Scotland Sees 56% Increase in People Learning to Swim

“It’s been amazing seeing the programme go from strength to strength and so many kids from all backgrounds and with all abilities learn to swim.”

Duncan Scott, OBE
Olympic Swimming Champion

An evaluation report by Integratis Consulting found that participation in the programme, a joint initiative between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming and delivered by 38 local aquatics partners, has grown from 53,000 in 2017 to over 83,000 in 2024. 

Findings also show that the number of children from the country’s most deprived communities (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation or SIMD Q1) learning through the programme has risen from 10% in 2018 to 16%.

The report was commissioned to mark 10 years of the Learn to Swim National Framework, created to ensure the development of inclusive, supportive, and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level. It aims to develop confident, safer and competent swimmers, as well as encourage youngsters to adopt a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water, said: “The report’s findings affirm that the Learn to Swim programme is making a measurable difference, especially in increasing participation in deprived areas, increasing inclusion and delivering social value.

"Ensuring people of all ages and abilities have access to learn to swim to help them feel confident and safer in the water is vital, especially in a country like Scotland, where there are more than 30,000 lochs, rivers and reservoirs and almost 12,000 miles of coastline.  
 
“This progress is essential to the Learn to Swim vision to create ‘Generation Swim’ – a generation of confident, safer and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.”

John Lunn, chief executive of Scottish Swimming, said: “The upward trend in participation, supported by a growing network of providers and facilities, is a testament to the collaborative effort of all partners involved.

"The Framework’s inclusive approach, professional development for teachers, and national campaigns have played a vital role in making swimming more accessible and enjoyable.

“Beyond just skill acquisition, the Framework, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary, is delivering significant social value by promoting wellbeing, water safety, and community connection.

The substantial media reach and public engagement around water safety messages highlighted in the report reinforce how critical this partnership is in saving lives and creating lasting cultural change around swimming and water confidence.”

Scotland’s most decorated Olympian, Duncan Scott, now an ambassador for the programme, said:
“Not everyone is going to go out there and become an Olympic Champion or even compete in swimming, but it’s more about having people become safe and confident in the water and learn what an important life skill is. 

“I got involved as an ambassador in 2017, and it’s been amazing seeing the programme go from strength to strength and so many kids from all backgrounds and with all abilities learn to swim. It’s brought me great joy and success as a sport.”

To reinforce Duncan’s view, most parents who responded (62%) to the survey said that keeping their children safe was the number one reason they enrolled their child in Learn to Swim. 

Lauren and Emily learnt to swim as part of Live Argyll’s programme in Dunoon and now work as Learn to Swim teachers themselves. 

“I remember how involved our teacher, Michelle Ashworth, was with the lessons and how she made them fun whilst also pushing us to do our best,” said Lauren. “She helped me build my love of swimming and the enjoyment I found in it, something I now want to help others experience.”

Emily added, “It’s lovely because I know Michelle so well and I can always ask her for help or advice when I need it.”

For Michelle, that’s a source of great pride. She said: “It’s so rewarding to see those you once taught now teaching others.

“That’s the power of the Learn to Swim Framework in that it builds confidence and connections that last a lifetime.”

Twelve-year-old Callan has autism and learnt to swim at his local pool in Aberdeen as part of Sport Aberdeen's inclusive learn to swim programme. He has progressed from basic water-safety lessons to competing at the national level within just two years, and his dad says it has changed his life.

He added: “It’s opened up a whole new world for Callan, giving him confidence, friendships and a real passion for the water.”  

The evaluation report also captured the views of children themselves through emoji-based questions and answers designed to make participation easy and age-appropriate. 

The findings were striking, with 87% recognising swimming as an important life skill, 82% reporting they felt confident in the water and 79% of children indicating they enjoyed their swimming lessons. 

Andy Bain, directorof  Integratis Consulting, added: “Our evaluation shows that Learn to Swim has become one of Scotland’s most successful national participation programmes, consistently improving the quality of swimming lessons while ensuring more children than ever are safer, more confident and active in the water.

"What began as a framework for improving lesson delivery has evolved into a movement shaped by inclusion, community impact and a shared national commitment to giving every child the chance to learn a vital life skill.

"The scale of progress is remarkable, with participation rising to more than 83,000 children and adults and the programme now generating £15.7 million in annual social value.
 
“What really stands out is the strength of the partnership between Scottish Swimming, Scottish Water and local providers.

"Their collective effort has delivered measurable impact, particularly in widening access for children in our most deprived communities and embedding a culture where Everyone Can Swim is more than a vision; it is becoming a reality.”