A new survey shows that many parents think swimming is one of the most important things they learned in school, amid calls for more accessible lessons for every child.
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00:00Hello, my name's Amber Allitt, and I'm a journalist specializing in education.
00:05A new survey by charitable enterprise and gym company BETA has shone a light on just how big a part of the British school experience swimming is.
00:14Of about 2,000 people polled, one in five considered it one of the most important things that they learned in school.
00:21Only maths and English were rated higher, with swimming beating out science, computing, and even sex ed.
00:28Swimming and water safety are still a part of the national curriculum for primary schools,
00:32but data from Sport England suggests that children are getting fewer lessons there.
00:37BETA's survey has found that the cost of lessons outside of schools is the biggest barrier to more people taking that route, too.
00:44And it does seem to be having an impact on kids, with the amount able to swim 25 metres by Year 7 down 6% on 2018's figure.
00:53Children from lower-income households also say they feel less able to save themselves from drowning than their peers.
00:59Just 63% of them, compared to 92% from high-income families.
01:04BETA says that ensuring that all children are able to access swimming lessons is an investment in their safety and well-being,
01:11and will help empower them with a vital skill that could save their lives.