Nottingham City council and GR Swimming School win Teaching and Education awards

Nottingham City Council and GR Swimming School took home the School Swimming Lesson Provider of the Year award and the Swim School of the Year award respectively.

Nottingham City Council received their award first from Swimphony founder and CEO Lee Connolly.

The council’s delivery of lessons was also recognised as the winner last year, which speaks volumes about the levels of service it provides to schools and the pupils.

The city is in a deprived area; however, their service continues to ensure every child leaves primary school with water safety skills knowledge. Which is a testament to how the service is lead. This year it continues to excel with the launch of an introductory swimming book free to all pupils.

A buoyant Claire Moores collected the award for Nottingham City Council and was thankful to be recognised for developing a life skill.

She said: “Thank you to Swim England for recognising life skills and benchmarking something that children stay safe from.

“Everyone who has a nomination should be extremely proud of themselves because recognising a life skill is important.

“Every child matters and every life matters and we deliver from the heart so I’m really happy that we’ve been recognised for all the work we’ve done.”

HALF Fish HQ were named runners up after providing school swimming for 14 schools across Blackburn who take up more than 35 sessions at the pool.

“I couldn’t be any prouder”

GR Swimming School took the coveted Swim School of the Year award after going above and beyond for their members.

Owner of the school Joanna Lay told us how proud she was to take home the honour after collecting the award from Soakly’s swimming software Director Rob Pratt.

“I’m absolutely stoked; I couldn’t be any prouder.

“It’s my first time owning a business and I was only in operation for two and a half months before the pandemic hit us.

“I’ve got a fantastic group of parents so thank you to them for being so supportive and my staff and swimmers who without them none of this could be possible.”

GR Swimming School were recognised after being an inclusive school that go above and beyond to ensure that every child gets the chance to Learn to Swim.

They’ve shown they’re extremely adaptable and versatile to ensure that swimming continues, both throughout the pandemic and during times where local challenges would usually see the pool closed.

Their staff are so passionate about the school that they are now becoming chemical trained to give the venue another option to keep the pool open should their staff be unavailable.

Swim City were the runners up for the award due to their staff going the extra mile to ensure they are supportive both to children and parents.