Henry Hill School is dedicated to helping their students in the water

Henry Hill School in Napier, Hawke’s Bay is passionate about swimming and when they see a need to support their students in the water they find a way to fill that need.

The current school roll is around 215 and being a decile one school the majority of students don’t attend after school lessons so what they receive at school is crucial.

Henry Hill’s teacher in charge of sport Grant Davies explains “we give up our lunchtimes five days a week to teach swimming as well as taking seven of our most reluctant and at risk swimmers to the Onekawa Aquatic Centre every Friday for an hour lesson off our own back.”

The school has also received support from Swimming New Zealand through the State Kiwi Swim Safe programme with quality professional development in school and follow up pool side assistance.

Students are gaining some great lifelong skills by having passionate teachers and parent helpers support the school aquatics programme.

Henry Hill also recently received some State Kiwi Swim Safe caps and goggles from State Insurance which the students have been putting to great use. 

The caps help children who suffer from the cold to stay warmer in the water for longer and the goggles enable the students with little confidence in the water to see their new under water environment and become comfortable under the water.