Becky Adlington urges councils to help close children’s swimming gap

New figures showing significant gaps in children’s swimming ability have strengthened calls for local authorities, schools and leisure providers to work together to ensure more young people gain essential water safety skills.

Department for Education data highlighted by a recent BBC investigation found that 72% of Year 6 pupils in England could swim the recommended 25 metres. Among schools serving the most disadvantaged communities, that figure fell to 55%.

The findings also showed inequalities in self-rescue skills, with around seven in 10 pupils nationally able to perform a safe self-rescue, compared with approximately half in the most disadvantaged schools.

With the cost and availability of lessons remaining potential barriers for families, the figures underline the role councils and their leisure partners can play in providing affordable and accessible swimming opportunities. Olympic champion Becky Adlington has responded through her Swim! swim school network, making thousands of free lessons available to new customers at more than 30 locations during the summer. The initiative aims to give more children the confidence and practical skills needed to stay safe in and around water.

Speaking on Radio West Midlands, Becky called for councils to open dialogue for the benefit of anyone learning to swim. “We are a private company and councils do not have £10-25 million for new swimming pools,” she explained. “We would love for councils to contact us directly to come to their cities and towns. We should be working together, not against each other.”

For councils, operators and schools, the challenge is broader than simply increasing participation. Stronger partnerships, targeted support and affordable community provision could be critical to ensuring swimming and water safety skills are accessible to every child, regardless of their background.