Published on:
16
June 2023
Primary five pupils from all 19 Clackmannanshire Primary Schools, including Lochies School, have benefited from five weeks of water safety and aquatics skills.
Nearly 600 children took part in the programme which comes as the Council invests in new community swimming pools as part of the Wellbeing Hub and Lochies School development.
Councillor Scott Harrison, spokesperson for Sport, Leisure, and Active Living, said: “It has been our goal to ensure all children and young people have the opportunity to learn to swim before they leave school.
“This programme provides a critical and important life skill to the children of Clackmannanshire.
“We would like to thank our partners for their collaboration on this programme - the feedback from both staff and pupils has been extremely positive.”
The programme was delivered during this term by the Council’s Sport and Leisure team in partnership with Scottish Swimming, Active Stirling, Dollar Academy and Safety Training Awards.
Dollar Academy’s rector, Ian Munro, said: "Playing a full role in our local community is really important to Dollar Academy. As such, hundreds of local community members make use of the Academy's facilities each week.
“Our new partnership with the Council has allowed us to expand this reach even further and support an area of specific need within Clackmannanshire.”
Active Stirling’s Matthew Bunnell added: “Despite challenges surrounding pool space availability at The PEAK, we managed to host 15 sessions over a ten-week period which further demonstrates our shared partnership endeavour of developing essential life skills through sport and physical activity interventions.”
Scottish Swimming’s aquatic partnership manager Gordon Hunter said: “Scottish Swimming is pleased to support Clackmannanshire Council with the implementation of a P5 School Swimming Programme.
“Despite the local challenges to access water space currently they have worked hard in collaboration with Dollar Academy and Active Stirling to access water space allowing local school children to develop basic aquatics skills and vital water safety knowledge. It is a priority to get children comfortable and safe in the water.
“We look forward to continuing to work with them as they look to expand and develop the offering available to the children of Clackmannanshire in the future.”