School installs 'pop-up pool' to encourage swimming

A "pop-up" swimming pool has been installed at a primary school so pupils can learn important life skills and water confidence before they move up.

The head teacher at Ravensthorpe Primary in Peterborough, Emma Ward, said the idea was "the only solution" to give children access to swimming and "achieve the milestone" distance of 25 metres by the time they leave primary.

It comes after the city's regional pool complex on Bishop's Road was decommissioned and demolished earlier this year after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found.

As a replacement, Peterborough City Council confirmed plans for a new eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool, costing £36m, by 2028.

Ravensthorpe Primary is part of the Keys Academies Trust, which includes Jack Hunt Academy on Bradwell Road, which has a public swimming pool on site.

It is managed by the city council's partners, Vivacity.

A spokesperson for Ravensthorpe Primary said swimming was part of the school's curriculum, but using the Jack Hunt pool was "becoming unfeasible" with the financial and time cost of coach travel to the site.

The heated temporary swimming pool was installed in the school playground on 3 November and will remain on site until the school breaks for Christmas.

Ms Ward said: "Historic data for this school for swimming has never been where we wanted it to be.

"With the closure of some of the pools in the city, access to a swimming pool has been challenging and so we had to get creative and put in a solution quickly and offer intensive swimming for our children."

She said swimming had helped boost attendance numbers in years five and six.

Students at the swimming sessions told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire it was "fun but unusual" to have a pool in their playground.

Vicky Gallagher of Fiesta Coaching, who are running the sessions, said: "The pupils are learning about water confidence and all the different swimming strokes and learning about what to do when they see someone in water danger.

"We can see a massive difference in them in the last five weeks or so.

"It is a life skill and a brilliant low-impact sport to learn and we are passionate about it."

Earlier this year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a £240m Growth Mission Fund in her Spending Review, and said a new pool in Peterborough could qualify for help.

Head of communities at Peterborough City Council, Ian Phillips, said the authority would be pursuing a bid along with other funding opportunities provided by Sport England, Living Sport, the local combined authority and the private sector.

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