Lancaster Primary School students Sidney Walsh, 9, Indy Gill, 10, Abel Ramsay, 10, and Cully Rowe, 10, were keeping cool at the Merrigum Public Pool on Monday, February 10.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
These students certainly know how to beat the heat, and they are staying safe doing so.
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Lancaster Primary School students have been free-floating through the first two weeks of the school year, learning to swim at the Merrigum Swimming Pool.
While it’s a great excuse for students to cool down throughout the persisting heatwave, it’s also a way for them to learn life-saving skills.
In 2024, Royal Life Saving Australia released a report showing that 40 per cent of children leaving primary school did not meet national benchmarks for swimming and water safety education for their age group.
Royal Life Saving chief executive Justin Scarr said the report revealed the risk of drowning increased when insufficient training was provided.
“Many young adults are quite simply being left unprepared for the dangers they may encounter in and around the water as they grow older,” he said.
“Without immediate action to address this skills gap, more lives could certainly be at risk.”
Beating the heat, and staying safe while doing so, were students Sidney Walsh, 9, Indy Gill, 10, Abel Ramsay, 10, and Cully Rowe, 10.
Photo by
Jemma Jones
The National Swimming and Water Safety Framework shows there are eight aquatic skills a child should learn before they turn 17.
Those skills include being able to swim continually for 400m; float, scull or tread water for five minutes and signal for help; and rescue a person and apply emergency care.
When at the pool, the Lancaster Primary School students are split into three groups: proficient and learning, learning, and learning with assistance.
These groups allow students with different skill levels to keep developing their swimming knowledge.
Year 5 and 6 teacher Belinda Turpin was one of a couple of teachers helping instructors during the lessons and said about half of the students knew how to swim before these sessions began.
“The two weeks of back-to-back (swimming) really helps the kids learn,” she said.
Besides the learning, Mrs Turpin said it is a fun getaway for students wanting a break from school and the heat.
22°C