International Learn to Swim Week

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This week is International Learn to Swim Week (13-19 May 2024), and with the countdown to Summer fully underway it’s the perfect time to up your junior’s skills in the water.

At Virgin Active we work closely with the STA (Swimming Teachers Association), to ensure that children are not only enjoying swimming and improving through fun, engaging activities but also understand how to be safe in and around water. That might be in an indoor pool during lessons, whilst on holiday or open water swimming at the beach.

Safety first

Swimming is not only a sport, more importantly, it is a lifesaving skill. As we get older, we may lose interest in sports and our skill levels can decline, however, swimming is something that should feel second nature - no matter our age or ability. Whether we swim to be active, recover from an injury or unwind, it’s an essential skill we should have at all points of our lives.

Swimming as a career choice

Swimming opens the doors to a wide variety of sports and potential job prospects. From kayaking and scuba diving to surfing, being able to swim allows us to take part in so many more activities, safely and confidently. Swimming can also form the basis for career options such as the Navy, a coastguard or ocean explorer or a carer on land as a lifeguard, swim teacher or aqua physiotherapist.

Learn to swim with Virgin Active

The Department of Education has set an expectation that every child should be able to swim 25 meters unaided with a range of strokes effectively by the end of Primary school[1]. However, there are still 1 in 3 children who do not know how to swim – especially in the East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands, Southeast and Northern Ireland.[2]

At Virgin Active we have a real focus on helping to reach this goal, not just through our Swim lessons from the age of 3 months,  but also through Family Swim times and swim crash courses in the school holidays. Juniors aged 8+ can be assessed to pass our ‘Shark Test’ which allows juniors to swim unaccompanied in the pool whilst parents head to enjoy a different area of the club.

Our Swim Program juniors also get the unique experience of competing in our annual Swim Gala at the London Aquatic Centre – cool, right? 

If you have any questions regarding your juniors' swimming or want to learn more about Virgin Active’s Swim program, please speak to the Family team in your club.

[1] Gov.UK July 2021

[2] 1065 parents surveyed by Opinion Matters in April 2022