Nearly one in three Surrey children still unable to swim 25 metres despite safety push
There is a warning that thousands of children in the county are leaving school without being able to swim the length of a standard pool.
Almost 30% of primary school leavers in Surrey are unable to swim 25 metres unaided, according to the county’s active lifestyle lead. That’s despite Surrey performing slightly above the national average – with 71% of children able to swim that distance compared to 70% across England.
Lawrie Baker, interim head of Active Surrey, which is part of Surrey County Council, said the figures are worrying because the skill is unlikely to be learnt later in life.
“When children can’t swim by the time they leave primary school, it’s unlikely they’re going to learn that skill throughout their life,” she said. “They may go on to be adults who can’t swim or can’t swim well enough to get themselves out of trouble.”
Lawrie said the issue is especially concerning in boroughs with rivers or lakes nearby. “It becomes an alarming issue when you realise the numbers of children and young people who can’t swim.”
She added: “That does tragically translate into some of the drownings that we see over the summer.”
Nationally, swimming remains popular among children. Some 91% say they enjoy it. But access can still be an issue for some families, particularly those on low incomes or without transport.
“Increased journey times are likely to disproportionately affect children and families on lower incomes who may not have access to a car,” Lawrie said. “It does make it more difficult for people experiencing poverty and disadvantage to access pools.”
While no swimming pools have permanently closed in Surrey over the past 15 years, Lawrie said the recent near-closure of Pool in the Park in Woking could have had a major impact, affecting not just local residents but also people from nearby areas like Guildford.
Swimming also has major benefits for public health, according to Active Surrey. Over the past year, around 1.5 million visits were made to swimming pools in the county – including both general swimming and swimming lessons.
“We’re definitely seeing large numbers of people enjoying swimming in Surrey,” said Lawrie.
However, access to swimming is not equal across the population. National data from Swim England shows that 49% of people from ethnically diverse communities cannot swim 25 metres, compared to just 14% of the general adult population.
“Often, where adults can’t swim, their children may not learn either,” Lawrie said. “If an adult can’t take their child to the pool to learn to swim, they’re going to be unable to teach them.”
Some councils in Surrey are responding with local solutions. Elmbridge Borough Council has received national praise for its drowning prevention strategy, which includes life-saving training, school education and support for young people to become lifeguards.
Lawrie said swimming also offers a low-cost, low-impact way to stay active – especially for people with long-term health conditions – and stressed the importance of early access.
“If people don’t learn that skill at an early age, the number of people who can benefit is decreasing as time goes on.”
A Government spokesperson said: "As part of our Plan for Change, we are absolutely committed to building a healthier nation and reducing pressure on our NHS.
"We are working closely with Swim England and UK Active to secure a vibrant future for our swimming pools."