An STA-qualified disability swimming teacher has helped make swimming possible for a pupil with highly complex medical needs, in an inspiring example of how specialist knowledge, determination and collaborative working can break down barriers to aquatics.

At Fountaindale School in Nottinghamshire, Swim Lead Nadine has worked alongside an extensive multi-agency team to enable pupil Thomas to safely access the school’s hydrotherapy pool.

Thomas is a happy, friendly boy with an infectious personality who has complex, life-threatening care needs following a complete spinal cord injury. He has no motor control or sensation below the level of his injury and is dependent on a tracheostomy and ventilator, making access to the water particularly complex and requiring meticulous planning, specialist expertise and robust safety procedures.

For Nadine, who is a qualified STA Disability Swimming Teacher, the goal was clear: to find a safe and appropriate way for Thomas to experience the water and the freedom it could offer him.

Working with the school’s management team, NHS specialists, a lifesaving specialist, the ventilation team, physiotherapists, care staff, Thomas’s parents and his wider support network, Nadine helped coordinate a comprehensive programme of planning and preparation.

This included detailed risk assessments, specialist staff training, emergency procedures and multi-agency planning, with everyone working towards the shared goal of enabling Thomas to access the pool safely.

Following all the preparation, Thomas is now enjoying weekly sessions in Fountaindale’s hydrotherapy pool – and has discovered a real love of being in the water.

“It’s fantastic,” said Thomas.

His parents, Jo and Stephen, said: “As Thomas’s parents, it was a very daunting prospect thinking of him being in a swimming pool, but the team had clearly thought of everything, and all the hard work and effort everyone put into making it happen was totally worth it.

“It was brilliant and we can’t thank Nadine and everyone involved enough for providing Thomas with this wonderful experience. Thomas definitely has the swimming bug now and can’t wait to go again.”

For Nadine, seeing Thomas enjoying the freedom of the water has made all the planning worthwhile.

She said: “I am so proud of Thomas. He has enjoyed so much freedom in the water. Look at what we have achieved together and the difference it has made to his life.

“Every person deserves the opportunity to experience the joy that swimming can bring.”

Liz Harby, who runs STA Approved Training Centre Training Aquatic Courses, where Nadine is a Disability Swimming teacher, praised her commitment to making swimming accessible for Thomas.

“Nadine has worked tirelessly with every partner involved because we truly believe everyone should have access to the pool and the freedom that water brings,” she said.

“So much hard work, planning and dedication has gone into making this happen. I couldn’t be prouder of her.”

Alex Barrett, Head of Aquatics at STA, said: “What Nadine and the wider team have achieved for Thomas is incredibly inspiring. As an STA-qualified Disability Swimming Teacher, Nadine has been able to use her specialist knowledge alongside the expertise of everyone involved to help create a safe opportunity for Thomas to experience the water.

“Seeing Thomas now enjoying weekly sessions and hearing how much he loves being in the pool is wonderful. It shows what can be achieved when people work together to understand individual needs and make swimming more accessible and inclusive.”

A spokesperson for the Senior Leadership Team at Fountaindale School added: “We are immensely proud of Thomas and Nadine, and everyone involved in this extraordinary journey.

“The project stands as an inspiring example of inclusive practice, demonstrating that with determination, collaboration and expert planning, barriers can be overcome and opportunities created for every learner, regardless of the complexity of their needs.

“We hope this work encourages others to believe that inclusion is always worth striving for.”

The story is a powerful example of the difference specialist disability swimming knowledge can make when combined with multi-agency collaboration and a determination to put the individual at the centre of aquatic provision.

Thomas’s weekly swim may have required an extraordinary amount of work behind the scenes, but the result is beautifully simple -a young person who previously faced significant barriers to accessing the pool can now enjoy the water.

And, judging by Thomas’s reaction, there will be many more swims to come.

For swimming teachers inspired by Nadine’s story and interested in developing their skills in inclusive aquatics, STA offers the STA Award in Aquatic Teaching – Disability Swimming. This specialist qualification equips teachers with the knowledge and practical skills to adapt lessons and support swimmers with a wide range of disabilities and additional needs.

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