The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) has urged primary schools and politicians to get behind school swimming as new figures reveal 45 per cent of primary school children are unable to swim 25m (82ft) despite it being a national curriculum requirement.

The ASA’s recent report – the third annual School Swimming Census – found that nearly 1,300 (6.6 per cent) primary schools do not teach swimming in Key Stage 2, despite despite drowning being the third highest cause of accidental death in children in the UK.

The ASA also found that while the average number of school swimming lessons made available in a school year has increased from 16 to 18 since 2013, the amount of time spent in the water by pupils was just under 10 hours. This is less than the 25 hours of study time that the ASA recommends to ensure a child has sufficient opportunity to learn to swim.

“Swimming isn’t just a leisure activity or a way for young people to keep healthy, it’s a life saving skill that every child has the right to learn,” said ASA acting CEO Ashley Beaveridge.

“Our research shows that school swimming is often the only opportunity many children have to learn to swim, so it is vital that we look at the barriers preventing primary schools from allocating the required time.”

The ASA believes more needs to be done to ensure all children leave primary school with the ability to swim and the knowledge of how to keep themselves safe in and around water. It is also asking politicians to support calls for Ofsted to be more rigorous in their assessment and reporting process of school swimming. Currently the standard and regularity of swimming is overlooked in school assessments, resulting in schools sometimes prioritising other curriculum subjects over this important area.

“The Department for Education has shown its commitment to school swimming by keeping it within the revised national curriculum and providing funding through the Primary PE and Sports Premium,” added Beaveridge.

“We are asking those in central and local government to continue to show their support for the only sport that saves lives by supporting calls for Ofsted to be more robust in their assessments and encourage their local primary schools to sign up to the School Swimming Charter.”