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Swimming

It is an exciting time at Dame Alice Harpur School, with the newly acquired status in 2006 as an ASA Approved Centre of Education for swimming. This allows us not only to teach pupils to reach their highest personal standard of swimming performance, but from the age of 16 years to gain knowledge and qualifications to teach swimming at a basic level under specific supervision.  

Each pupil from Year 3 to Year 8 benefits from regular swimming lessons and swimming is optional in Years 9 to 11. The main focus of these lessons is on Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD). Beginning at Year 3, introducing the basic fundamentals of movement and then building on stroke development. We have strong links with swimming clubs in the area and those girls who show particular promise in swimming are encouraged to develop their talent at a local swimming club. Some have gone on to reach county, regional and national standard. Dame Alice swimmers had another busy season both training in school and at their clubs in and around the county. Special mention must go to Harriet Brettle, Year 9, and Abigail Lavallin, Year 8, who trained extremely hard and achieved personal best times and County and National qualifying times over the course of the year.

We took part in the usual round of matches, with some successful results and others a little disappointing. Memorable moments were the snow-covered streets and trees in Letchworth following a match against St Francis Prep School, the trip to London to compete in the annual Division 10 competition, and Bromsgrove for their invitational gala, from which we came home with fourth place in the medley relay after a very close last leg from Stephanie Lane.

The GSA Eastern Region Sports Association swimming match was another enjoyable event held at Bedford High School. The U13 team came fourth in the medley final and third in the freestyle. The U15 team came equal first in the medley and fourth in the freestyle. The U18 team came first in the medley and second in the freestyle.