A bold new framework that aims to revolutionise water safety has been launched in schools.
1,490 children from Aberdeen have already taken part in the new National Primary School Swimming Framework – a partnership between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming.
The partnership’s vision is to ensure that primary school children (ideally at Primary 4/Primary 5 level) across Scotland will learn basic water safety and drowning prevention skills to help them be safer and more confident in, on and around water.
Developed by Scottish Swimming and supported by Scottish Water, the Framework will introduce standardised outcomes alongside innovative, flexible delivery models tailored to local needs, in order to enhance the current School Swimming provision.
Dianne Breen, Programming and Membership Services Manager at Sport Aberdeen, said: “Water safety skills are vital for people of all ages to be safe and happy in and around the water.
“This new framework is a brilliant way to instil these skills from early ages through the school swimming lessons.
“We’ve seen such a boost in confidence from the pupils that have taken part, and we’re excited to see this be rolled out to reach even more children.”
Sport Aberdeen facilitated the pilot across six of its swimming pools, and will continue to adopt the framework, reaching approx. 2,100 pupils per year.
Launched during a Drowning Prevention Week event at Loch Lomond, the framework hopes to ensure all children have the chance to learn vital water safety skills, which may be their only opportunity for such education.
Over 8,300 pupils have already taken part in two phases of pilots which were carried out across nine local authorities in Scotland – the Framework has now been made accessible for all local authorities and pools.
Statistics show that Scotland’s record on drownings is worryingly high. 47 accidental drownings were reported by the National Water Safety Forum in 2023, equating to almost 10 fatal drownings per one million people and almost triple the rate of the rest of the UK.
Euan Lowe, CEO at Scottish Swimming, added: “Our vision is that ‘everyone can swim’, and we believe that teaching primary school age children water safety skills is vital to this.
“The framework’s flexible approach allows schools to adopt models best suited to their circumstances while delivering consistent skills and messaging in relation to water safety. Whether through a universal approach or targeted programmes for non-swimmers, we maintain core water safety principles.
“This collaborative effort with Scottish Water and the Scottish Government, sportscotland, and educational bodies underscores our commitment to making swimming accessible and safe for all children.”
Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Learning how to be safer in, on and around water is such an important life skill – everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s miles of rivers, lochs, reservoirs and shorelines, and do so safely.
“Scotland’s drowning rates highlight the urgent need for comprehensive water safety education.
“We are proud to support the National Primary School Swimming Framework, which aims to help ensure children across Scotland leave primary school with the essential knowledge and skills to stay safe around water.”
A recent survey of primary school headteachers in Scotland revealed that nine in 10 that currently deliver school swimming value it as a crucial part of their pupil’s education. With nearly three quarters (72%) of schools unaware of the Water Safety Scotland Progression Pathway classroom resources for school teachers, this new framework is set out to ensure all children receive essential water safety skills.
The framework is designed to adapt to various local authority environments, ensuring inclusivity and targeting children who may not have previous swimming experience. Integrating the Water Safety Code throughout aligns with Water Safety Scotland’s drowning prevention initiatives.
Supported by the Scottish Government and sportscotland, and with the involvement of Education Scotland and Water Safety Scotland, pilot programmes explored different delivery models, leading to the comprehensive framework now available for schools across the nation.
Pilot programmes were carried out in the following local authorities:
- Dundee: 30 pupils
- East Lothian: 1,238 pupils
- North Lanarkshire: 134 pupils
- Scottish Borders: 86 pupils
- West Dunbartonshire: 900 pupils
- Aberdeen: 1,490 pupils
- Edinburgh: 4,400 pupils
- Clackmannanshire: 540 pupils
- East Renfrewshire: 230 pupils
The framework is linked to Scottish Swimming’s comprehensive education qualifications and CPD courses to aid the development and quality of delivery.
