before but through support from both the school and pool staff they develop the confidence to ‘have a go’ and as they develop their skills look forward to going to the pool. 

What our children say about their swimming lessons.

“I love swimming, I like jumping in and kicking with the noodles.”

“I was scared and didn’t like the splashing. We played fun games and I can jump in and blow bubbles now.”

“I can float on my tummy and my back and can swim to the wall.”

“My favourite bit was going down to the deep end.”

“I can swim on my back now, I couldn’t do it before.”