Dartmouth Academy, Dart Harbour and Dartmouth Indoor Pool Trust (DIPT) are delighted to announce a transformative new partnership, ensuring that every primary pupil in Dartmouth and Stoke Fleming will receive regular high-quality swimming lessons for the next five years.

This initiative follows a successful pilot programme launched in Autumn 2024 by DIPT in collaboration with Dartmouth Academy, Stoke Fleming and St John's Primary schools. This saw outstanding progress with the majority of participating children being able to swim at least 25 metres – the national curriculum benchmark for primary school leavers.

With this secured funding from Dart Harbour, swim lessons will again be embedded in the curriculum with a focus on developing swimming proficiency and delivering essential water safety education. The aim is to ensure that all our local children are confident and competent in the water.

This collaboration also strengthens the sustainability of the indoor pool by increasing its use as a community asset, ensuring it remains a safe and accessible space for learning and wellbeing whilst also equipping pupils with vital skills to stay safe in Dartmouth's river and in the sea.

Paul Britton, Harbour Master and CEO, said: “We are very excited by this new partnership. As a not-for-profit trust port we manage the Dart on behalf of the community, so helping to provide swimming lessons for local children will encourage a whole new generation to learn to enjoy our beautiful river safely.”

Craig Davidson, Chair of Dartmouth Indoor Pool Trust, added: "It has been an important aim of ours to see swimming classes restart after the Covid pandemic. To make it happen we funded the pilot scheme earlier this year. With huge pressure on school budgets the offer of long-term funding by Dart Harbour is fantastic."

Chris Harrison, Headteacher at Stoke Fleming Primary, said: “The children had a fantastic time and it is great that we are able to offer them swimming lessons again. This is vital given the potential dangers of where we live."