Swimming competence of 9–10-year-old Norwegian primary school children: A cross-sectional study of physical education

Swimming is a profound source of joy in life. The impact of swimming competence extends beyond leisure, encompassing aquatic skills crucial for the prevention of drowning incidents. The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly advocates for the proactive initiative of teaching basic swimming and water safety skills to school-aged children, which is recognized as a direct and effective measure in mitigating the risk of drowning. This article aims to investigate and quantify aquatic skills and swimming competence in 9–10-year-old primary school children. A study was conducted throughout the academic year of 2021–2022, as an integral component within the primary schools' physical education. The study design was tailored to facilitate large-group assessment, encompassing children from 69 primary schools ( n = 2421) situated across three Norwegian municipalities. The assessments were administered upon the culmination of the fourth-grade learn-to-swim programs and carried out using the Swimming Competence Assessment Scale, involving six consecutive aquatic skills: water entry, swimming on the front, surface diving, float/rest, swimming on the back, and water exit. The results indicated that 62.5% of the children successfully met the predetermined criteria for swimming competence according to the Norwegian standard. Among the six assessed aquatic skills, proficiency in swimming on the front emerged as the most influential factor contributing to the overall competence level. This study emphasizes the pivotal role of swimming education for school-aged children. It highlights the need to prioritize swimming and water safety education, initiating children's learning journey toward being water-competent.