press release: Swimming Teachers' Association (STA)
STA welcome Swimming Alliance support for Government school support investment
STA has welcomed a new statement issued by the Swimming Alliance in response to the Government’s £1 billion investment into school sport and physical activity over the next three years.
The Swimming Alliance is a collaborative group of leading organisations from across the aquatics sector, working together to improve access to swimming, water safety education and aquatic activity across the UK. STA is a member of the Alliance alongside other national governing bodies, leisure operators and sector partners.
In its statement, the Swimming Alliance welcomed the Government’s investment, recognising the important role that sport, movement and physical education play in supporting children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence and long-term development.
The Alliance also expressed hope that the investment will include a strong focus on swimming and water safety education, ensuring more children have the opportunity to learn this vital life skill regardless of background or postcode.
Despite swimming being part of the national curriculum, too many children still leave primary school unable to swim competently and confidently, with inequalities in access often greatest within disadvantaged communities and areas facing reduced pool provision.
The statement highlighted that swimming is uniquely important because it is not only a sport and physical activity, but also an essential life-saving skill that supports lifelong health, wellbeing and safety.
The Swimming Alliance has also established a sector-wide Schools Swimming Taskforce, bringing together organisations and experts from across aquatics to help improve school swimming attainment and address the challenges impacting delivery and access.
The Alliance said it welcomed the opportunity to work collaboratively with the Department for Education, Government, schools and sector partners to help ensure all children have greater access to high-quality swimming and water safety opportunities as part of this important investment in children and young people.
https://theswimmingalliance.org/
Zoe Cooper, commercial director
Kayle Brightwell, director of education
Brett Preston, director of digital services
Stuart Tanfield, finance director
Its qualifications and memberships support individual swimming teachers, schools and organisations delivering aquatic programmes.
There will be a continued focus on expanding CPD provision with specialist partners, enhancing digital learning and improving accessibility to training.
STA will also progress charity initiatives to support recruitment within the aquatic workforce, including bursary programmes and outreach activity, while strengthening its work in inclusion, disability swimming and community engagement.
– Andrew Clark, national sport & aquatics manager, GLL
– Stuart Dickinson, quality development and apprenticeship manager, Virgin Active
– Kelly Gaffney, head of people and culture, swim@
