Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing free swimming lessons for young people in coastal areas.

Swimming and water safety lessons are compulsory at key stage 1 and 2 as part of the physical education (PE) national curriculum. Swimming and water safety are vital life skills. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and know how to keep themselves safe around water by the time they leave primary school.

Primary schools can also use the PE and sport premium to fund additional swimming lessons for pupils who do not meet the national curriculum expectations after their core lessons.