Water Safety for Year 5 and 6 students

BGS students in Year 5 and 6 have participated in a range of Water Safety sessions throughout Term 1 in an effort to equip them with the skills necessary to keep both themselves and others safe within aquatic environments at home, at a pool as well as at rivers and the beach. Working within ability-based groups at both Cardinia Life and Frankston Surf Lifesaving Club our students:

• learned and practised a range of rescue techniques and survival strokes
• experimented with Personal Flotation Devices and ways to remain warm when in the water, including the Heat Escape Lessening Position
• learned how to tread water effectively
• learned the importance of checking an aquatic environment for personal safety and how to enter correctly using a variety of techniques
• swam to safety in a variety of simulated environments and situations
• developed their swimming stroke for improved efficiency
• learned about the dangers of rips including how to recognise and escape them
• learned how to boogie board safety

The focus throughout the sessions, as in all PE and Sport sessions, was on learning new skills in an enjoyable way. Both students and staff enjoyed the opportunities presented within this unit and are already looking forward to the First Aid unit in Term 3 during which we will learn about effective resuscitation.

Mr Scott Chittenden
Head of Junior Physical Education and Sport