With the state of swimming in schools in the spotlight, we are asking whether you think primary schools are doing enough to encourage the sport.
Today's paper by the UEA researchers, Preparing trainee teachers for teaching swimming: an innovative model of delivery, highlights a number of concerns raised by an Amateur Swimming Association census of 3,500 primary schools last year:
• 51pc of children aged seven to 11 cannot swim 25 metres unaided
• The average state school spends just eight hours and 15 minutes a year in swimming lessons
• Just 0.25pc of curriculum time was allocated to swimming, compared to 5pc allocated to other aspects of physical education
• Almost 20pc of schools do not know their school swimming attainment rates or do not offer swimming at all. This rises to more than 25pc in academies
• Barriers to swimming teaching include: more training for teachers, high costs, lack of time and travel
Dr Avieson, one of the authors of the UEA report, called for trainee primary school teachers to have six hours of swimming training, swimming to benefit from some of the new government money for primary school sport, better co-operation between primary and secondary schools, and better reporting of swimming progress at school.
Do you think our primary schools are doing enough to promote swimming among their pupils? Vote in our poll, or comment below.
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