New visual aid tool launched to help make swimming more accessible

Supporting Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water's vision to create 'Generation Swim', SwimPix – a collection of waterproof visual instruction cards- is helping to transform how Beeslack Community Live Borders and Dumfries and Galloway Leisure Trust swimming teachers communicate with their students.

The cards represent the latest learning development in the Learn to Swim National Framework, which currently helps around 81,000 children and adults learn to swim each week across Scotland.

SwimPix features multiple display options, including sequence boards and lesson planners, covering lessons through pictures which children with autism, hearing impairments, or where English is not their first language, may find benefit. It supports a commitment to creating inclusive, supportive and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level.

​SwimPix features multiple display options.

Alison Bell, Founder of Aswim, said: “SwimPix are a tried and tested teaching and communication tool for swimming teachers that helps create a more inclusive swimming environment. It’s great to see teachers using SwimPix and children having fun in the lesson with the cards. It really reduces anxieties and helps children know what the teacher is asking them to do, therefore faster learning.”

Beeslack Community Education is one of 37 Learn to Swim providers who are introducing the SwimPix cards in their lessons across 165 pools in Scotland.

Euan Lowe, Scottish Swimming CEO, said: “By making swimming lessons more accessible through tools like SwimPix, we're taking another significant step toward our mission of creating a generation of confident and safer swimmers. These visual teaching resources ensure that swimming really is for everyone - breaking down communication barriers and helping all children feel included and supported in the water."

The framework has seen more than 100,000 children take part in lessons and is targeting another 100,000 by 2025. Further information can be found at https://www.scottishswimming.com/learn-to-swim.