Supervision and pool rules

Any session in or near water should be led by a qualified swimming teacher, with a qualified pool lifeguard on duty. Teachers and parents who organise the workshop support them but do not replace them. Agree ratios with the pool in advance, and group children by ability after a short water confidence check.

Share medical information and any swimming ability notes with the instructor before the day. Open water such as lakes and the sea needs a specialist provider and is not suitable for a general school workshop.

Go through these on poolside before anyone gets in, and repeat them briefly at each change of activity.

• Walk, never run, on poolside.

• Enter the water only when the instructor says so, feet first unless told otherwise.

• Stay in your group's area of the pool.

• One long whistle means stop, look at the instructor and listen.

• Tell an adult at once if you feel cold, unwell or scared.

• No pushing, ducking or holding others under the water.

Sample session plan: water confidence games (45 minutes)

Ages 6-9, groups of up to eight per instructor. Materials: kickboards, sinking rings, woggles (foam noodles), a floating ball.

Warm-up on poolside (5 min): arm circles, gentle marching and ankle rolls. In the shallow end (10 min): walk, jump and bob, blow bubbles and count to three with the face in the water. Main activity (20 min): kicking with a kickboard across the width, then collecting sinking rings from shallow water in pairs. Cool-down (5 min): float on the back with a woggle, then slow walking. Review on poolside (5 min): each child names one thing they did for the first time.

Adapting, afterwards and what children take away

Older or more confident swimmers aged 10-12 can try relay races with a set stroke, treading water for short spells, or a water polo passing game with a soft ball, still within the instructor's plan. After the session, give children time to dry and warm up properly, and check that everyone is accounted for before leaving the building.

Children take away greater confidence in the water, a clear set of rules they can use at any pool, and the habit of listening for the instructor's signal. Ask each child to tell a parent one pool rule when they get home.

Key points

• A qualified instructor and lifeguard must lead every session.

• Teach pool rules on poolside before anyone enters.

• Group children by ability after a confidence check.

• Count everyone in and out of the water and the building.

Photos: Skytech Aviation, Lavi Perchik / Unsplash