Swimming lessons 'vital' as schools gap revealed
BBC research reveals a significant gap in swimming proficiency among English primary school children, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds performing notably worse. Only 55% of pupils in schools with high free school meal eligibility meet the 25m swimming target, compared to the 72% national average.
Why it matters
Swimming is a critical life skill for water safety, and this disparity highlights systemic inequalities in access to physical education and essential safety training.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Primary schools across England are expected to teach key swimming skills to keep children safe in water
Children at English primary schools with more pupils on free school meals are less likely to leave able to swim 25m, BBC research has found.
While 72% of Year 6 children on average left school able to swim 25m in 2024-25, this drops to just 55% for schools with a higher proportion of disadvantaged children.
Ashley Jones, head of water safety and education at the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), said it was "absolutely vital" children were equipped with basic swimming and self-rescue skills.
A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said it was aware of the gap and it "needs to change".
The national curriculum in England , external states when they leave Year 6, all pupils should be able to:
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