Drowning Prevention Week (15-22 June 2024), organised by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), stands as one of the largest water safety campaigns in the UK and Ireland, specifically targeting the summer season. Its primary goal is to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to make informed decisions regarding water safety, particularly during the summer months.
For more information on The National Primary School Swimming Framework, click here.
In partnership with Interfaith Aberdeen – the regional interfaith organisation for North East Scotland – Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team hosted a series of sports sessions as part of Refugee Week.
Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees.
Sport Aberdeen’s sessions took place at its venues Get active @ Kincorth from 14:00 to 17:00 on June 17 and Get active @ Sheddocksley from 19:00 to 22:00 on June 18.
The events were fun and social, attracting over 30 people from a wide variety of nationalities who all came together to play and compete in squash, badminton, pickleball and table tennis.
Sport Aberdeen is involved in sportscotland’s Kit for All project – collecting and providing preloved and recycled sports kit and equipment, aiming to reduce barriers to participation in sport and physical activity. Individuals attending both events were given sports kit through this scheme.
As a result of Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team having a positive reputation of working with the New Scots community in general, the team was approached by Nuart artist Addam Yekutieli who was keen to connect with New Scots and express their voices through his work.
The community sport team facilitated the connection and as a result, local New Scots were featured in Addam’s work which can now be viewed in central Aberdeen.
This is a great example of how connections between the arts and sport can lead to unique and powerful outcomes.
Mark Pain, Community Sport Manager at Sport Aberdeen, said: “It was great to work in partnership with Interfaith Aberdeen to deliver these events and harness the power of sport and physical activity to create a positive impact on those who have faced significant challenges in their lives.
“We also work with New Scots through our Football for All project, providing a weekly opportunity to play 5-a-side football, which has been hugely successful.
“We will continue to look for ways to create innovative projects and ensure everyone in our communities can access sport and physical activity opportunities.”
In May and June, the Active Schools team organised 4 weeks of primary school races across seven city venues. The Fun Run Series is open to P1 to P7 pupils from any Aberdeen school where pupils get the chance to race against their friends and against the clock, as well as against pupils from other schools. These Fun Run events are focused on participation, but the races were timed so that pupils can try and improve on their times each week.
This year, the venues were Bucksburn Academy, Cults Academy, Harlaw Road pitches, Loirston Primary, Oldmachar Academy, Sheddocksley pitches and St Machar Academy.
Each venue held four weeks of races; P1, P2 and P3 pupils ran in 400m races; P4 pupils ran 800m races and P5-P7 pupils had the choice of running 800m or 1600m. Pupils were given a participation medal at the end of term if they took part in 3 or 4 race events and we are delighted to acknowledge that 660 pupils from 40 different schools received a medal this year! The total number of pupils who took part were over 700 as there were children who came along to events but could only take part in 1 or 2 weeks of races.
The final Fun Run event took place in June, which is called the Champion of Champions – this is an invitational event for the top P4-7 boys and girls from each venue to come together to race against each other. This year’s event saw over 100 pupils from 31 schools taking part at Sheddocksley pitches. Medal winners from our Champion of Champions event represented Airyhall, Braehead, Brimmond, Broomhill, Charleston, Cults, Glashieburn, Greenbrae, Hazlehead, Kingswells, Loirston, Mile End, Milltimber, St Joseph’s, Stoneywood and Westpark primaries.
Sport Aberdeen’s Ruthrieston and Northfield outdoor tennis courts have officially reopened as part of a £210,000 renovation taking place across the Aberdeen City Council area, delivered by the LTA and supported by the LTA Tennis Foundation and the council.
The official opening events took place on Saturday 22 June – Ruthrieston from 10:00 to 12:00 and Northfield from 14:00 to 16:00 and welcomed more than 500 attendees, with the courts officially opened by Sport Aberdeen’s chairman, Tony Dawson. Sport Aberdeen manages both centres on behalf of Aberdeen City Council.
Attendees were given the opportunity to pick up a racket and get on court for a range of tennis activities, games and adult coaching taster sessions, as well as enjoying the bouncy castle, ice cream van and face painting available for children.
