Learn to swim

​Purpose

To assist schools with the provision of Water Safety and Swimming Education programs.

Duration of program

Ongoing

Eligibility

State primary and special schools without a swimming pool.

Schools of distance education (excluding Capricornia) without a swimming pool.

Special circumstances: identified st​ate and special schools that require additional assistance.

Allocation of funds

Funding for this program is broken down into the following components:

Admission assistance

All schools without a pool will receive admission assistance. The amount of assistance provided is based on the number of enrolments in grades P to 6 attending 10 lessons per year.

Calculation for admission assistance:
Admission assistance = enrolments (P-6) x pool admission rate x 10

Travel assistance

For schools that are more than 1km from the nearest pool, assistance will be provided to help transport students to the pool by bus. The nearest pool is the closest to your school regardless of availability.

Schools that have a pool within 1km are not eligible for travel assistance.

Calculation for travel assistance:

• Schools with enrolments fewer than 25:
  travel assistance = waiting time rate + (km rate 1 x distance to pool x 2 x 10)
• Schools with enrolments greater than 25:
  travel assistance = number of buses x [waiting time rate + (km rate 2 x distance to pool x 2 x 10)]

Special circumstances

• Additional funding is provided to identified Queensland state primary and special schools to enhance water safety and swimming education, ensuring equitable opportunities for students facing geographical isolation or limited access to safe water facilities. These schools include all state special schools.
• State schools classified as remote or very remote under the Rural and Remote Education Access Program (RREAP).
• State schools identified in the 2023 audit will receive an additional funding amount per school based on their geographical remoteness.

Notes

Additional inclusions and exclusions to this program are:

• Milpera State High School to cover the cost of the primary cohort that attend the school.
• Mt Gravatt East SS will be excluded from this funding as there is an agreement with the local council for access to the nearest council pool.
• Carole Park SS will be excluded from this funding as there is an agreement with the local council for access to the nearest council pool.
• Queensland Children's Hospital School – to be excluded from this funding as students are short term students in receipt of medical treatment.
• The Southport Special School (which has a Hydrotherapy pool only) is included in this funding to assist in the mobile students to attend Learn to Swim sessions at a standard swimming pool.
• Capricornia (Rockhampton) School of Distance Education is excluded as all enrolments are against the Emerald campus.

Current rates used in formulas above

Pool admission rate: 50c

Bus driver waiting time: $320

Number of buses: 1 bus per 50 students or part thereof

Km rate 1 – funded enrolment <25: 54c

Km rate 2 – funded enrolment >25: 67.5c

Distance to pool: to a maximum of 80 km

Number of trips: 10 per year

Payment details

Data requirements

How to apply

Schools do not need to apply for learn to swim funding. Entitlements are auto​matically calculated each year by Finance Branch and paid to schools.

Contact

Policy Enquiry
State School Division
Phone: (07) 3513 5923

Payment Enquiry
School Financial Resourcing
Phone: (07) 3034 5817

Email: SFR.Finance@qed.qld.gov.au (external enquiries)