We asked Mr Clark all about our Learn to Swim Program in the Junior School. He emphasised that everything they do is around safety, ensuring all are confident in the water. 

The skill level in the different groups vary, but less so in Years 5 and 6. The more experienced swimmers focus on technique as you can swim easier in the water without wasting energy if you have good technique. For students who are still developing their skills, the Swim Teachers work on body position and rotation of the head to make them more efficient in the water. Teachers assess us every time we are in the pool!

Each swimming teacher has an assessment sheet and if that swimmer ticks off everything she goes onto the next level. In the younger levels five teachers are in the water as students have less skills than the older students. The ratio is generally 3:5 student to teacher in each year level. We wondered if students moved groups often and we learned that it takes a term or two to be ready, so about every two terms there is some student movement.

We were wondering why they use colours and what they mean. We learned that Ivanhoe Girls’ uses their own colour scheme: Blue; Green; High Green; Bronze; Silver and Gold. Colours make it easier for the swim teachers to identify skill level – it is a common language as all are working towards Gold.

In Year 6 our goal is to swim 50 metres freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke and do butterfly arms for 10-15 metres. 

From speaking with Mr Clark, we realised that the Learn to Swim Program is unique and rare in a school. We agreed that we are very lucky to have swimming lessons once a week from Prep to Year 9 with very good quality coaches!

Celeste and Eva
Year 6
2022 Junior School Sport Captains