Programme creates water confidence

Porirua East School students have made a big splash, completing an annual three-week swimming programme at the local pool.

The children learned swimming and watersafety skills, swimming from 5 to 200 metres, using lifejackets and helping someone in trouble in the water.

Paige Bourke, 10, has just finished her third year in the programme and loved every minute.

‘‘ I think it’s actually really fun and it’s good for me to learn to swim.’’

Her instructors really cool, she said.

‘‘ They’re good, they’re fair and they push you so you know how to swim better.’’

Principal Irene Unasa said the programme is

are important to the school.

‘‘It is very much worth the effort when we see the enjoyment and gains in swimming skills and confidence of the children.’’

All the children at the school, aged 5 to 10, go through the programme which is part-funded by KiwiSport.

KiwiSport co-ordinator Antonia Comeskey said the pupils are graded at the beginning and end of the programme and a lot improve ‘‘quite rapidly’’.

The children love swimming and have fun doing it, Miss Comeskey said.

‘‘They are always smiling. Even if they are crying to start with, they always leave smiling.’’

The recently added water-safety part of the programme had been well received, she said.