Fears that loss of scheme will set swimmers back

TOP UP: Governing body warns of consequences for pupils

Swimming’s governing body has warned the loss of a scheme to get more primary school children into the pool will have far-reaching consequences in the future.

The Government-funded Top Up payments have come to an end after four years. The £1.72 million programme was in place to support school lessons.

Scottish Swimming claimed as many as 40% of children – about 15,000 each year – headed to secondary school as non-swimmers.

The organisation said the Top Up scheme had helped up to 30,000 children to improve their swimming skills.

Sharon Macdonald, development officer for Scottish Swimming, said: “It is very concerning for us. The programme has been in place for the past four years.

“We’ve seen a massive impact from the programme, in the region of 25,000 to 30,000 children who have either improved their swimming or become what is our new national standard for school swimming.”

The Scottish Government confirmed the end of the scheme but defended the national investment in the sport.

Minister for Sport Jamie Hepburn said: “The Top Up programme was designed to develop a model to enable swimming clubs and local authorities to teach children to swim by providing some initial additional investment to assist local provision.

“The programme received £1.72m over four years.

“Although the Top Up programme has now ended, Scottish Swimming received more than £5m (over four years) in the latest funding round from sportscotland.

“This is the largest funding settlement of all the Commonwealth sports.”