Swimming with SEND

At swimming, with the provision of an additional staff member thanks to funding from Bedford Giving, we were able to accommodate more YP with SEND within our lessons.

One impact of this is a YP who was previously overwhelmed in a swimming pool environment, often experiencing anxiety and finding reasons to opt out of lessons they had tried in the past. Having staff with knowledge of SEND and capacity to work closely with them, enabled us to talk them through the lesson with clear simple instructions. We also were able to tailor parts of the lesson to include activities they could access, such as water games which built water confidence and helped this YP progress at their own pace. 3-4 swimming lessons in, and the YP was able to put their head underwater, take their feet off the pool floor without aids and jump in at the deep end. This was a vast change from their first lessons where they would complain of a stomach-ache or chest pains and get out of the water early. It was a joy to see this progress and on occasion see them refuse to get out of the pool because they were having too much fun.  

Their parent/carer said:

“I would like to thank you the F4YP team for helping [YPN] gain the confidence to swim. [YPN] came to the F4YP club unable to swim and now can with all the support and hard work you and the team have put in. YPN struggled at first not wanting to swim, then every week started to feel better. YPN suddenly started enjoying the time, saying Mommy it's Thursday we have swimming. I started to feel very relaxed and positive.   

The team are brilliant with YPN who has additional needs. The support is immense, and I am truly appreciative of the tasks being broken down simply so [YPN] could grasp and eventually learn to swim due to his processing delay issues. [YPN] had lessons before coming to F4YP Swimming Club but could never grasp it and didn’t want to do it again.   

Thank you for the hard work and support with my child, I am glad that you understood my child’s needs and you met them well. F4YP is amazing for children with additional needs, my child is living proof. We went away on holiday and YPN was able to swim independently and was not frightened. YPN’s confidence has gone through the roof. A big thank you to all.  “