CHILDREN at a York school are to miss out on swimming lessons next year, following the closure of the Barbican Centre.

Pupils at Fishergate Primary School have for many years been able to learn to swim at the Barbican baths, which are only a few minutes walk away.

But the pool is set to shut next Sunday, prior to the proposed redevelopment of the whole Barbican complex, which should eventually involve the construction of a new community swimming pool just across the road.

Head teacher Eva Kora-Shaw has written to parents to say governors have "looked very closely" at the possibility of hiring coaches and taking children to the Edmund Wilson Pool in Dringhouses in the coming year, but with great reluctance decided not to do so.

"We know how much both parents and children value and enjoy these sessions," she said.

"Unfortunately, the cost of this to parents would be prohibitive, even if we reduced the number of sessions, or did not take all the year groups in school - two options which we costed."

She said the school already subsidised swimming substantially, as parental contributions did not fully cover the costs of hiring the Barbican pool. The extra transport costs of going to the Edmund Wilson pool would take the parental contribution up to about £18 per term, and there would have to be an even larger increase in the subsidy from the school budget.

She added: "Effectively, half a day (ten per cent of the school week) would be taken up with the swimming trip, most of which would be spent unproductively travelling to and from the pool."

She said pupils would still receive their weekly allocation of PE, and staff would include the teaching of basic water safety. "The governors have undertaken to review the whole issue in a year's time, or earlier if the situation changes in the meantime."

Updated: 10:56 Wednesday, June 02, 2004