Port funds swimming lessons

All classes at Thurnham Glasson C of E Primary School are having swimming lessons thanks to the support of the Lancaster Port Commission (LPC) which looks after the Port at Glasson Dock.

“We’re really pleased that all our children from Nursery to Year Six have swimming lessons in the Autumn and Summer Terms,” explains headteacher Mrs Rune Duncan.

“The support from the LPC covers the cost of the sessions at Lancaster University’s swimming pool, including transport.

“We are surrounded by water so it’s really important that the children know how to keep safe in and around it. By the end of primary school, all children should be able to swim at least 25 metres unaided in a pool, using a range of strokes, and be able to do safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. The children also learn about our coastline by fundraising for the RNLI,” adds Mrs Duncan.

Following their first lesson, pupil Lily said: “Swimming is really important. If you fall in and can’t swim you have a big problem but if you can swim then you can be safe.” Another pupil David commented: “It makes you really strong. We do breaststroke and front crawl and we swim on our backs too.” For Hamza, it was a lot of fun, and he won the School’s Leading Light award for his first swimming lesson.

EYFS Leader Miss Tessa Gibson said: “As well as the practical skill of swimming and being safe in and around water, there’s so much value for the children. Personal hygiene, dressing, and undressing are a big part of our personal development curriculum. And it is really special for us to get into the minibus and head to the pool to swim together as a whole school.”

Built in 1833 for the benefit of the children living around the Dock and on local farms, the school continues to serve the local community and enjoys close links with its community and the church, as a Church of England school. With headteacher Mrs Duncan adding:

“We’ve got a great relationship with the Port and they take an active interest in the school and our children. Every time we walk to church, they look out for the boat that the Port invited them to name, and they love having members of the Port team at special events like our playground opening and dance performances. The swimming lessons are another example of that close connection. It’s a brilliant investment in the community and local families and we are incredibly thankful to the Port Commission for their support.”