Save Our Pool!

The pool, photographed in 2011
Photograph supplied by Jane Fosbeary

Meldreth School has benefited from an on-site pool for over 45 years, providing many of its past and present pupils with facilities for developing water confidence and swimming skills.  This resource has meant that children have been able to access swimming sessions several times a week during the summer term, building confidence and skills in a familiar environment.

Sadly, the pool is now in such a poor condition that the children are unable to use it until essential repairs are completed.  The cost of these has been estimated at approximately £10,000.  With school budgets as tight as they are, the school is unable to meet this cost.  We have a pool but can’t use it!

The National Curriculum states that children need to be taught swimming activities and water safety. This is within the Key Stage Two curriculum, but guidance does state that it can be started during earlier years.

Children should be taught to

  • pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related to speed, distance and personal survival
  • swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25m
  • use recognised arm and leg actions, lying on their front and back
  • use a range of recognised strokes and personal survival skills (for example, front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, sculling, floating and surface diving).

We recognise that in this area families are lucky enough to have several local pools.  Currently the eldest children use McSplash during the summer term for approximately 10 weeks. The children are old enough to walk to Melbourn, thus keeping the cost down. Younger children would not be able to travel in this way and therefore transport would need to be found, creating cost implications. There would also be timetable issues in that it clearly takes much longer to get to/return from Melbourn than across the playground!

The McSplash timetable would not allow us to have sessions for all of our children.  We are very proud to have been able to provide swimming to all children in our community during past years.  The impact of 2/3 sessions per week on children’s water confidence and swimming skills is truly phenomenal and is surely a life skill we want to continue to include in our teaching.

A small sub committee working alongside the PTA has started work on raising the £10,000 required.  Various fundraising events are being held throughout the year.  We have also been very fortunate to receive a few donations from ex pupils and local companies.

Success

Update: as a result of our campaigning and fundraising efforts, the pool was saved and future generations of children will learn to swim in the school swimming pool.

Comments about this page

  • I have very fond memories of using the pool at Meldreth Primary, hence my passion in trying to save it! I used to feel really excited when summer came along: the grey skirts and thick tights uniform was replaced by a much nicer green gingham dress and swimming lessons started again! Mrs Knight used to teach us and I remember feeling really proud when you reached your goal of 1 width or 1 length and you received your certificate in assembly to be stuck on your bedroom wall at home. I have a 5 year old son at the school and another baby son who I hope will attend the school when he’s 4 and I’m very sad they won’t get the same experiences with swimming lessons as I did. If anyone can help in any way with fund raising please get in touch!

    By Jane Fosbeary (01/07/2011)

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