The asa is urging the government to ensure school swimming lessons are the keystone of physical education under a review of the Primary Curriculum.
A government-commissioned report by former senior Ofsted inspector Sir Jim Rose has suggested a curriculum overhaul where lessons should be more focused on preparing children for life outside school. The recommendations in the interim report say the curriculum should be based around six themed ‘areas of learning’ one of which is understanding physical health and well-being.
A review group is being established to look at the recommendations and the asa wants to ensure Physical Education and Swimming are built into understanding physical health and well being area of learning.
Currently, swimming and water safety is compulsory as part of the National Curriculum, with the aim that by the age of 11 (Key Stage 2) children should be able to swim unaided for at least 25m.
Jon Glenn, the asa’s Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People Manager, said: “the asa is willing to work with Sir Jim Rose and the government to develop of a modern curriculum where swimming is at the core of physical education. Swimming is a vital skill for any child and is the only sport a child will learn in school that could save their life.
”The progress made in the improvement of PE and school swimming over the past few years should not be lost during this review period and lessons learned should influence the development of this vital curriculum area.”
the asa has also suggested the review might provide the opportunity to double the current minimum length each child should be able to swim from 25m to 50m.
Glenn added: “A target of each child being able to swim 50m would bring school swimming more into line with local authorities policy relating to swimming ability levels for school trips and also give the children a greater gateway to other sports such as rowing and sailing.
“We should also not lose sight of the fact that the quality of teaching these pupils receive will influence the learning experience. the asa will ensure that it continues to improve the quality of swimming teachers delivering schools swimming.”
The interim report does not yet go into details of how the physical health and well-being element of the curriculum would work. The final report will be published in spring 2009, with any recommendations accepted by the government to be introduced from September 2011.
