At Grangetown Primary School, we believe that swimming is an essential life skill. Swimming has many benefits, as listed below.
Fitness
Swimming uses every part of the body’s major muscle groups and is a fantastic aerobic activity to get your heart pumping.
Health
Swimming can lower your resting heart rate and lower blood pressure, as oxygen becomes more efficient and your tidal volume improves. This is the amount of air that moves in and out of your lungs during relaxed breathing. Swimming is also an effective way to burn calories, which can reduce the risk of childhood obesity.
Strength and Conditioning
As a child kicks, pushes, pulls and stretches through the water, their muscles need to work harder against the extra resistance water provides. Muscles strengthen with minimal pressure on bones and joints, lengthen and gain flexibility which provides the basis of a strong and agile body. Swimming also improves the cardiovascular system, as it: raises your heart rate; gets the blood pumping around your body; boosts lung capacity and strengths your heart muscle.
Water Safety
Swimming teaches you how to stay safe in and around water.
Social
A positive relationship with the water will open the door to a whole range of water sports and activities. This will boost pupils’ confidence and their ability to interact with others.
Academic
Swimming assists in the development of gross motor skills, postural control, core stability and bilateral movement, all of which aid the improvement of handwriting, reading and concentration.
Curriculum Requirements
Below we have detailed the percentage of current Y6 pupils that have completed the necessary requirements of the National Curriculum.
In the summer term, pupils will be provided with additional swimming provision to ensure that they can confidently achieve the curriculum requirements.
Pupils who have already achieved the curriculum requirements will be challenged to improve their performance.
