Year 4 Swimming

Dear Parent/Guardian

Re: Manchester Primary School Swimming Programme 2021/22

On behalf of the School Swimming Team we would like to welcome you and your child to the Manchester School Swimming Programme.

Through-out the year your child will be working towards achieving the National Curriculum standards of –

1. Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25m

2. Use a range of strokes effectively (front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke)

3. Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

Please see below the uniform policy for equipment including swimwear, goggles and jewellery.

Clothing requirements for School Swimming are as follows:-

Girls:-

One-piece swimming costume *

A swimming hat is required to be worn if the hair covers the eyes or any airways

A towel

* Please note that in order for your child to benefit from the swimming lessons, appropriate aquatic clothing must be worn. Should your child wish to wear items of clothing that cover up parts of the body, there are specific aquatic clothing designed for this purpose. Cotton leggings are detrimental to teaching and are a risk to health and safety.

Boys:-

A pair of traditional swimming trunks.

No Bermuda or long shorts are allowed, as these can be dangerous. – for reasons of safety the swimwear should be sufficiently tight fitting to allow the freedom of body and limb movement without causing unsafe water resistance. Guidance is sought from AfPE (Association for Physical Education) Safe Practice in Physical Education and Sport and Swim England (National Governing Body for Swimming)

A swimming hat is required to be worn if hair covers the eyes or any airways

A towel

It remains the policy of the School Swimming Programme that jewellery of any description should not be worn in the School Swimming lesson. It is important that earrings in particular are removed. The only exception to this rule is a medication identity bracelet. “AfPE 2.10.35 – personal effects, such as jewellery, religious artefacts, watches, hair slides and sensory aids including glasses, should always be removed to establish a safe working environment”.

Goggles are only permitted for medical reasons. Parents must produce a letter from either a Doctor or Optician to state that a child has a medical condition and is required to wear goggles in the school swimming lesson. Once again this policy is in place for safety reasons.

“AfPE 2.11.34 – Swimming goggles are recommended when swimming at competition level and for extended, regular training sessions. They can help to maintain the required body position and improve vision through the water. In contrast, within short curriculum swimming lessons (typically 20-25 mins) for beginners, or for single, short races in school galas, goggles are not considered necessary.”

AfPE 2.11.5 – Students learning to swim or improving their swimming ability often do not swim in straight lines, and as a result, they might get close to, or come into contact with, other swimmers. If goggles are worn, any contact with others (eg the failing arm of a beginner learning a new stroke) might result in injury to both the swimmer wearing the googles and those who are not. Feeling confident and safe in the water, and swimming underwater, should not be dependent on wearing goggles, neither are goggles designed for such activity, as the eye pressure cannot be relieved.”

The School Teacher and Swimming Teacher must be informed of any medical conditions that might affect your child during their Swimming lesson (It is imperative that any medication required on poolside should be clearly labeled and brought to the lesson).

We would like to once again welcome you to the School Swimming Programme and wish your child every success in their future swimming.

Yours faithfully,

Manchester School Swimming Programme