Free swimming lessons during the summer for Hackney 10 year olds
This summer, Hackney Year 5 and Year 6 children who haven’t yet learnt how to swim confidently can take part in two weeks of free intensive swimming lessons at local pools.
As part of the programme, children that aren’t yet confident to swim independently can receive:
- two weeks of intensive lessons;
- swimming costumes, goggles and swimming caps (including soul caps for braided hair);
- membership to their local pool for a year, along with free sessions for parents and carers, so they can enjoy swimming together.
Hackney Council and Better Leisure Centres received £15,000 in funding from Sport England to deliver this summer’s programme in local Hackney pools.
Parents and carers that wish to benefit from the offer can sign up via an online form.
The free swimming lessons are offered by Hackney Council in partnership with Better as part of the new 10 by 10 programme.
The initiative, officially launched this week, supports one of the key manifesto commitments included in the Council’s strategic plan for 2022-2026: to ensure that “by the time they are 10 years old, every child in Hackney has access to at least 10 different activities that help expand their horizons and equip them for the future”.
The aim of the programme is to support families in the borough to access a wider range of activities that will support their children’s wellbeing and offer them better opportunities to learn and grow by working together with local partners and schools to encourage every child to:
- Engage in exercise
- Have a musical experience
- Learn to swim
- Take part in drama and performing arts
- Visit the seaside and the countryside
- Experience museums, theatres, galleries and heritage sites
- Take part in camping trips and overnight residentials
- Learn to ride a bike
- Take part in debating
- Use a library
As part of the programme, the Council has created a range of resources that will help schools offer more opportunities for their pupils during the school year, as well as a map of activities and suggestions for parents to consider during the holidays. This complements the Council’s Summer Activities Guide, published earlier this month.
The end of term quickly approaches, and with it the excitement of some well deserved weeks of relaxation and fun for our children. However, sadly, for too many of our families the pride of seeing their children’s good results at the end of the school year will be overshadowed by the concern of not being able to offer them all the summer activities and opportunities they would like.
We know that access to excellent education alone is not enough to ensure that our children grow up happy, healthy, and excited about learning. We need to do more outside classroom activities to help them explore the world around them and their passions, and start thinking about what they would like to do in life.”
Our 10 by 10 programme recognises the role that families, schools and local communities all play in making sure every child in Hackney is prepared for the future, and offers practical support to our residents to help them achieve this goal.
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care