4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[SarahJo]

Our school has lessons during school time as a part of the curriculum, ultimately to get all children to a certain level of swimming by the time they go into secondary school.

 

My question is - do you pay for lessons - contribute to a bus trip if necessary etc. Or is this funded by the school as ultimately they have a government target to meet for all children re.swimming. Also, do they allow for the fact htat there is nationwide free swimming for all children under 16 ?

 

Personally I have issues with paying for school swimming, as ES has done all ASA awards + bronze, silver and gold, aged 9 yrs. So has met all the standards and goals for the school - but still has to pay for "lessons" which in my opinion only get the school to meet their targets.

[Guest]

"Targets" that the school really couldn't care less about and didn't set for themselves. However prospective and current parents think these things are meaningful and make judgements on them.

 

So in an already stretched budget they have to trying and fork out for something else, so ask the parents to contribute. I guess you could always ask that your kids don't take part.

 

James' school has it's own little pool - they have to pay maintenance costs and pay to bring in specialist teachers so again there is a charge for swimming. James doesn't really learn anything in these lessons - he does far better in his very expensive private lessons where he is in a much smaller group and recieves more personal attention. But he enjoys the lessons and has fun doing swimming with his mates - his attendance won't help the schools targets as he will be ahead of them anyway but I think its worth the payment for his personal enjoyment.

 

The school does not get extra funding when these targets are set - just extra aggro and more juggling of an already overstretched budget.

[Hen Watch]

My children's primary school is very lucky to have an outdoor pool. So the children get swimming lessons at school as part of their PE lesson (free of course).

 

However the draw back is it is uncovered so realistically it's only used 6 weeks a year! The Parents Association are fund raising for a cover though so it can be utilised more.

 

So they don't really learn to swim at school. I have to go for lessons at the local swimming baths for that.

[SarahJo]

See your point on budgets Pengi - but on the basis of not taking part - in a school that prides itself of being "inclusive" - that surely would be excluding an individual just because they have had lessons form age 3 at cost to parents .

 

I see all your points on targets etc and agree - but my issue is with this not being uniformly adopted as a curriculum development - when money for the school could be made more obviously by charging for after-school clubs. Also the parents who do fork out are usually the ones who have kids well above set targets and having already spent thousands on swimming - not that I regret any of my boys success.

[Chucky Mama]

It is my understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) that the government funds swimming for Year 4's and so I suppose schools can ask for a 'contribution' towards travel expenses. Our old primary school used to take all of the children in the autumn term and asked for payment for the lessons/transport. All of mine could swin extremely well and spent a good deal of their time sitting poolside dithering waiting for their turn to get in I have to confess to not paying for my son's final term swimming as I objected to the fact that he spent so little time in the water and I was asked to pay when he was a Year 4 even though it was funded I can see the reason behind lessons as there were several children who were terrified of the water and had never had the opportunity to have lessons, so for them it was a valuable thing, for mine it was a bit of a chilly waste of an afternoon.

[AJuff]

We don't have free swimming at our local pool. Only the kids who pay fro swimming lessons get in free!!!

[The Dogmother]

I never had to pay for the pay for Rosie's primary school lessons, but she's now on a swimming team and I pay for those lessons/coaching.

[deejmum]

We had to pay £1.50 a lesson but the PTA pay for the transport, its only for half a term in yr 3 though!

[Valkyrie]

Our school only had swimming for those that didn't swim - as my daughter was already a well seasoned mermaid she didn't qualify. I think that's a great pity - we all had once a week swimming lessons when I was at school. Mostly it was in a tiny open air pool - not so hot in more ways than one , and about once a month in the huge indoor one. We even got to do our survival badges. I think children today are missing out.

[Alis girls]

We have to pay although I dont know whether its for transport or lessons. Several of us get annoyed they "have " to do it as our kids go to local swimming school. Also they have little time to change and the pool isnt well known for hygiene. Always seem to be ill a few days later esp in winter

[Helly Welly]

We had to pay at primary when it wasn't free so i didn't mind. Now at High School, i've just had to fork out £12 to go to a pool where swimming is free and it's about 200 yards away from the school so they're walking. So waht exactly am i paying for? It's the PE teachers who are taking the lesson so i just don't get it. And i had to write a complete lie of a letter saying that DD had a chlorine allergy so had to wear goggles as they won't let them wear them unless for medical reasons. Why is parenthood so compicated!!

[SarahJo]

wow - what a wide range of replies - I forgot to say that my boys also walk to the pool, so no transport costs involved.

 

I would not want either to be excluded for not paying ( which it will not come to ) as they like to go with their friends. But, like others have commented - my main query was why this payment was not nationwide and uniform for all.

 

It works out at nearly £200 extra - for something that is curriculum/initiative/school timed. I think now the governers and teachers are going to discuss this further especially with the free swim card introduction and more parents questioning what they are paying for exactly. However - I do think it is good to have school swimming for those who have had very little water contact and the fact that one day it might even save a life.

[iar fach goch]

My boys don't pay for lessons but the school asks for a contribution of £1.50 towards travelling costs, the swimming iself is funded by the LEA. I don't know if it's different elsewhere, but here in Wales, schools are only allowed to ask for a contribution towards anything, you do not have to pay for anything within the school's curriculum. This is fine for those who genuinely can't afford it, but it is so infuriating when you see certain parents drive up in their expensive cars and know that they have never contributed towards anything! As a governor I know the school can't leave anyone out because they don't pay, yet if everyone did the same, it would mean having to cut back in other areas of the school's budget!

 

We do not have free swimming here either, only if you become a member at your local leisure centre and then only during the holidays,

[The Dogmother]

As others have said, standard school swimming lessons are vital to make sure that every pupil can swim before they leave primary school. For that reason, I feel that it ought to be free of charge.

 

Some children really take to it, which is when private lessons come into the equation. Rosie has done a rookie lifeguard course at the local pool and goes for swim team coaching; it's not cheap, but although fit and healthy, she's not really into any other sports apart from street dance, so I don't begrudge the cost.

[Valkyrie]

Slight digression, and apologies - I've just noticed what it says by your Eglu, iar fach goch -

OK back to the pool people.

[Guest]

THey are only supposed to ask for a "contribution" but schools that do that end up cancelling things as there are too many parents who think they can "play the system" and not pay. Schools simply do not have the budget to fund things themselves and therefore things get cancelled so they try not to make the wording obvious that it is optional to pay.

 

Our village primary works this very well - those who are known to be struggling to pay are verbally told by a friendly teacher that payment is optional - these are generally already claiming free school meals. Of course there are also traveller children and some in care - all not expected to pay.

 

As someone said - often it is the one in a brand shiny new car and a designer wardrobe who will take the option not to pay.

[sadietoo]

Not really that relevant I know,but when my DD was at school their outdoor pool had a family of ducks living on it!!! Not so long ago but I'm sure Health and Safety wouldn't allow it now! I helped a few times at swimming...felt awful because without fail the weather was awful and the children took turns to turn blue!!! As many of you have already mentioned both my kids could swim like fish before the school lessons anyway....but I'm sure the lessons were valuable for those with parents who couldn't or wouldn't give them the opportunity to learn. I understand the difficulty with school budgeting, but if it is compulsory you can understand why some parents baulk at paying...although sadly it often seems to me that those that could most afford to do so are the least likely to pay/offer help at school/ don't get me started on the manners.....