Life-saving lessons across Scotland for Drowning Prevention Week

“These water safety lessons provide an opportunity to equip young people with the vital knowledge and skills to help them feel safer in, on and around water, and help their parents and family network feel confident and comfortable in their swimming abilities.”

Peter Farrer
Scottish Water Chief Operating Officer

With 15 drownings in the UK during last month’s heatwave, it is more important than ever that Learn to Swim lessons across Scotland are teaching more than 86,000 children how to be safer in and around water to mark Drowning Prevention Week during June.

Leisure Trusts and aquatic providers from Shetland to Dumfries & Galloway, Fife to the Western Isles, will be developing their regular swimming lessons into workshops and practical demonstrations, which will focus specifically on water safety knowledge and skills. This will extend to an Open Water safety session at Loch Lomond, during a school swimming lesson in West Dunbartonshire.

Swimmers are set to learn the crucial Water Safety Code as well as basic floating techniques which can make a massive difference when someone feels in danger in the water and that could help save their lives or someone else's.

The special lessons come as latest figures reveal the ongoing risks around Scotland's waters, the National Water Safety Forum reported that tragically in 2025 there were 39 accidental drownings in Scotland.

Drowning prevention is one of the main objectives for the Learn to Swim National Framework, a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water, and in June each year the programme does a major water safety push to coincide with Drowning Prevention Week. Youngsters take part in a bespoke water safety swim lesson delivered by Leisure Trusts and aquatic providers.

John Lunn, CEO of Scottish Swimming, said: “Any drowning is a drowning too many, which is why during June, our Learn to Swim classes shift focus to concentrate on water safety.

"Sadly, many deaths involve those who can swim, so understanding how to recognise hazards, help others in distress and make smart decisions around water is equally important.”

Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water, added: "We cannot over-emphasise the importance of water safety all year round, but it’s particularly relevant as we move into the summer when people are often more likely to be around water. Last month’s tragic deaths during the heatwave brought that home.

“These water safety lessons provide an opportunity to equip young people with the vital knowledge and skills to help them feel safer in, on and around water, and help their parents and family network feel confident and comfortable in their swimming abilities."

The Learn to Swim National Framework is delivered by 37 Leisure Trusts and aquatic providers in more than 165 pools with the vision of creating "Generation Swim", a generation of children who are confident, safer and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.

The programme currently reaches more than 86,000 children of all ages and abilities across Scotland who will have access to an interactive water safety quiz that has been developed to improve water safety knowledge this year.

The Learn to Swim National Framework is committed to creating inclusive, supportive, and quality environments in which individuals can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability or skill level.

Drowning Prevention Week, organised by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), stands as one of the largest water safety campaigns in the UK and Ireland. For more information on Learn to Swim can be found on its website: https://learntoswim.scot/