Page 35 - SN 4 July-Aug 2022 cover.indd

Great facilities don’t have to take two years to construct and they don’t need to be so expensive
TEACHER SHORTAGE
When it comes to Davies’ first love, swimming, it’s not just the facilities that are causing her (and the sector) concerns. According to Swim England, a nationwide shortage of 8,000 swimming teachers
is preventing more than half a million youngsters from learning a vital life skill.
The national governing body has put
the lack of swimming teachers down to the pandemic lockdowns when pools
were closed and staff went in search of alternative employment – or simply retired. An inability to deliver practical assessment centres to help train the normal intake of teachers since the first lockdown in March 2020 has also exacerbated the issue.
“I think it’s no secret that no one goes into swimming teaching to become a millionaire, they do it because they see it as a vocation,” Davies says. “Swimming teachers aren’t
the highest paid and the pandemic put teachers under serious financial pressure and many had to look elsewhere for a living.”
The lack of teachers has contributed to a statistic that Davies describes as
Davies is working with structures specialist Paragon to provide new pool venues
“shocking” – nearly half of children now leave primary school unable to swim.
“Swimming is a life skill, which you need from the cradle to grave,” Davies says. “And it’s terribly important to get kids swimming. So now it’s all about trying
to encourage the teachers to come back again – and recruit some new blood.
“Even that process ultimately comes back to facilities. We need the right facilities to help attract the teachers. If all we have are old, cold, smelly pools with poor facilities that aren’t properly maintained then no one wants to come and work in that sort of environment - no matter how much they love the job.” ●
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© SHUTTERSTOCK/MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES
© SHARRON DAVIES
© PARAGON