Catholic school in Kaitaia gets support for water safety

The pupils from the school are learning to swim thanks to funding from a campaign by Stuff and Water Safety New Zealand.

While Northland has considerable access to natural waterways, limited access to pool facilities at Pompallier Catholic School has made structured swimming lessons difficult. Thanks to donations raised through Stuff’s Life Lessons campaign, the school’s children are now taking part in the Water Skills for Life programme, delivered by Belgravia Swim School at Te Hiku Sports Centre.

Principal Kathryn Carey said her students were “surrounded by lakes and beaches and rivers and really, really need to be able to survive when things turn bad”.

It was an increasing worry as more and more tamariki (children) were “unable to swim a length of the pool”. The lack of opportunity many students had to learn to swim made “water safety . . . a big focus” for the school, Ms Carey said.

The Water Skills for Life programme teaches children how to be safe in various water situations, replicating real-life scenarios in a pool environment, Te Hiku Sports Centre facility manager Haidee Switzer said.

Participants learn practical survival skills, such as holding their breath and searching through “seaweed” after pretending their keys have fallen into the water from a wharf.

Ms Carey said the school was very grateful for the support, and she was excited to see how much joy the students had during the lessons.

More than 130,000 Kiwi kids have never had a swimming lesson.

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Kiwi kids who can’t swim a length get lifeline lessons | Stuff