Free Swimming Lessons For Fife School Children

Fifty free swimming lessons will be offered to every primary one pupil in the Lochgelly and Cardenden council ward.

Earlier this year the Cowdenbeath Area Committee agreed to fund the pilot project that will entitle over 180 primary one pupils, who attends school in the Lochgelly & Cardenden ward, the free lessons which will begin in January 2016.

It's estimated this project could save parents around £200 per child.

The schools included in the pilot area are Denend, Lochgelly South, Lochgelly West, St. Ninians RC, St. Patricks RC and Cardenden Primary Schools. 

The swimming lessons will be available at Lochgelly High School Community Use, Cowdenbeath Lesiure Centre, Bowhill Swimming Pool and the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre in Glenrothes.

Cllr Mark Hood, Executive Committee member explained: “Being able to swim is an important life skill and this trial will help us to assess the impact that removing the cost barrier for families could have. We see this as an important part of our children’s learning and will be linking their achievements in the pool to their wider development in the classroom. But fundamentally it’s a great way to encourage children to be more active and give them the opportunity to access a wide range of water-based sports.

“Our studies suggest that it takes around fifty lessons for children to become competent swimmers and confident in the water. We’ll be monitoring the uptake, progress and results from the pilot project to determine the implications of widening out the offer.”