Passion for the water at Plimmerton School

Students and teachers from Plimmerton School in Porirua are all keen on making sure they are able to keep safe in and around the water.

The school of around 550 students has been part of the Kiwi Swim Safe programme for the past three years and have a strong focus on water safety.

Each syndicate at the school focusses on different water safety ideas including swimming in clothes, life jackets, boat safety and education programmes with Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

Plimmerton School teacher Mel Blake-Palmers believes it is important that water safety and aquatic ideas are taught in the classroom and then followed through in the water. She feels that if this does not happen, connections cannot be made in the child's learning.

The school has their own indoor pool that is used each day during Term 1 and Term 4 with each class swimming up to three times per week.

Thanks to the school’s passion for their students learning to swim and the exposure they are able to have to water the school also performs well in cluster swimming sport days.

Last year the school won both the Year 5 and 6 and Year 7 and 8 trophies at the Parumoana Cluster Swimming Sports Day.

CAPTION: Students water safety at the beach posters.