Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of current funding rules on schools’ ability to deliver swimming lessons, in the context of restrictions on using the PE and Sport Premium for transport to swimming facilities and the growing number of children who do not know how to swim.

Swimming is a vital life skill. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim before leaving primary school. Schools must provide core swimming lessons within the PE national curriculum in key stage 1 or key stage 2, teaching pupils to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over at least 25 metres.

Schools receive core funding for curriculum activities, including PE, which can be used for swimming lessons and transport.

The department has also confirmed £1 billion funding for PE and school sport over three years, building on £67 billion of core funding this year, ensuring schools have the resources they need to deliver for pupils.

Increasing access and improving attainment in swimming and water safety will be key priorities for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships network. The network will support access to swimming by bringing together schools, local clubs, and national governing bodies of sport, helping to identify and address barriers to participation so that funding and support are targeted where they are needed most. Furthermore, the network will support attainment by developing high quality support more consistently to schools, including swimming and water safety training, access to specialist coaching, links to local swimming clubs and greater access to competitions and national programmes.