Swimming
George is our Swimming Teacher here at Park Lane School, she has over 20 years experience of teaching children to swim. Lessons are held at the Hydro Pool on site and also at Macclesfield Leisure Centre.
We hold swimming sessions every day for our students including physiotherapy sessions, swimming lessons and a Water Safety Lesson every three weeks. We work cross curricular and try to bring the classroom to the swimming pool and work on our numeracy, literacy and science skills in the pool.
Swimming has many benefits for children with SEN such as:
Physical Health– Improves strength, coordination, flexibility and overall fitness. It helps with balance, flexibility, muscle tone and pain control.
Mental Health– Helps regulate emotions, reduce stress, improve concentration, alertness and eye contact. It builds self esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment.
Cognitive Processing– Improves thinking, memory, judgement and problem solving.
Swimming also strengthens children’s social skills by swimming in groups and having fun with their peers, helping children be more independent and self-sufficient. It also teaches them Water Safety and is a skill for life.
We are working to the Swim England School Swimming Standard’s, using their Core Skills, Foundation Awards, School Swimming Awards and Water Safety Awards.
Things to do at home
There are many things, as parents, you can do to help your children become proficient swimmers.
In the bath
Using a cup/jug/watering can pour water over your child’s head encouraging them to blink the water away and wipe their forehead.
Encourage them to lay down on their back and front in the water, getting their ears wet on their back and blowing bubbles on their front.
Splashing their hands and feet and making the water bubble.
Play and sing songs with them encouraging them to play with bath toys.
Out and About
Talk to your children about the dangers around water.
Teach them to stay away from the edge when out for walks.
Stay close to or hold a grown ups hand when near water.
Point out safe places to swim, such as a lifeguarded beaches.
Look at signs whilst near bodies of water such as reservoirs and lakes.
At the Pool
By far the best way is to take them to your local swimming pool and have lots of fun in the water, you don’t need to teach them just have fun.
Everybody Health & Leisure now hold Inclusive Swim Session every week across all their sites. They also offer an Options Card at a cost of £11.99 for 12 months for customers in receipt of DLA/PIP which entitles the card holder to free swimming in this session and if they require a carer they can also go in. Please contact Everybody Health & Leisure for more details.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected]
