Water safety assemblies delivered to Chelmsford primary schools
Lifeguards from Chelmsford City Council’s Riverside Leisure Centre have been delivering water safety assemblies at primary schools across the district to mark Drowning Prevention Week.
Riverside’s lifeguards offered to visit local schools, whose students attend swimming lessons at the centre, to share water safety tips ahead of the summer holidays. Multiple schools took the opportunity to promote water safety to their students.
During the special assemblies, children learned about the Water Safety Code, water safety flags and their meanings, what to do if they find themselves in trouble and how to identify a lifeguard if they need help.
Lifeguards encouraged children to interact with the assembly, by identifying safe and unsafe situations in images and taking part in demonstrations. They also shared tips on ways to stay safe, such as choosing brightly coloured swimwear to ensure they are clearly visible in and around water.
Lifeguards shared the Royal Life Saving Society’s Water Safety Code.
Councillor Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Chelmsford City Council, says encouraging children to approach swimming and enjoying the water safely is more important than ever:
““Making children aware of water safety is absolutely vital and the earlier they know how to enjoy the water safely, the better. This way, as they get older and start to gain confidence around water, the principles of staying safe are already embedded for them.
Cllr Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing
This is particularly important for Chelmsford as we have so many beautiful waterways in the district and we know from the National Water Safety Forum that accidental drownings occur most frequently in inland waterways.
Nationally, we are seeing more and more people spending time around open water as temperatures increase during spring and summer, so spreading awareness of how to enjoy water safely is essential.”
Working to increase water safety awareness
According to National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), warm weather spikes remain a consistent risk factor in accidental water related deaths, making these assemblies particularly relevant. The latest Water Incident Database states that 61% of these deaths occurred in inland waterways.
NWSF’s current water safety awareness campaign aims to empower witnesses to water‑related incidents to help the person in trouble without endangering themselves. Phone Float Throw shares three simple steps to help someone in trouble in the water:
Phone 999 to get help
Tell them to stay calm and float on their back
Throw rescue equipment to help them float until emergency services arrive
The Royal Life Saving Society’s Water Safety Code
Of course, during assemblies with primary school students, our lifeguards worked to make this serious subject matter suitable and engaging for young children, utilising educational tools from the Royal Life Saving Society and promoting its Water Safety Code:
Whenever you are around water
Stop and think: Take time to assess your surroundings. Look for the dangers and any local signs and advice.
Stay together: When around water always go with friends and family. Swim at a lifeguarded venue.
In an emergency
Call 999: If you are at the coast, ask for the coastguard. If you are inland, ask for the Fire and Rescue Service. Don’t enter the water to rescue.
Float: If you fall in or become tired – stay calm, float on your back and call for help. Throw something that floats to somebody that has fallen in.
The assemblies also involved interactive games and demonstrations, which were well received:
“"The children really engaged with the vital message in the Drowning Presentation Assembly. We had so many willing to volunteer to be part of the demonstration."
Paul Richardson, PE Co-ordinator, The Cathedral Primary School
“"At this time of year water safety is such an important message and our children enjoyed the interactive nature of the assembly and came away understanding the key messages."
Michelle Cole, Headteacher, Widford Lodge School
More information
For more information from Royal Life Saving Society, visit their website: https://www.rlss.org.uk/
Learn more about Phone Float Throw and the work of National Water Safety Forum at https://www.respectthewater.com/
Riverside Leisure Centre and South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre offer swimming lessons for children and adults. Find out more here: https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/swimming-lessons/