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to transform eight courts in the Aberdeen local area, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
There are three outdoor non-floodlit courts at Northfield Sports Centre and five outdoor non-floodlit courts at Ruthrieston Sports Centre.
The courts have undergone extensive work to ensure viability for years to come, including court resurfacing and repainting, as well as replacement fencing, nets and security gates.
This nationwide programme of investment is seeing thousands of existing park tennis courts being brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.
As well as weekly Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions with equipment provided, the refurbished courts will host Local Tennis Leagues, giving people the opportunity to get involved in friendly and social local competitions.
All courts will be available to book using ClubSpark here – a small booking fee will ensure that the courts are maintained at their new high standard for years to come.
The LTA and Sport Aberdeen will work together to ensure Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions are available on the courts, providing regular opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and play.
Graeme Dale, Director of Sport and Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, said: “It is fantastic to see new life breathed into our outdoor tennis courts at Northfield and Ruthrieston.
“We enjoyed welcoming the local community along to both opening events on Saturday – there was a real buzz and community spirit which was great to see.
“The modern and refurbished courts are easily accessible with a low booking cost, so we hope that people of all ages and abilities will go outside, enjoy the fresh air and have fun playing tennis.
“Our courts are available for booking now, head to ClubSpark here.”
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said:
“After months of hard work, we’re delighted to see park tennis courts across Aberdeen officially back open to the public, and in better shape than ever.
“Public tennis courts are such vital facilities for getting active and we want as many people as possible, of all ages and abilities, to pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.”
Sport Aberdeen is excited to announce the launch of its new Summer Fitness Pass, entitling customers to 12 sessions for only £60!
A session can be redeemed across its fitness and swimming pool venues – each session can be used for a gym visit, a swim or a fitness class.
The pass can be purchased now and sessions must be used by Saturday 31st August.
The offer is a one-time payment of £60 with no contract and no joining fee – the perfect way to get active over the summer period without the long-term commitment.
If you have any questions then please email memberships@sportaberdeen.co.uk
We are recently excited to learn that Get active @ Northfield achieved the Tacking Inequalities in Leisure Standard with the highest rating of gold.
The “Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard” replaced the Inclusive Fitness Initiative in September 2022 and has been co-written between Activity Alliance and Quest.
The aim is to help leisure operators provide more inclusive and accessible physical activity opportunities for people from a range of inequality groups.
Many of the programmes run at Get active @ Northfield were highlighted in the report such as our Good Boost programme. Good Boost sessions support participants with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as arthritis, back pain, neurological conditions and people before and after hip and knee replacement surgery to participate in individually-tailored, water-based therapeutic exercises in friendly and supportive group classes.
Active Lifestyles was also at the forefront as to why the venue was given the prestigious award for how it provides classes for all ages and abilities. In addition to this its referral programme specifically for people with long-term conditions was also mentioned.
David Selkirk, Director of Community Leisure Operations said: “We are delighted that Get active @ Northfield has received the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard with the highest rating. It highlights and rewards all the hard work staff put into the venues to make them as successful as they are.
“It also further signifies our dedication to breaking down barriers to sport and fitness as shown through the report highlighting the great classes and opportunities we have for all.”
Sport Aberdeen is serious about doing social good and adding social value to people’s lives.
The charity will be marking the first ever ‘Seriously Social Week’ in May as part of a national campaign that showcases the work of charities, putting people above profit, connecting communities and helping people to become healthier, happier and more creative, regardless of age or ability.
Seriously Social has been organised by national body Community Leisure UK. Starting on Monday 27 May – each day of the week will focus on a theme to show how companies like ours help create social impact and create happier, healthier communities. Themes include health and wellbeing, the environment, inclusion, community, and employment and skills.
Kirsty Cumming, CEO of Community Leisure UK, said: “Our members don’t just deliver public leisure and cultural services, they support social change for the better every day of the week, 365 days a year.
