Eleven year olds should be able to swim

Tens of thousands of 11-year-olds leave primary school each year unable to manage at least the 25 metres required by the national curriculum, according to a poll by The Times Educational Supplement.

The survey of 587 schools, carried out in June and July, suggests that one child in six did not achieve that basic level of swimming.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM Pupils should be taught to: pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance and personal survival swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25m use recognised arm and leg actions, lying on their front and back use a range of recognised strokes and personal survival skills - for example, front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sculling, floating and surface diving

Head teachers say the problem is the way the government demands a concentration on literacy and numeracy.

In the circumstances the achievement in swimming is perhaps not so bad. It is faring better than the Three Rs, with the proportion failing to reach the expected level in English and maths being one in four.

The survey also indicated that more than two out of five primary schools charged pupils for swimming lessons.

Enthusiasts for the sport say it is at risk.

British World Championship silver medallist Mark Foster said: "There is no future for British swimming unless we get children swimming.

"My father could not swim but he was determined that I would learn.

Drownings

"People spend their holidays by the sea. How can parents relax if their children cannot swim?"

Each year about 50 children under the age of 16 drown - the third most common cause of accidental death among youngsters.

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "I think it is a stark illustration of the way in which the national curriculum has been badly distorted by the relentless concentration on literacy and numeracy.

"It also shows that schools have been badly hit by funding problems.

"The government really needs to support its primary schools to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum and ensure adequate sport in every primary school."

He said the target of two hours of sport a week for every child between the ages of five and 16 was "light years away".

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "Latest national statistics from Ofsted [the schools watchdog] tell us that four out of five young people can swim the required 25 metres by the end of key stage 2 [age 10 or 11] and we know anecdotally that this has since improved.