Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm what percentage of primary schools in Wales teach swimming and water safety as a part of their curriculum?
Evidence from the Swim Wales School Swimming and Water Safety Data Collection 2023 shows that 21 local authorities in Wales had primary schools attending some form of school swimming and water safety lessons. This equates to an average of 81% of Welsh primary schools. The Swim Wales Data Collection does not include secondary schools.
Under the Curriculum for Wales, which applies to 3–16 year olds, schools design a curriculum with a range of sports and activities to teach which meet the needs of their learners in their specific context. Swimming is a clear and obvious choice for schools to consider for learners as an important life skill.
The curriculum places an important emphasis on learners developing an understanding of risk and safety in different environments. Safety in and around water will be an important aspect of this for many learners and therefore swimming offers an important opportunity to learn about how to keep safe.