Wales Launches National Primary School Swimming Programme

A national swimming and water‑safety programme, Nofio Ysgol, is being introduced for primary‑school pupils across Wales. The scheme will provide at least 20 lessons a year for Year 4 and 5 students, covering water confidence, self‑rescue and basic swimming competence. Delivery will be phased in over three years, beginning with up to nine local authorities in the 2026‑27 academic year and aiming for full coverage by 2028‑29. The Welsh Government has allocated £2 million for the rollout, and Swim Wales will run the programme, supplementing pool sessions with classroom‑based water‑safety education.

In Pembrokeshire, almost 400 pupils from eight primary schools have already taken part in the RNLI‑accredited Swim Safe programme, funded by the Port of Milford Haven. Sessions taught by Windswept CIC included beach‑flag recognition, cold‑water shock response, the RNLI’s “Float to Live” technique and emergency call‑out procedures. Stakeholders hailed the initiative as vital for coastal communities and a model for expanding water‑safety education nationwide.