Swimming

Swimming and water safety

The National Curriculum for Physical Education (2014) states that all schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

• ​  swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• ​  use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
• ​ perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

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At Carterhatch we understand and value both the health and safety benefits of learning how to swim. The school buys into the Enfield Borough organised programme. In the spring term, Year 1 children attend 8 weekly swimming lessons at a local pool with qualified swimming instructors leading the sessions. School staff are also available in the pool for extra encouragement and support.

Prior to the first swimming session, one of the instructors visits the children at school to deliver a lesson on water safety and answer any questions they may have. We receive wonderful feedback from the children and their families about the swimming lessons they attend through school. The aims of the sessions are for children to:

- Develop water confidence and water safety skills

- Develop and master basic stroke techniques

- Increase health and fitness

- Participate in an enjoyable and social activity