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DET NSW School Sports Unit

DET NSW School Sports Unit

School Aquatic Activities
27 February 2009
 

A Year 2 student from a public primary school tragically drowned while attending an end of year ‘celebration day’at a public swimming pool in December 2006. An inquest was conducted at Westmead Coroner’s Court in September 2008. The NSW Deputy State Coroner released his findings and formal recommendations in this matter.  The Department is currently in the final phases in the development of a comprehensive resource entitled Water Survival Guidelines. 

Following the formal recommendations the following memoranda have been distrbution via InPrincipal to all schools.

DN/08/00356 - School Aquatic Activity and Water Safety

DN/09/00043 - School Aquatic Activity

The School Sport Unit via the Regional Sports Organisers also issued the following information to all schools.

In relation to  the conduct of School Swimming Carnivals the following information is provided: 

  •  DET with other peak aquatic organisations is developing guidelines for unstructured activity / celebration days / end of year / aquatic activities. These will be released in Term 3. These guidelines will cover issues including school consent forms, supervision scanning procedures at pools, the wearing of wristbands  and practical assessment of water survival skills  

  •  Swimming carnivals involving structured activities ie races and novelty events should continue as normal

  •  It is recommended that schools, at this stage, not incorporate 'free' swimming as part of the swimming carnival and wait on the introduction of the Water Survival guidelines in Term 3 2009. In the interim it is recommended that schools introduce structured activity in place of the 'free' swimming and include more races, more novelty events, water safety and rescue demonstrations for example. 

  • The Coroners’ recommendations highlighted the importance of aquatic activities and no reduction in structured aquatic activities should occur as a result of the recommendations.

 

Ross Morrison
Assistant Manager
School Sport Unit