Dorset Sees Sharp Decline in Children Learning to Swim

The number of children learning to swim has declined in recent years, sparking fears that a generation is growing up unsafe around water safety

A national report by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Kellogg’s found that more than half of children aged seven to eleven cannot swim 25 metres unaided – leaving over 1.1 million pupils across England at risk in and around water.

Leisure centre staff say the situation is mirrored in Dorset, where many children are missing lessons due to rising costs and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve definitely seen fewer children learning to swim,” said a Dorset leisure centre manager. “The cost-of-living crisis means families are cutting back, and unfortunately, swimming can be seen as non-essential. COVID also had a huge effect – a lot of children missed out on early lessons, and some haven’t come back.”

Swimming in Dorset.

With Dorset’s long coastline and busy beaches, residents say swimming is a vital life skill rather than a luxury.

May Prior, a Bournemouth resident, said she didn’t learn to swim properly until later in life -something she now regrets. “Only later on was I able to swim more than 25 metres, but I didn’t live by the sea,” she said. “Now that my children are growing up in a coastal town, I think they must learn and become confident swimmers.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged the government to make water safety education a national priority, ensuring all schools include swimming lessons in their curriculum.

“Education and safety awareness are key to preventing drowning incidents,” a RoSPA spokesperson said. “Our ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’ campaign calls for all children to receive classroom-based water safety education and swimming lessons through school.”

RoSPA supports the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy, which aims to halve drowning deaths by 2026.

With its popular beaches at Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, and Swanage, Dorset attracts thousands of families to the water every year. However, experts warn that unless children are taught to swim, the risk of future tragedies could increase.

“In a county like Dorset,” a leisure centre manager added, “teaching children to swim isn’t just about sport, it’s about saving lives.”