We've brought a pool to our school and it's helping pupils learn to swim

That’s what they’ve done at Royles Brook Primary School in Thornton - and it’s had a profound effect on water confidence and swimming ability in just a few weeks.

The school hired the services of a company called Pro Sport Coaching and had a portable, 10m, warm water pool brought onto the Church Road site, set inside a large marquee.

It was hired for a three-week block of time and the school ensured that all year groups at the 298-pupil school had a chance to go in the water.

Head teacher Jen mckinnon said: “It’s been incredible and we will be doing this again next year.

“The current curriculum is requiring all children to be able to swim 25m by the time they leave school but we found that quite a few of our pupils had never been in a swimming baths and were frightened of going in water.

“When you have to take children out to swimming baths you've got the transport costs, the time away from lessons and the opportunity of only about 20 minutes in the water at a time.

“We decided to look into a better alternative - and we’ve found one.

“By bringing the pool into school, the overall costs are the same but we can guarantee all the children have twice as much pool time.”

Mrs Mckinnon said that in just three weeks, a sizable number of children had gone from being non-swimmers to be able to swim 25 metres unaided, from just four sessions.

And she added: “The pool comes with its own swimming instructor and lifeguard, and is located in the safety of the school. It’s win-win all round.”