School swimming pools
National Curriculum Swimming and safe self rescue skills are a taught as a compulsory and statutory element of the Primary School PE National Curriculum. It is delivered in our County Durham school swimming pools.
There are seven primary school swimming pools throughout County Durham, of the seven swimming pools the majority are all 1 metre depth learner pools, 15 metres in length and 6 metres wide. Wolsingham pool has a 2 metre depth at one end and is 20 metres in length and Seaview pool is only 12 metres in length and has gradual entry steps. Bullion Lane has a fully accessible room and hoist into the pool.
Our school swimming pools
The following information sheets include a description of each pool including its facilities, contact details, details of school use and community use.
- Brandon Community Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [175KB]
- Broom Cottages Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [87KB]
- Bullion Lane Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [403KB]
- Catchgate Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [126KB]
- Seaview Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [133KB]
- Shotton Primary Swimming Pool (PDF) [142KB]
School swimming development
School swimming is managed by County Durham Swimming Management Group with the aim of maintaining and coordinating a county-wide primary school swimming program. The group comprises of headteachers and business managers from all of the schools with swimming pools. The group is fully committed to sustaining a high quality swimming program and understands the value of this important life-skill. The program is run on a non-profit basis.
Figures from 2017 show that 72% of children leaving our primary schools are able to swim in a proficient, competent and confident manner for a minimum of 25 metres (the main national indicator), and demonstrate safety self-rescue skills in the water. This stands at 14% above the national average, proving that consistent standards of teaching and a coordinated approach raise the level of pupil progress and achievement.