The new partnership will improve access to swimming lessons for children with special educational needs / STA/ SEN UK Swimming

STA, a national governing body for swimming, has announced a new partnership with SEN UK Swimming, a charity working to improve access to swimming lessons for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The collaboration will focus on strengthening inclusive swimming provision across the UK by supporting more teachers to gain specialist training, while also developing practical resources and guidance to help families find suitable swimming lessons.

Through this partnership, SEN UK Swimming will establish a bursary scheme to help swimming teachers gain the STA Level 2 Award in Aquatic Teaching - Disability Swimming (DS) qualification. The charity has already secured funding for its first year and is working to expand the bursary programme in the future, enabling more teachers to access specialist training. 

The STA DS is a regulated qualification endorsed by CIMSPA, the sector’s chartered professional body. Developed by STA, the qualification equips swimming teachers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to plan and deliver inclusive swimming lessons that support swimmers with a wide range of needs. The course focuses on adapting and modifying teaching approaches so that every participant can progress safely and positively in the water.

Through the partnership, STA will support SEN UK Swimming by helping connect bursary recipients with Approved Training Centres (ATCs) and registered courses where funded places can be allocated.

 The partnership will also focus on improving access to information and resources for families and aquatic professionals. Dual-branded guidance and support materials will be developed to help families understand their options when seeking swimming lessons and to support swim schools and teachers in strengthening inclusive practice. These resources will form part of a dedicated hub on the SEN UK Swimming website, alongside a directory of swim schools and teachers offering disability swimming lessons, providing families and partner charities with a central place to access trusted information, guidance and contacts.

Troy Parsonage, CEO of SEN UK Swimming, founded the organisation after witnessing the challenges his sister Lily, who has Down’s syndrome, faced when learning to swim.

About the partnership Troy said: “Partnering with the STA presents a significant opportunity to strengthen inclusion across the swimming industry. From experience, we know that high quality training equips teachers to deliver better learning experiences for children and young people with Special Educational Needs.

"Through this partnership, we aim to support more teachers with accessing training, and in turn, enable more children with Special Educational Needs to enjoy swimming."

Dave Candler, CEO of STA, added: “High-quality training is essential in supporting swimming teachers to deliver inclusive lessons with confidence. The STA DS has been developed to give teachers the knowledge and practical skills needed to adapt lessons and support swimmers with a wide range of needs. Working with SEN UK Swimming is a positive step in strengthening the sector’s ability to provide more inclusive swimming provision for communities across the UK.”

Alongside the bursary programme, SEN UK Swimming will also contribute to the ongoing development of disability swimming education. The two organisations will explore the development of specialist CPD opportunities focusing on specific areas of inclusive practice, with any earnings reinvested into the bursary fund to support future teachers. 

Together, STA and SEN UK Swimming aim to strengthen inclusive provision across the aquatic sector and ensure more swimmers with Special Educational Needs have the opportunity to learn vital water safety and swimming skills.