The National Curriculum states that:

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

• swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
• perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

In order to meet these requirements, Meadowhead Community Junior School use the professional services of Blackburn with Darwen swimming pool.  

Swimming data – 2023/24

74% of the year 6 cohort in 2023/24 met the Nationals Curriculum requirements to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively and performed safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

62% of the Year 5 cohort in 2023/2024 met the Nationals Curriculum requirements to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively in different water-based situations.

100% of the cohort completed their water safety award.

During the next academic year, children will be attending Darwen leisure centre, and we will be concentrating on Year 4 children.

The remaining children from last year who couldn’t swim 25 metres or more will be given top up sessions and go with the year 4 children this year.

Swimming lessons 2022/23

Weekly swimming lessons began again in September after the summer break.  Please see the yearly timetable below to find out who's swimming and when.

We start swimming lessons in the autumn term for Year 4 so has to continue their progress from the previous spring and summer terms when they were in Year 3.  This also allows a settling in period before the new Year 3 intake start lessons in the spring.  We also make arrangements for those children in Year 4 who have not achieved 25m to continue swimming lessons along with the Year 3 children.

We also arrange for catch up lessons to take place in the summer term to allow those Year 6 children who have not managed to swim 25m unaided to improve their swimming.

Swimming data 2021/22 for pupils moving to key stage 3

91% of children achieved their 'Splash' water safety award.  This means they are able to perform self-rescue in different water situations; rescue a friend in difficulty without placing themselves in danger; answer questions on water safety linked to safety at the pool and at open water venues.

80% are developing swimmers able to swim 10m+

57% were able to swim 20m+

41% achieved 25m+

15% achieved 50m+

All swimmers used a range of strokes effectively