Bradford school swimming review examines access after pool closure
A council review is assessing school swimming provision after Bingley Pool's closure doubled costs for some schools and left many children unable to meet the national curriculum standard.
Bradford Council's Children's Scrutiny Committee has ordered a review of school swimming facilities following concerns over access after Bingley Pool's closure. A cross-party scrutiny review is examining how schools and academies ensure children learn to swim, prompted by the loss of a key local facility and rising transport costs for alternative provision.
Impact on schools
Thirteen primary schools in Bingley's catchment area can no longer use the closed pool. Some schools have reported their swimming lesson costs have effectively doubled. This is due to the expense of transporting pupils to other pools or bringing in temporary facilities. The panel was told some schools now rely on pop-up pools rather than traditional swimming baths.
Jeremy Thackray, who is behind a campaign to reopen Bingley Pool, highlighted the financial strain. He said some schools in Bradford had reported their costs had "effectively doubled".
Review scope
The review will examine whether schools meet Key Stage 2 curriculum requirements, including teaching safe self-rescue in water. It will consider the suitability and cost of facilities, the wider community impact, and how the needs of children with additional needs and those in care are met. Councillors will hear from council officers, school heads, and pool owners before reporting to authority leaders.
Wider context
National curriculum standards state all children in England should be able to swim 25 metres by the time they leave primary school. Recent research found 72% of Year 6 children in England could swim 25m on average. In Bradford, the proportion was just 58%. Two schools in the district said none of their Year 6 leavers could swim 25m.
Thackray's campaign
Plans to reopen Bingley Pool were scrapped under Bradford Council's former Labour leadership. The Reform-led executive later voted to abandon a proposed £32.9 million swimming pool and leisure centre at Squire Lane. Thackray urges the council to divert some of the £20 million government funding initially meant for Squire Lane to reopen Bingley Pool and revive other swimming infrastructure. He argues older pools often occupy accessible town-centre sites, noting Bingley Pool is in the middle of the town and is ideally accessible for public transport.
Councillors will hear from council officers, school heads, and pool owners before reporting to authority leaders.
