Why Are So Many Children Leaving Primary School Unable to Swim?

Swimming is one of the most important life skills a child can learn. Yet new research has revealed that thousands of children across England are leaving primary school without the ability to swim confidently or perform basic water safety skills.

According to data obtained by BBC News through a Freedom of Information request to the Department for Education, pupils attending schools with higher levels of disadvantage are significantly less likely to meet national swimming standards before leaving Year 6.

A Growing Water Safety Concern

The National Curriculum for England states that by the end of primary school, children should be able to:

• Swim at least 25 metres confidently and competently
• Use a range of swimming strokes effectively
• Perform safe self-rescue techniques in different water environments

However, the BBC's analysis found that while an average of 72% of Year 6 pupils nationally could swim 25 metres during the 2024-25 academic year, this figure fell to just 55% in schools with higher proportions of children eligible for free school meals.

The ability to self-rescue in water showed a similar pattern. Nationally, around 70% of children could perform a safe self-rescue, but among the most disadvantaged schools, only around half of pupils met the standard.

Why Is This Happening?

Experts point to several factors contributing to the gap.

One of the most significant challenges is access to swimming facilities. Over recent years, many communities have seen swimming pools close or face funding pressures, making lessons harder to access for schools and families alike.

Ashley Jones, Head of Water Safety and Education at the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), highlighted the difficulties faced by many families, including travel costs, transport availability, and limited access to local pools. According to Jones, swimming education should be "universal, engaging and accessible" to all children.

The issue is particularly noticeable in urban areas, where fewer children achieve swimming competency compared to those living in rural regions.

Can Three Hours of Lessons Really Be Enough?

Many primary schools provide swimming lessons as part of the curriculum, but the amount of time available can be surprisingly limited.

The BBC report found that many school groups receive just six weeks of 30-minute swimming sessions, amounting to only three hours of instruction in total.

Swimming teacher Bethany Harris believes this is simply not enough time for many children, especially those with little previous exposure to water.

Teaching a child to become water confident, learn effective swimming strokes, and develop essential self-rescue skills requires practice, repetition, and experience. For nervous or inexperienced swimmers, a few hours in the pool may not provide enough opportunity to build these skills safely and confidently.

Swimming Is More Than Just a Sport

Water safety organisations continue to emphasise that swimming is not simply a recreational activity. It is a life-saving skill.

Recent incidents across the UK have highlighted the dangers posed by open water environments, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal areas. Even strong pool swimmers can find themselves at risk when faced with currents, waves, cold water shock, or unfamiliar surroundings.

RLSS UK stresses that true water competency involves more than swimming ability alone. It includes knowledge, experience, decision-making skills, and an understanding of how to stay safe in and around water.

Finding Solutions

There are encouraging examples of schools and local authorities working creatively to improve access. Some areas have introduced temporary or pop-up swimming pools on school grounds, helping to remove transport barriers and increase participation.

Meanwhile, the Department for Education has announced plans to work alongside schools, local sports clubs and organisations such as Swim England through a new PE Partnership Network. The goal is to provide additional support to areas where children are currently falling behind.

Swim England has also reiterated that every child should leave primary school with the ability to swim and stay safe in, on, and around water. However, the organisation acknowledges that schools continue to face challenges including transport costs, pool availability, and competing curriculum demands.

Why This Matters

Every summer, stories emerge of preventable water-related tragedies. While no single measure can eliminate risk entirely, improving access to quality swimming lessons and water safety education gives children valuable skills that could one day save their lives.

The latest findings highlight a clear inequality in swimming education across England. Addressing this gap will require cooperation between schools, local authorities, swimming providers, government bodies, and communities.

If swimming truly is a life skill, then every child should have the opportunity to learn it, regardless of where they live or their family's circumstances.

Source

This article is based on reporting by BBC News:

BBC News: Children at English primary schools with more pupils on free school meals are less likely to leave able to swim 25m
View the original BBC article

This blog post is an original editorial summary and commentary based on publicly reported information from BBC News.