Safety around water – the life saving skills every child should learn

Learning water safety skills is vital to every child’s development.

It’s something we take very seriously at Pilgrims and is an important part of our school swimming programme.

At Pilgrims, we run Water Safety Week in the last week of June, teaching children the skills and instilling the confidence they need to stay safe around water.

Here, Swimming Manager Paulina Krett, looks at the vital skills every child should learn.

Why water safety is so important

Swimming is one of the joys of life. Having fun at the side of the pool, going for a dip in a lake or paddling in the sea are lots of fun – and are great ways to keep fit, healthy and reinforce our wellbeing.

However, children need to learn how to be safe before they can take part in these activities, giving parents the peace of mind their child knows to stay safe, and what to do if they fall in or find themselves in difficulty.

At Pilgrims, as part of our fantastic swimming programme, we ensure every child can recognise risks, stay out of danger and to know what to do if they get into any difficulty.

Water Safety Week

We hold Water Safety Week every June, just in time for the summer holidays, with all year groups, from Pre School to Year 2, where children learn the skills to stay safe in and around water.

Our planning and resources are based on materials from the Royal Life Saving Society UK, a leading organisation in lifesaving and lifeguarding across the UK and Ireland.

Its advice includes not just what to do when at risk, but also how to spot potential dangers.

What do the children learn?

The children kick start the week by watching a short cartoon introducing the Water Safety Code, which includes four simple and easy-to-remember messages: “Stop and Think, Stay Together, Call 999, and Float.”

This helps children understand what to do in an emergency, to recognise risks, to always choose lifeguarded locations when going for a swim and how to float safely if they get in trouble.

Children practice floating and calling for help while in the water, how to throw a floating object to someone in difficulty and the understanding they should never enter the water themselves to attempt a rescue.

Real life situations

It’s vital we prepare children to handle real life situations and know what to do when not prepared for swimming.

It’s one thing staying afloat when dressed in your swimming costume, but they may not always be so lucky.

That’s why Year 2 pupils take part in water safety activities while wearing clothes – T-shirts, shorts and socks. 

This gives them a better understanding of what it feels like to fall into water while fully clothed and how this can affect movement in the water.

Swimming at Pilgrims

At Pilgrims, we are proud of our excellent swimming programme and superb facilities.

We have two school pools, a 12.5m by 6m main pool and a second shallow pool for splashing and paddling and have developed a swimming programme that instills a lifelong love of water.

If children wish to take their swimming further, we also hold advanced sessions, taking their swimming to the next level.

For more on Pilgrims’ swimming provision and facilities, see here.