General Chat

Do your children have to go swimming with the school?

Our school says its part of the national curriculam that everyone can swim 50 metres by the end of year 4 , so all our children go once a week.

We all have to pay - even those who are already having swimming lessons or can already swim 50 metres. If they don't swim they have to sit on the side with some school work

Just wondered what other schools do .

Off for my tea so will check back later

Yes it's part of the school curriculum regardless of whether they can swim or not.

My friends son had a real issue with going but was told he had to go despite having reached the required standard.We have to pay five pounds a term for it
xx

yes it's part of the curriculum in the jrn years

although my daughters school do appreciate some children can be affected by the water re: chlorine
so we get a letter sent home if you wish your child to wear goggles, as mine does cos it effects her eyes bad.

catherine
xx

Yes ours does they ask for a voluntary contribution each week...............almost everyone pays.

Year 1 last 2 terms then finish in year 2 1st term only.

xx

Hi Penny,


My lad of 8 does and we have just started to have to pay...


Caz xxx

All 4 of mine go swimming about 1 min walk away and we have to pay 80p a week. They go every other term. They aimm to get everyone through there red badge a width by end of yr 6. I dont think they will succeed with one of mine.They start in yr1.

Star Jones

ours do swimming in years 3 and 4 but dont pay and they get a certificate each year but only do it for a term a year

i think it is part of the curriculum
so they have to go mine is in year 4 and she has to go .
we dont have to pay though,
Rosex

Yes they do it at our local school. Its supposed to be free but that just means the swimming is free. We are required to pay £36 per term for transport to the pool and back. I don't think that's fair. If its part of the curriculum, then it should be covered by the school.

Wow £36 a term is very steep !! I don't blame you for feeling peeved. I would too !!! xx

The trouble is you can't just decide not to send them cos it means they are singled out. Pretty much all of them go so it would make mine different if he doesn't. Kids of 8 and 9 really don't want to feel different, so I pay up even though my son can already swim further than the standard.

Our School does it too, yr 5 go one term, yr4 another, and Yr3 the final term. Yr 3 have only just started it used to be yr's 4,5 & 6. But they decided it was disrupting the kids before their SATS.

Oh yes and while we started as voluntary contributions it is now £39 per term.....

i thought it was free for year 3 and 4. our school was built in the 70's and has a pool, so they start in year 1, only charge about £9 per term though.

Liz

Thanks for all your contributions.

Ours is £40 per term!

why do you pay for swimming if it's part of the cirriculum?


my daughter since the start of jrn's and she's in yr 6 has never paid.

catherine
xx

Catherine

must admit I can't pay, esp when the twins was going, but thats my arguement too. If it's part of the cirriculum then they can pay for it, i don't pay for maths nor english so i'm won't paying for swimming.

Ours is supposedly to cover the costs of getting to the pool plus the lesson. And to be honest they can find him something else to do, if they say he can't go

At our kids school (and in this area) only the year 5 & 6 children go swimming. We don't have to pay for it, the school pay for transport etc. Children don't have any choice.
My eldest is in year 6 now and at the end of last school year got a basic certificate saying she could do things like swim 20m front and back, jump in etc which was a bit ridiculous to say she was in the 'top' group and had done 800m when she was 8!!

Dawn

hi

Mine do. only for 1 term per school year.

we have to pay £18.00 for the term.

My eldest has just gone up tp secondary and was tested to see if he could swim the 50mtrs in the2 PE lesson he had. He had to redo it in the last term of primary as they said he wasn't quiet there. LOL he can swim but that did not cost me a penny propably they thought that he hadn't been taught prop in the first place.

My son in the juniors has gone swimming with the school in years 3 and 4, he's now in yr 5. This was free, transport provided. My daughter who is now in year 1 went last year for a term and willl again this year and hopefully next year. She paid £1 a week to cover transport but this is because these lessons are in addition to the ones she'll get in yrs 3 and 4, kind of to get ahead a bit. The payment is voluntary but it was stressed that if less than half paid they wouldn't be able to do it - not said in a guilt trip way, just stating facts. The school also does a bit fundraising for costs, raffles at events and such like so parents don't have to pay more. I'm all for it as I'm a poor swimmer myself.