Wales school swimming initiative

The Welsh Government announced a £2 million national program, Nofio Ysgol, to provide every primary‑school pupil in Wales with at least 20 swimming and water‑safety lessons per year. The scheme targets Year‑4 and Year‑5 students and will roll out in phases: up to nine local authorities will begin the program in the 2026‑27 academic year, with full coverage of all 22 councils expected by 2028‑29.

Swim Wales will deliver the lessons, supplementing pool time with classroom instruction on water confidence, self‑rescue techniques and basic swimming skills. Early participation reports indicate that around 66,000 children took part in school swimming in 2024‑25, with 26,000 earning the Nofio Ysgol Gold Award. In Pembrokeshire, nearly 400 pupils have already joined the RNLI‑accredited Swim Safe program, receiving beach‑flag recognition, cold‑water shock response training, and emergency call‑out procedures.

Officials highlighted the initiative’s role in improving safety for coastal communities, reducing transport and facility barriers, and promoting active, healthy lifestyles among Wales’s children.