Amidst all of the furore surrounding the council’s decision-making over the Friary Grange Sports Centre, we have continued to plan our swimming provision in just the same way as last year, and the year before, and so on. Hopefully, it will continue next year as well.
Secondary schools have no statutory obligation to teach swimming, but we have always believed it is an important life skill and have always maintained delivery despite the tight financial constraints we operate under.
Consequently, all Year 7 and Year 8 students will continue to enjoy swimming lessons this school year and will benefit from the expert tuition of qualified instructors. Equally, as part of our existing Elite Performers scheme, students who compete at a high level in the pool can access extra levels of support to facilitate their chances of national and international success.
Sam Foster, Head of Performance & Technologies, said: “As a school we place a high emphasis on sporting and health education, not just in terms of competitive action, but also in educating children to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they move into adulthood. We also appreciate that swimming is an essential skill for life and education cannot just be about passing exams.”
Matt Allman, Headteacher, added: “Just like all local schools which use the Friary Grange swimming pool provision, we pay on usage and despite sharing the same site we do not get preferential deals on price. Even so, the £12,500 cost of this year is something that we prioritise and are keen to maintain.”
If you would like to learn more about our Elite Performer scheme visit: https://www.friaryschool.co.uk/elite-performers/
