Children take part in 'vital' sea safety sessions

Guernsey primary schoolchildren have taken part in water safety sessions as part of the States' cultural enrichment programme.

Officials said Guernsey Sports Commission (GSC) collaborated with the Education Department to run the water confidence beach sessions for all year four pupils.

The AquaSmart course covers water safety topics, including swimming skills, recognising hazards and the importance of responsible behaviour.

Alan Jenner, outdoor and adventure sports development officer for GSC, said: "It's a vital part of learning for children, because we live on an island, they've got to understand about water safety and they've got to understand about the Guernsey environment."

Donna Marie Wood, island-wide teacher and cultural enrichment organisational lead for the States, said the programme started in 2022.

"We are trying to organise a lot of these activities so they get a more broad curriculum," she said.

"The feedback we get from schools is that this is a really good programme and it's really giving the children the skills that they need, so they can enjoy life on the island."

Mr Jenner said the sessions came in three parts - the first two being held in a classroom.

"The third session is getting them in the water, building their water confidence," he added.

He said more than 470 children would have taken part in the sessions by the end of the week.

Ella, a pupil who took part in Monday's session, said: "We feel a lot safer and I think that I'm more confident now.

"We've been doing really fun games and we've enjoyed our time here.

"We've been learning about our buoyancy aids... and also what to do during a rip current and how to tell where the wind is going.

Another pupil, Jessica, said: "They taught us about the tide going backwards and forwards."

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