BISHOP Perowne CE College has become the first secondary school in the country to achieve Water Smart Schools accreditation, in partnership with the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK).
To achieve the accreditation, Bishop Perowne committed to a number of requirements, which included involving the whole school to ensure everyone learns about the importance of being safe around water.
Students from every year group have been learned about staying safe around all types of water. This has included practical lessons researching signage at the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, water safety announcements published in student bulletins, and lessons about the dangers of being around frozen rivers and lakes.
During computer science lessons, students completed a survey about their current understanding of water safety, which they will revisit in six months to see how the programme has enhanced their knowledge.
Andy Lane, from RLSS UK, said: “Drowning is unfortunately the second-highest trauma-related cause of death in children in England and is largely avoidable through education and positive experiences around water.
“The Water Smart Schools programme is a framework to provide schools with an excellence standard to facilitate essential water safety knowledge in their pupils.
“We are extremely excited that Bishop Perowne has chosen to fully embrace the teaching of this essential life skill and become the first secondary school to achieve this new national award.”