“As social enterprises and charities, they put people above profit. They are run by local people and have everyone’s best interests at heart. This week is about showcasing how they go above and beyond supporting individuals and communities.
“This is a selfless sector, quietly going about supporting people and communities every day. Not because it makes them money, but because it’s the right thing to do. And we thought it was high time more people know about the great work they do and the difference they make.”
More than 110 charitable trusts and social enterprises deliver public leisure and culture in Scotland, Wales and Ireland as part of the Community Leisure UK network. Together in 2023 they:
- Welcomed more than 209 million visits
- Worked with 170+ local authorities
- Collaborated with more than 100,000 community groups
- 73% reduced carbon emissions
- 63% provided warm spaces
- 75% provided holiday food and activity programmes
- Saved the state and NHS £893 million through their work getting people more active and healthier*
Keith Heslop, CEO of Sport Aberdeen, said: “We are proud to be part of a network of charities operating with a strong social conscience, delivering good through sport and leisure opportunities.
“We strive to put others first and make sport and physical activity accessible to everyone, helping to break down barriers and change lives.
“Our successful outcomes include improvements in our collective physical and mental wellbeing, increased local employment, safe spaces to enjoy, connected communities and targeted help for those requiring additional support.
“Seriously Social is a brilliant way to showcase not only the difference we make, but also why we do what we do.”
*Social Value Figure produced by 4Global using data from Moving Communities and DataHub. Full stats can be found at seriouslysocial.org.uk, as well as further information about the campaign.
37-year-old Laura McLeod started swimming lessons with Sport Aberdeen in October 2023 – the charity follows the Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water Framework for ‘Learn to Swim.’
Having always wanted to learn to swim, Laura experienced an incident as a youngster which meant she became aquaphobic and never learned.
As an adult, she was diagnosed with arthritis in her knees and fibromyalgia and was advised by her GP that swimming would be the best form of exercise, however she didn’t get into the pool until her mobility was really bad.
Above: Laura at her swimming lesson.
Laura said: “I then apprehensively applied for adult swimming lessons, and it was the best thing I could have done!
“The instructors have been equally patient and encouraging with me, and I am now no longer aquaphobic.
“Although I am not fully confident yet, my confidence builds every week. I am nearly 5 months into swimming lessons – I’m not quite swimming yet but I feel confident in the water, under water and with aquatic breathing.
Laura has enjoyed and appreciated the support of her swimming instructors along the way.
She said: “My instructors challenge me at every session and would never push me to do something they didn’t think I was capable of.
“They take time to focus on where they think my confidence and skill needs improved and have a very person-centred approach to teaching.
“The progress I have made in five months has been astounding considering on my first lesson I could barely put my face in the water.
“The confidence my instructors and the lessons have instilled in me has had a positive impact on other aspects of my life also. My mental and general health has improved; I am much more confident than I ever was before too.
“I would highly recommend any adult non-swimmer aquaphobic person to apply to Sport Aberdeen for lessons, it really will change your life.”
Sport Aberdeen has adult beginner and adult improver week-long intensive swimming lessons available to book now.
These will take place across two weeks: 29 July – 2 August and 12 – 16 August and can be booked here.
27-year-old Lotty Smythe joined Sport Aberdeen for a 12-week placement to further her learning in food, nutrition and human health. During her time on placement, she developed and launched a 6-week fitness and nutrition programme for Sport Aberdeen members to help them achieve their goals and enhance their knowledge.
A survey was distributed to participants before the sessions took place which found over 80% didn’t fuel their bodies before exercise and 80% didn’t feel confident using gym equipment.
Working closely with Evelyn Mair, Group Health and Fitness Manager, Lotty delivered the sessions which saw participants undertake two fitness sessions per week with health and fitness instructors, as well as the nutrition sessions that she led.
The nutrition sessions contained information about what healthy eating is, energy balance and intake, healthy eating on a budget, maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition for sport and exercise.
