The Importance of Swimming Lessons for Children

Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean has passionately advocated for more children to have access to swimming pools and lessons. Residing in Bath, Dean told the BBC, "You get taught when you're a child that crossing the road is really dangerous but equally being safe in the water is just as important."

The Current State of Swimming Skills in England

According to Swim England, more than 14 million people, around one in three adults in England, cannot swim one length of a 25m pool. Dean stressed the importance of keeping this issue in the public eye, especially with the news of leisure centre closures and squeezed school budgets across the country.

The Ripple Effect of Non-Swimmers

Dean, a triple Olympic gold medallist, pointed out that children of non-swimmers are unlikely to learn to swim, which poses a significant danger during the summer holidays. "I'm a big advocate for every child being able to leave school being able to swim the national standard of 25 metres," he said. He added, "Exam grades are a really important part of their development but you want to develop completely rounded children who will grow up to be good swimmers."

Government Initiatives and Funding

The Department for Education (DfE) collaborates with various organizations to improve swimming and water safety skills as part of the primary school curriculum. Their goal is to enable children to swim at least 25 metres unaided. Additionally, schools are encouraged to support understanding with further education on the risks around water in PSHE lessons.

The government recently announced £320m of funding for primary schools to invest in PE improvements, which can include swimming programmes.

Dean's Ongoing Commitment

Dean is currently training for the Commonwealth Games and aims to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Despite his busy schedule, he continues to advocate for swimming lessons, which he describes as a real "passion project." "I've slowly started realising that it has been a massively important topic to discuss in this country," he said.

Dean, who won gold in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay in Paris in 2024, concluded, "I do a sport where it isn't even a sport, it's a life skill, and swimming can actually save your life."

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