Water Safety

Great Marlow School is very close to open water. Due to this, it is imperative that all parents, carers and students are aware of the risks and how to keep safe. This is applicable not only during the summer holidays but in the future too. As a school community, we have suffered from the loss of students drowning in the fast tide of the river.

Tragically, around 400 people needlessly drown in the UK every year and thousands more suffer injury, some are life changing through near-drowning experiences. Putting this into context, one person dies every 20 hours in the UK. Drowning is also the third highest cause of accidental death of children in the UK. Please learn how to keep you and your family safe with our water safety advice.

The National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) was established over 10 years ago, bringing together a diverse group of organisations with an interest in drowning prevention and water safety. Since its inception, the NWSF and its network has enabled some fantastic collaborative work to reduce drowning and improve water safety. However, in order to make an even greater impact, a step-change in our approach to drowning prevention is needed.

Further Information and Resources on Water Safety:

• RNLI and RLSS websites contain sections that provide guidance on water safety – www.rlssdirect.co.uk
• YouTube – “Stay Safe Stay Out of Quarries”  is a short video by friends and parents of teenagers who have drowned.
• Facebook – “Stay Safe Stay Out of Quarries” is a campaign page worth viewing.
• Visit the Mineral Products Association’s Website at this address and visit the youth zone for informative videos and reconstructions – www.mineralproducts.org/youthzone.htm