Primary aged children at a Derby school are having a splashing time after their head teacher brought swimming lessons right to their doorstep with a special pop up pool.
For four weeks this term Arboretum Primary School on Corden Street, part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) has been home to a fully heated, ten metre swimming pool.
Around 100 children a week have been enjoying learning to swim in the pool which is housed in a marquee and provided by Next Level Sports and run through Elite Swimming UK as part of the Pools to Schools initiative.
The school has invested in the temporary pool instead of paying for children to travel to swimming lessons externally.
Head teacher Helen Phillips said she wanted to bring the swimming pool to Arboretum having arranged one at a previous school and seen the huge impact on children’s confidence in the water.
She said: “I want to ensure that the children get quality swimming lessons. Because the pool is on the school grounds, it’s a much more efficient use of time, maximising their time spent in the water.
“Some children who are nervous about swimming have been more accepting because you can say things like, ‘Look, the water’s lovely!’ and they can see their friends having a go. A lot of children have gone from being very unsure to overcoming their initial fears and being able to get on and swim.”
The school’s year four classes have benefited from daily sessions in the pool while year six children have been able to enjoy additional catch-up sessions too.
Mrs Phillips said: “It’s been great for year four children to build on their previous day’s learning, seeing the same coach. It’s had a very positive impact on the children.
“The joy on their faces has been wonderful to see. For many, this will be their first time in a pool. Their sense of achievement and the huge smiles on their faces have been fabulous and have made it all worthwhile.”
As well as organising swimming for year fours and sixes, Arboretum has also put on an after-school club for year ones and twos.
Instructor Wayne Cummings, lead swim teacher, said: “It has been a really good experience being here. On the first day, a lot of the children had never been in a swimming pool before.
“After three weeks, we’ve managed to get almost all of year four swimming. For me, as a teacher and a coach, it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences that I’ve had in 30 years being involved in aquatic sport.”
Luke Smith, director of Next Level Sports which provided the pool, said: “We understand the ongoing demands on a school for swimming and the potential issues, logistics and costs, and the amount of time children are out of the classroom. What our pools achieve is short term intensive swimming. Children get smaller group sessions every day to achieve their 25 metres.”
Year six children at Arboretum said they were loving their pop-up pool.
Aliza said: “I really like the swimming lessons because we can learn something new if we don’t know how to swim.”
Fatima Noor added: “When I was in year four I could only swim with a noodle but now I can swim without one. It was easier to learn than travelling far away.”
Dr Sarah Clark, CEO of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, said: “The pop-up swimming pool at Arboretum Primary School has been a great initiative. Swimming is a very important life skill and a vital part of growing up. It’s wonderful to see the positive result of bringing a temporary pool to school. Children at the school have clearly enjoyed having the pool there and it has had a very beneficial effect.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
