Barkston & Syston Primary School installs mobile swimming pool for next two weeks

A village primary school has opened a mobile swimming pool on site for the next two weeks.

Barkston & Syston Primary School has teamed up with Elite Swimming UK to install a fully heated 10m swimming pool on the school's site.

Miss Rebecca Lyon, headteacher of the school, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for our children. The National Curriculum states that the swimming objectives need to be completed by the end of Key Stage 2 but by having exclusive use of the pool onsite for the next two weeks, we aim to enable as many children as possible to achieve these aims.

"It is our ambition that all children in the school – from Reception to Year 6 - get the opportunity to develop water confidence and safety.

"With the Covid pandemic and lockdowns, we recognise that some children might not have been able to visit the pool or have swimming lessons and we are pleased that the pool being at school is giving everyone the opportunity to learn vital water safety skills."

The children have enjoyed the pool so far. Year 5 pupil Poppy said: "It's very enjoyable and good fun!"

Year 4 pupil Ella-Rose said she was "really enjoying swimming."

With the pool on site, it allows the school to pass on a reduced cost to families and also minimise the loss of other curriculum areas as they do not need to travel to a swimming pool.