Pupils go private to get afloat

Hilton Brown Swimming instructor Kirsten Sim teaches James Watson and Aurelia Debae to float on their backs. Picture/ Paul Estcourt

The number of schools getting lessons for their pupils from Hilton Brown Swimming has doubled in three years as private providers enjoy a boom at the expense of state aquatics education.

Mr Brown, a former Commonwealth Games competitor, has taught swimming for more than 30 years but since 2002 the number of schools registered with his business has leaped from 12 to 25, while the number of school swimming pools nationwide has dropped by almost 240.

Wealthier parents are increasingly sending their children to private lessons rather than rely on schools to do the job.

Mr Brown said the growth was more about marketing strategy than dropping pool numbers.

However, he said the dwindling emphasis on aquatics education was having a dramatic impact.

"I've seen many 12-year-olds afraid to put their heads under water. Huge numbers aren't close to a minimum standard of 200m at that age and most [children] do not know how to put a life-jacket on; neither do their parents. There's definitely been a diminishing of swimming standards and abilities."

Some schools are struggling as they try to balance the needs of students for whom swimming is a way of life and high numbers of immigrants who do not have aquatics as part of their culture.

Mr Brown said some parents had to take a share of the blame.

There was a time when everyone from a school would arrive and get into the pool but now classes arrive and "a third of them don't even get changed for one reason or another".

Hilton Brown Swimming caters to all ages from three months to adults. It has five schools in Auckland. Swimmers pay between $50 and $55 a month for weekly lessons, though schools are given discounts.

Mr Brown said that, as well as the safety aspects, swimming and other water sports had outstanding health and fitness benefits.