Swim share and CPD exchange

Swimming pool and minibuses made available free of charge to the pupils in multiple local schools. 

In exchange for providing our pool and staff free of charge to swimmers from Parkwood, we are offered training on Special Needs and Leadership development work free of charge from them. It is fantastic!

Aims

To engage with a community focussed on Special Needs provision for the mutual benefit of each community. 

Background

This project came out of a personal contact between the schools being exploited at a time when our school development strand was to develop our community work. 

Other swim share partnerships have been in place for many years. 

Resources

Pool, swim staff, Principal's status as Leading Head 

Impact

The highlighted schools are able to fulfil their teaching commitments under the National Curriculum. 

The local Scout group find it challenging to deliver its kayaking programme through other venues.

Our relationship with Parkwood has become much more balanced and very much two way in that in exchange for lending staff and facilities for their students to swim here we in turn have benefitted from quality specialist training on "Team teach" (approach to safe restraint) and autism and the Leadership team is benefitting from leadership development work free of charge from Parkwood principal Nick White. It has been very exciting. We can also attend externally provided training at Parkwood (Safeguarding). They will get input and advice about their planned EY expansion

Pupil Involvement

Otford Primary Y6

Parkwood Hall Academy Y9-Y12

Seal St Lawrence Y2-Y6 (Michaelmas and Lent terms)

Shoreham Primary Y2-Y6 (Trinity term)

Sevenoaks Scout group 9-16 year olds

Multi-age teaching is a feature of Parkwood's provision so their swimmers are a class who are confident to travel and enjoy learning to swim in the pool. 

The swim exchange involves none of our pupils. The benefit to our pupils comes through the training that is offered us to develop our understanding of special needs and thereby our provision.

Frequency

It is ongoing. It will continue until such time as it is not needed.