Meon Way Federation dive into innovative pop-up swimming pool programme
Hundreds of children across three Portsmouth schools are making a splash in a temporary swimming pool that has been opened, the first of its kind to open at a school in the city.
Meon Way Federation, which is a member of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, has dived into the future of primary school swimming by having a pop-up solution to teach children to swim. The opportunity to use the pool will be offered to children at Moorings Way Infant School, Meon Infant School and Meon Junior School, who collectively form Meon Way Federation. The pool is located at the Moorings Way site.
Sara Paine, executive headteacher at Meon Way Federation, says the pool has already been a hit with children. She said:“Welcoming Swim:Ed to Meon Way Federation has been a long time in the making, but I am delighted to see hundreds of our children enjoying the pop-up pool to strengthen their swimming ability and learn more about being safe around water.
“This pop-up pool was installed over the half term break, so we now have a busy programme of swimming for pupils in the lead up to the summer. Our aspiration is for all pupils who attend the Federation to be able to swim and know water safety skills. Already, we are looking at dates for the future.”
The programme, which is led by Swim:ED and supported by ActiveMe 360, has a mission to improve pupils’ swimming proficiency and water safety skills. The programme was developed by education specialists and the idea is to help revolutionise the way that water safety is taught. It will also provide regular swimming sessions to young people that do not have access to a swimming pool on a frequent basis. Will Atterbury, founder and managing director at ActiveMe 360 CIC who are managing the pool at Moorings Way, said: “Following our success in other areas of Hampshire we are delighted to be able to bring the pop-up pool programme, Swim:ED, to the City of Portsmouth. This is our most exciting venture yet in our mission to change lives and improve health and wellbeing for children in Hampshire and Sussex.
“Swimming is a crucial life skill, especially in a coastal region where we are reminded all too often of the dangers of different waters around us, and it can also have such a positive impact on people’s wellbeing.
“Unfortunately, too many children either don’t have access, or face ever increasing barriers to access to learn to swim. This programme removes those barriers and we have already seen so much progress in the children through the Swim:ED programme, we are excited to expand the programme further across the city and benefit more communities.”