From September 2024, Cardiff launched the Cardiff School Swimming Pilot - Nofio Ysgol Caerdydd, to address the low number of children taking part in school swimming lessons.

Already school engagement figures are up to74%from57% and it is expected that more than 2,250 children will have accessed swimming lessons at local pools through the pilot, before the end of the academic year. 

The new delivery model has been designed to increase the number of schools delivering swim provision, ensuring every child in Cardiff receives high-quality curriculum-based swimming instruction whilst promoting water safety.

Deliveredby the Council's Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team,in partnership with Swim Wales, Cardiff Met Sport, GLL, Legacy Leisure, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Public Health Wales, thepilot addressed challenges such as inconsistent access, school participation and adhered to a clear School Swimming Charter. By establishing a cluster-based local delivery plan, 'AquaClusters' has also helped to alleviate logistical barriers such as transport costs.

In a comprehensive report from Cardiff Met Sport feedback fromswim teachers and providers

hasidentified successes, operational challenges, and opportunities to enhance future delivery.

Strengths were found to include:
• Local delivery model (AquaClusters) made lessons more accessible and increased participation.
• Two-week intensive delivery promoted faster skill development and stronger pupil focus.
• Increased structure and planning improved progression and assessment practices.
• Staff collaboration and use of the charter helped clarify expectations and roles.

In addition, new processes to collect data on those pupils who have completed school swimming lessons have been implemented so that partners can work with schools to identify those children who have not passed the national swim curriculum, Nofio Ysgol Gold Award, and ensure support is put in place to improve their water safety.

Cardiff's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "Swimming is part of the Curriculum for Wales, yet only 57% of Cardiff schools were participating in curriculum swimming lessons in 2022/23 with transport costs identified as the most significant barrier.

"We are committed to making significant changes so that schools have as much support as possible to enable swim provision to be delivered to learners and the pilot has already made an encouraging impact on accessibility and quality across the city, supporting the continuation and expansion of the model.

"We want to ensure that with further refinements and through successful partnership working, Nofio Ysgol Caerdydd can lead the way in ensuring every child in Cardiff becomes a confident swimmer and is able to have fun and be safe in and around water."

Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks & Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke said:"The early results from the new model are incredibly encouraging, with rising participation in Cardiff schools and clear evidence that AquaClusters, intensive delivery, and the School Swimming Charter are driving real progress. Honest reflections on challenges around inclusion, staffing, and engagement remind us that success must be supported by strategy and we are committed to working with partners to build on this momentum—aligning policy and investment to ensure every child in Cardiff has access to high-quality curriculum swimming."

Ryan David, Aquatics Development Manager for Cardiff Met Sport said: "Drowning is still one of the biggest causes of accidental death in Wales, especially among young people. Learning to swim and understanding water safety should be a basic right, not a privilege.

"Every child in Cardiff deserves the chance to learn these life-saving skills. We're doing everything we can to make school swimming work for every school, and this pilot is a huge step forward. But we can't do it alone. We need providers, schools, families and the whole community behind us to make sure no child gets left behind."

The Cardiff School Swimming Pilot - Nofio Ysgol Caerdydd is to be further expandedin2025/26.

More about the model:

The new approach provides a range of key features to assist schools in making swimming lessons more accessible and cost effective. Schools are coupled with their local swimming pool with the opportunity to share transport with other schools in their area where possible and manyare able to actively travel to their local facility which can further reduce costs.

Schools are provided with a streamlined booking system to help save money and reduce administrative tasks and a comprehensive charter has been designed to ensure consistent high-quality provision across all schools.

Swimming lessons are offered in both Welsh and English medium and include a specific water safety lesson and are available as a two-week intensive course.