Swimming Health & Safety

Well maintained and monitored pools pose very little threat to you or your child's health. Filter systems efficiently remove unwanted matter while chlorine kills practically all germs. In fact, your home bath and bathwater are more likely to make you ill. Remember also that water is not the only way that bacteria and viruses are transported. Many germs travel through air, while others are transmitted through person to person contact. At least in the pool, the majority of water born germs is at a disadvantage because of the chlorine's instant killing effect.

Consequently, we ask that you respect our precautionary health rules and refrain from lessons if your child is suffering from any of the following complaints:

• Fever
• Cold Sores
• Conjunctivitis
• Impetigo
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Vomiting and diarrhoea (within the last 24 hours)
• Ringworm
• Any other contagious disease, eg, chicken pox
• Verruccas are contagious, so we would ask you to wear a verruca sock to stop their spread, or apply “Bazuka” or Wartner, both available at chemists.

• Please ensure your child takes a shower before entering the pool.
• Wear appropriate costumes – whilst really cool, Bermuda shorts are not ideal as they “balloon” with water, and then cause “drag” which makes it harder for your child to swim in – keep them for the beach!
• Hair-please ensure all long hair is back and off your child's face.
• Swimming hats are compulsory and will be provided.
• Jewellery/Earrings - please remove all jewellery before swimming, including pierced earrings.
• Food should not be consumed at least an hour before the start of the lesson.
• Please remove any plasters before coming on poolside. Plasters will come off in the water and block the filters in the pool.
• Goggles – are great for children as they can see clearly under the water. However, within the Swim England National Teaching Plan, there are certain points within the criteria where the pupil is required to open their eyes under the water and identify an object, or retrieve an object with their eyes open, without goggles on. Therefore, to prepare pupils, we will regularly remove their goggles.