Richmond upon Thames makes a splash with life-saving swimming courses

New research from Swim England shows that 70% of children in England stop swimming lessons before reaching full competence in the water, however Richmond Council is determined to change this trend by offering free crash courses to those who need them most. 

Swimming is not just a fun way of staying active – it is a life-saving skill. As the only borough that spans both sides of the River Thames, it is especially important that children in Richmond upon Thames develop water confidence and competence. 
 
Richmond Council launched the Summer Splash programme last year, ensuring that no child in the borough is excluded from learning to swim due to financial reasons. Over the summer holidays, more than 110 children took part in free crash courses, with 89% completing the programme at Pools on the Park and 96% at Teddington Pools.
 
The free Summer Splash crash courses are available to children in school years 5, 6, and 7 who have not yet met the KS2 requirement to swim 25 metres confidently and perform safe self-rescue.
 
Councillor Alan Juriansz, Vice-Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee and Lead Member for Sport said:
 
“Every child deserves the opportunity to learn to swim, regardless of their financial situation.

“Swimming is not only a great way to stay active and healthy, but an essential life-saving skill. With the River Thames flowing through the heart of our borough, we are proud that our children and young people are defying the national trend, but we know there is more work to be done which is why we will once again be offering free crash courses over the summer holidays.”
 
Details of the 2025 Summer Splash programme will be available next month but, in the meantime, residents can explore other Swim School lessons as well as general swimming, lane swimming and family swims options.
 
Richmond upon Thames’ children and young people are the most active in England. 
 
According to the latest Active Lives survey, 62.1% of young people in the borough meet the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily – significantly higher than the national average of 47.2%.
 
Councillor Juriansz added:
 
“Our Summer Splash programme is just one way we are making our leisure services more inclusive and accessible. Through our Richmond Moves campaign, we support residents in finding local, enjoyable ways to be active. Last September, we also launched our new Leisure Strategy, which aims to make physical activity, leisure, and sport a natural and accessible part of everyday life in Richmond upon Thames.”
 
The Council’s Leisure Strategy outlines continued investment in community sports, active travel, and environmentally friendly facilities, along with fairer pricing to help residents of all ages build healthy, lifelong habits.
 
Residents can also sign up to Richmond Moves email updates to receive tailored information and local resources on how to stay active in the borough.