One participant said: “I would say I’ve picked up simple tips like swapping to brown rice and pasta to get my fibre intake up and have learned healthy ways to fuel and refuel for exercise. I’ve also learned I’m definitely stronger than I thought I was!”
Another who attended the sessions said: “I would like to say a huge thank to Sport Aberdeen for running this 6-week course. This course has kick started my desire to put myself first for a change. I have learned a lot from both the nutrition and exercise sessions, met some incredibly knowledgeable professionals and also made some new friends.”
Following the programme, participants completed a survey about their experience – the results showed that 100% have improved their knowledge about how to eat healthy on a budget, with 85% saying their knowledge of what a healthy diet is has changed. In addition to this, 57% of those who attended the sessions have increased the number of times they visit the gym.
RGU Placement student Lotty Smythe said: “The fitness and nutrition programme has provided a great opportunity for individuals to learn more about nutrition and exercise and build their confidence using the gym and gym equipment.
“A key topic of conversation from participants was around the confidence of using different equipment correctly in the gym so I think this was a great offering from Sport Aberdeen to build knowledge and improve health and fitness.
“This was a great opportunity during my placement to build on my knowledge and public speaking skills whilst delivering a series of nutrition workshops to the public.”
Evelyn Mair, Group Health and Fitness Manager, said: “Over the last 12 weeks we have had the privilege of hosting an RGU Human Health & Nutrition Student Placement with Lotty Smythe.
“Lotty has been a fantastic addition to the team, working alongside our health and fitness instructors to deliver a 6-week fitness and nutrition member engagement programme, busting myths around healthy eating and fuelling for exercise and lots more.
“Lotty worked with various members and athletes during her time on placement and has contributed to an increase in participation and improved physical health of these individuals. This
helped to support our wider communities and teams with resources and information, all of which has been massively beneficial and greatly appreciated.”
Sport Aberdeen regularly runs adult beginner intensive swimming classes – these often take place during school holidays.
Sessions were recently held between Monday 1st to Friday 5th April at Get active @ Northfield, taking the structure of the already established adult lesson assessment framework but instead of attending once a week, these individuals completed an intensive one-week course.
Acting as a stepping stone into Sport Aberdeen’s wider adult lesson programme, the intensive classes covered a variety of strokes across the week, as well as basic lifesaving skills such as floatation and regaining feet whilst within the water.
Allan, a participant at the sessions, says the benefits of the class were incredible: “I have been terrified of water since childhood and honestly never thought I would ever be in a pool again in my life. When my older grandchildren were smaller, I never enjoyed playing at the pool with them on holidays and was terrified of being splashed. I now have two more grandchildren who live in Dubai and it was a bit of a dream to think I would be able to take them for a swim and play in the pool with them.
“I finally booked the 5-day course and on the first day I almost didn’t go in. In the end I did, thinking I would do one session, hate it, and never go back. I was incredibly nervous.
“Callum and his team (with special mention of Oliver and Maisie who dedicated most of their time to me) are all brilliant. They were all very supportive and understanding. They understood that I needed extra support and encouragement and really took the time to make sure I was comfortable.
“During the five days they didn’t just support me in getting in the water, but they got me to the point where I was happy ducking under the water, jumping in, and floating – something I genuinely thought I would never ever be able to do. I put this off for 40 years and thanks to Callum and his team I now feel like I’m in control in the water and I have signed up for weekly lessons to carry on the work, which I’m now enjoying!
“To anyone who like me has a fear of water and keeps putting it off or is even just nervous about going to a class, I would say absolutely just go for it. It’s the best thing I’ve done, and I only wish I had done it sooner.”
For those interested in the adult intensive swimming skills programme, Sport Aberdeen has this on offer at Get active @ Northfield and Tullos Swimming Pool throughout the summer holidays and this can be booked here: https://sport-aberdeen.checkfront.com/reserve/