Swim:ED is a primary school swimming programme delivered on the playground. The Swim:ED team provides a pop-up pool and qualified teachers who create a safe and enriching environment for children to become confident, competent and safe in the water.

A pop-up pool is a temporary pool structure (approximately 10 metres by 5 metres with a depth of 1.2 metres) that can be located on a school site for a short period to provide a high-quality, safe swimming programme for small groups. Like any other public swimming pool, the pools meet industry standard safety requirements (HSG179).

The Swim:ED PSOP is an important document that outlines all operating procedures and risk assessments. The Pool and Organisation Risk Assessment covers the following:

• Pool equipment 
• Pool operations  
• Swimming lessons 
• Emergency procedures 
• Travelling to and from the pool 

“PSOP” stands for “Pool Safety Operating Procedures”. Every pool operator is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of swimmers, staff, and others onsite. Pop-up pool providers must have proper procedures to fulfil their legal obligations. This ensures that staff and pool users are safe from injuries or health hazards.

The PSOP contains key documents, including:

1. Normal Operating Procedure (NOP). This sets out how the pool operates on a daily basis.
2. Emergency Action Plan (EAP). This provides specific instructions on the action to be taken by all staff in an emergency.

The policies and procedures are comprehensive, covering over 40 key topics. They are specific to the pop-up swimming pool environment and based on the corresponding risk assessments.

Yes, we run regular showcase sessions nationwide, which you can attend. Contact us for the latest information and book your place.

Different delivery models cater to varying numbers of children. Still, as a representation, we can cater to approximately 120 children in a six-week half-term.

Swim:ED pricing models are adjustable depending on the programme duration, and the size and the material type of the temporary modular marquee structure. As an example, a five-week programme starts from £10,750 plus VAT.

Ideally, your school will find a suitable space for children to change. This space needs to be split for boys and girls and accommodate ten children. If your school has no space for children to get changed, we can supply a temporary changing room structure. Prices start from as little as £250 plus VAT. Whichever option you choose, it is the school’s responsibility to supervise children getting changed.

You can fully utilise your investment and expand your Swim:ED programme to engage more children with various extra-curricular clubs in your school. The clubs can be paid for by parents and guardians or through your school budget, such as your PE and Sport Premium.

All lessons in the Swim:ED programme are delivered by certified swim teachers and supported by qualified lifeguards.

The utility costs for running the pool are your school’s responsibility. It is hard to confirm your school’s energy costs because the price will depend on the energy tariff your school is on. However, we can provide an estimated energy consumption of an additional 221 kWh to your ‘normal’ daily usage. This information is based on data obtained from a school customer.

Your school will need appropriate electrical points to run our pool plant system. You must liaise with your electrical contractor to arrange installation if you do not have an outdoor three-phase plug socket or a 2-gang weatherproof outdoor switch socket. The specification for this is in the School Digital Toolkit, and the estimated one-off cost is usually between £1,500 and £2,000.

The Swim:ED team is responsible for all pool maintenance work, operating equipment, and resources.

Swim:ED delivery partners have appropriate comprehensive insurance for the swimming provision and the equipment supplied for the programme.

The marquee structure is delivered and built on your school site by a specialist team. Construction and anchoring the marquee takes approximately half a day. The Swim:ED team will construct the pool and deliver all equipment into the structure. This stage takes about four hours on day one. Next, the pool is filled, which takes two to three days, depending on water pressure, with two more days to heat and chemicalise the water.

In the rare case of pool or marquee structure damage, the responsibility lies with Swim:ED during the agreed lesson times. The school are responsible if damage is caused at any other time. Costs are calculated based on an inventory pricing list outlined in the PSOP document.

In the unlikely event of a pool flooding, Swim:ED delivery partners are responsible. They have appropriate liability insurance to cover potential costs incurred due to flooding damage.

All cabling and equipment are secured to remove hazards. Swim:ED risk assessments and the PSOP cover this further and are shared in the school’s Digital Toolkit.

You do not need planning permission due to the nature of the temporary structure and the height being less than 5 metres. If Swim:ED is delivered for over 28 days, you may need written permission to construct the structure on your site. The solution is straightforward, and our team can support you with this process if required.

According to industry regulations, all temporary structures must be anchored by at least one tonne on each structural leg. This ensures that the structure remains stable during windy conditions and promotes safety. However, this means you will have 12 to 14 tonnes of concrete blocks on your playground.

Swim:ED temporary modular structures are anchored directly into the playground using a drill and pin method. Your playground is assessed before installation, and then each leg is fixed using 2 x 2 inch anchoring pins. When the temporary structure is removed, the holes are filled and can be reused when Swim:ED returns to your school the following year.