Over quarter of children leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres
BBC research reveals that more than a quarter of children in England cannot swim 25 metres by the end of primary school, raising concerns about water safety education.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Over a quarter of children leave primary school unable to swim 25 metres, BBC research finds
More than a quarter of children in England cannot swim 25 metres by the time they finish primary school, according to figures obtained by the BBC. The research also suggests that around one in three children cannot tread water or float. The findings have raised concerns about water safety education, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
For schools where pupils receive free school meals, the figure rises to 55%. Experts warn of a clear inequality in drowning rates: children from lower affluence families are twice as likely to drown as those from the most affluent families. The data also shows that 71% of children who drowned in the last six years had been in the care system at some point, and black children are three times as likely to drown as white children.
In response, the Welsh government is introducing a minimum of 20 swimming and water safety lessons a year for pupils in years four and five from September. In England, there is no national minimum number of school swimming lessons, and more than a third of state primary schools provide fewer than 10 lessons a year. Some areas, such as Plymouth, already offer 15 lessons a year to all state primary school children.
Parents are being urged to prioritise swimming lessons as a vital life skill, but for many families, paying for extra lessons is not an option. The report highlights the importance of early exposure to water, with one mother describing how she started her baby at three months old, teaching her to float and grab onto the wall, which can be the difference between life and death.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| 71% of children who drowned in the last six years had been in the care system at some point. | ||
| Around one in three children cannot tread water or float. | ||
| From September, the Welsh government will introduce a minimum of 20 swimming and water safety lessons per year for Year 4 and 5 pupils. | ||
| In England, there is no national minimum number of school swimming lessons, and more than a third of state primary schools provide fewer than 10 lessons a year. | ||
| In schools where pupils receive free school meals, 55% cannot swim 25 metres. | ||
| More than 25% of children leaving primary school in England cannot swim 25 metres. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This regional broadcast frames the story with a local angle, using Plymouth as a positive example of schools providing 15 lessons a year. It stresses the life-saving importance of early swimming lessons and includes a parent's personal perspective, while also noting the national inequalities. The tone is concerned but constructive, ending with a brief mention of an upcoming solar eclipse, which is unrelated to the story.
- “I just think it's a really important kind of skill to learn for life, really.”
- “We know that there's an inequality in drowning, so if you're from a family of lower affluence, you're twice as likely to drown as those from the most affluent families.”
- “But for some families, paying for extra lessons simply isn't an option.”
This national signed broadcast focuses on the systemic failures and the need for accountability in schools. It highlights the Welsh government's new minimum lesson requirement and contrasts it with England's lack of a national standard. The tone is more policy-oriented, emphasising the role of the education system in addressing inequalities, and it includes a call for swimming and water safety to be given the same priority as literacy and numeracy.
- “We'd really like to see those inequalities addressed and the best place to do that is through a universal offer in the education system.”
- “In England there's no national minimum number of school swimming lessons but more than a third of state primary schools provide fewer than 10 lessons a year.”
- “What's really important is that school swimming lessons are seen as additional to regular swimming lessons and I think it's really important that parents prioritise swimming lessons as it is such a vital life skill”
Broadcast Timeline
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