Since 2006 North Dorset SSP has received in excess of £18,000, from the English Schools Swimming Association and other sources, to improve swimming in North Dorset schools. The focus has been on increasing the number of pupils who can swim 25m, with a particular focus on achieving this by the end of Key Stage 2.
Each year of the programme KS2 students who could not swim 25m were identified and invited to attend intensive daily swimming sessions during a 1 week block. This amounted to 5 hours of swimming in one week, during which time the students increased in confidence and were given the chance to improve this important life skill. In excess of 300 pupils have benefitted from these sessions in the past 5 years, which have proved to be one of the most rewarding projects for both the recipients and deliverers!
"I am writing to thank you for my daughter's Top Up Swimming lessons at St. Mary's School, Shaftesbury. She was reluctant to go on her own but soon made a friend at the same level as herself and they made excellent progress- in fact I don't think there was any room left on the certificate by the time the end of the week came as she had achieved so many things. She now has the confidence to do lengths instead of just a few metres at a time. Please thank your staff for their time as it was well worth it!" (Excerpt from parent letter)
In addition to this the North Dorset SSP has provided bespoke support for 12 North Dorset schools that have their own pools. Lifeguard and swimming teacher training has been delivered where necessary and pool equipment purchase has been subsidised where requested.
Finally, the funding has enabled in excess of 30 members of staff from schools across North Dorset to access free swimming teacher training, which will hopefully sustain the level of swimming teaching in the future.
For more information about Dorset schools' swimming please click here.
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