'Essential life skill we need to develop’: New free swimming lessons scheme for children near Peterborough

A primary school near Peterborough is to offer primary-age children in its local area free swimming lessons over the summer holidays.

South View Community Primary School in Crowland will be delivering the lessons – which will be led by Swim England Qualified Coaches – at its own on-site pool.

Headteacher teacher Joanne Tomlins, said she was “ thrilled that our South View Swimming pool is finally reaching its full potential.”

The free sessions will initially run every weekend during the last term before summer holidays.

From Monday July 24, the lessons will then be available every week from Monday to Saturday throughout the summer holidays.

Mrs Tomlins said the idea of offering free lessons was based on previous experience: “Having collaborated to offer swimming lessons to a small number of non-swimmers across our school during the summer break last year,” she said, “it became clear that there was a real community need for swimming facilities for our local children.”

She added: “Many of our children missed out on learning to swim due to the pandemic and – living in an area with many dykes and rivers – this is an essential life skill we need to develop.”

The initiative has been made possible by funding provided by Active Lincolnshire.

Mrs Tomlins explained: “After hearing about the ‘Opening Schools Facilities’ initiative from the Department for Education (DFE), and speaking at length with Active Lincolnshire, applying for funding in order to maximise the use of our pool for the local community seemed the obvious thing to do.”

The free lessons – which will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis – will be delivered in conjunction with one of the school’s long-standing partners.

“We work very closely with Elite Sports Academy,” Mrs Tomlins noted, “and agreed that this was a project we could approach together.”

Organisers are keen to point out that a parent or carer must be present for the duration of the lesson.

Age specific timings and family swim times will also be available during the school holidays, although slots will be limited.

Booking in advance is essential.

Anyone interested in finding out more and/or booking a free session should contact Elite Sports Academy at [email protected].