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SHARES Swim Project

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In 2014 SHARES was tasked with setting up a swimming service for the primary schools within the Skelmersdale & UpHolland area. The National Census had just released data showing that only 45 per cent of children were leaving schools being able to swim 25m and passing national curriculum standards. This was a concern for the SHARES Head teachers about the quality of school swimming and the progress the children made. Since then a comprehensive swim project has been developed ensuring all aspects of swimming are involved.

In summer 2016 85 per cent of primary aged pupils in Skelmersdale & UpHolland that swam with SHARES swimming met the key stage expectations in swimming and passed the National Curriculum. (School Name) achieved (Their %) overall. Comparing this to national statistics highlighting all SHARES schools are significantly above the national average and have shown a massive improvement since the project started.

The key factors that contribute to pupils meeting the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Swim targets include:

  • Swim competently and confidently over a distance of at least 25 metres.
  • Use a range of strokes effectively for example backstroke, front crawl, breast stroke & butterfly.
  • Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

SHARES have created a swim programme that enables pupils to have access to 45 minute lessons and swim for a 30 or 36 week period over the academic year. Over the lessons attended each child is initially assessed & monitored throughout with a final assessment being conducted termly. Children are then awarded with an ASA badge & certificate linking to the stage they have passed. This has seen the children grow in confidence and have a sense of achievement within swimming and many schools celebrating this success in assemblies.

Within the SHARES Swim Project there is a unique collaboration between the swim staff and school staff in the lessons to ensure that each child makes progression regardless of their ability. The school staff working alongside the SHARES Swim instructors helps to maximises learning within the lessons. Furthermore, there is an unrelenting commitment from all schools to ensure pupils can reach the National Curriculum standards by the end of Key Stage 2. With TOP UP Swimming now an extra service being offered to schools in the summer term, this has allowed us to identify children that need extra support and meet the needs on an individual basis. Recently SHARES have set up an Able, Gifted & Talented Club which runs after school, 1 child from each school is identified to attend after having excelled in the lessons and shown great potential. The future goal is to set up a Town Swim Team to create an opportunity for children to improve their swimming skills further and represent their town in a competitive environment. This will help to create a culture of swimming in the town.

Overall, since 2014 swimming as a sport and a life skill has massively improved within the Skelmersdale & UpHolland area. With SHARES now running an AG&T Club and offering a swim holiday club during half terms for 4 weeks over the academic year. This club work towards a scheme of work and have a clear progression working towards the ASA standards throughout the week. This gives schools and parents the opportunity to send children to help them progress and not fall back during the holidays furthermore offering more opportunities for children to participate in swimming. With the view over the next coming years to have the majority of children leaving primary school being able to swim 25m confidently and have the safe self-rescue knowledge to help them in real life situations.

 

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