A temporary “pop-up” swimming pool has been installed at Ravensthorpe Primary School in Peterborough to help pupils develop water confidence and essential life skills before they move on from primary school.
Head teacher Emma Ward described the initiative as “the only solution” to give children the chance to reach the milestone of swimming 25 metres, particularly after the city’s regional pool on Bishop’s Road was decommissioned and demolished earlier this year due to safety concerns over reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).
Peterborough City Council has since announced plans for a new eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool, costing £36 million, which is expected to open by 2028. Meanwhile, Ravensthorpe Primary, part of the Keys Academies Trust, sought an immediate solution for its pupils, as using the Jack Hunt Academy pool on Bradwell Road was becoming impractical due to travel time and financial costs.
The heated temporary pool was installed in the school playground on 3 November and will remain in use until the Christmas break. Ms Ward explained that historic swimming achievement at the school “has never been where we wanted it to be,” and the closure of city pools made access challenging. “We had to get creative and put in a solution quickly and offer intensive swimming for our children,” she said.
Swimming lessons have also had a positive impact on attendance for years five and six. Pupils told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire that having a pool in their playground was “fun but unusual,” while Vicky Gallagher from Fiesta Coaching, who are running the sessions, said the students were learning not just strokes but also crucial water safety skills. “We can see a massive difference in them in the last five weeks or so. It is a life skill and a brilliant low-impact sport to learn and we are passionate about it,” she said.
Funding for a permanent pool could benefit from the £240 million Growth Mission Fund announced earlier this year by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, alongside other opportunities through Sport England, Living Sport, the local combined authority, and the private sector, according to Ian Phillips, head of communities at Peterborough City Council.
