Growing partnership boosts teachers

More than 70 teachers and facility managers received workshops and presentations as part of an ongoing partnership between Swim England and Barnsley Premier Leisure (BPL).

Swim England’s Mandy Mason, Carl Cooper, Carolyn Dawes, Natalie McGuire and Alex Hains, along with Institute of Swimming’s Marie Moffat and Janet Slack, delivered five workshops at the annual teachers’ conference at the Barnsley Metrodome.

The workshops covered topics including how to make lessons inclusive for everyone, competitive swimming in the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme from Stage 5 onwards and a fun approach to class management.

Alex Hains, Swim England’s strategic partnerships manager, said: “While this is BPL’s fourth annual teachers’ conference, it is the first time Swim England has run all of the workshops for them. The feedback afterwards reflected how well we were received.

Well received collaboration

“The day showed the great range we offer as an organisation and combined team members from the Learn to Swim team, the Talent team and the Strategic Partnerships team, along with support from Institute of Swimming. It proved how well we collaborate to benefit our partners and teachers.

“It is great that BPL recognise their teachers with these conferences and it was a pleasure to support them and highlight the expertise we have within Swim England.”

Simon Ferrarelli, BPL corporate aquatics manager, said: “I would like to thank Swim England for their support with our annual teachers’ conference. The feedback was fantastic in our evaluation forms and we had many teachers asking for the same again next year, which shows how well it was received.

“It is important to have such a strong partnership with Swim England. Days like today really boost the knowledge of our staff.”