A SCHOOL sports hall has been transformed into a swimming baths for just six weeks.

All 520 pupils at St John's Primary School in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester and children from neighbouring schools will get the chance to swim in the 'portable' pool.

It has been installed at the school, one of the first primaries in the country to be awarded specialist sports status, thanks to a revolutionary initiative that puts pools in schools.

The scheme was devised by Olympic bronze medal swimmer Steve Parry, who was worried by the number of youngsters missing out on the opportunity to learn to swim. The pool was put up in the school in three days by his company Total Swimming.

Normally swimming lessons are restricted to the older children who have to walk to Chorlton baths , but now the entire school can take part.

Some children are even starting at 8am so they can swim for charity in the 12m x 6m pool, and a wide variety of activities are on offer during the day - including junior aquafit, water polo, flip and fun, and synchronised swimming.

Teacher Jason Hughes said: "Only the older children could go to the baths, but now everybody can go in the pool, including the nursery pupils. It is a great opportunity for children to have swimming lessons. We can have up to 25 children in the pool at a time. They love it, and parents are telling us that children who were frightened of jumping in at the baths, are now used to the water. It is not taking them as long to learn to swim."

Deputy head at St John's, Liz Birchinall added: "The pool is open 7 am to 7 pm, with staff coming in early to use it, and also on Saturday mornings. The children have been swimming to raise money for three charities - a Brazilian shanty town, Rodney House special school, and CAFOD, the Catholic charity for overseas development. Our neighbouring schools have also been using it. When the pool first arrived Chorlton Church of England Primary School had four non-swimmers.Now they are down to two."

Coun Mike Amesbury said: "It is vital that all young people are given the opportunity to swim and this is a wonderful chance for even more of them to learn. Offering a wide variety of sports across the city is a main priority for us and we're delighted to be able to offer this exciting programme in Chorlton, which makes swimming accessible for all."

Meanwhile, free swimming lessons for children across Manchester have proved so popular they are set to continue until Christmas. Children from the city were offered the free lessons in all Manchester Leisure Centres last month as part of a government-led drive to help youngsters achieve the Key Stage 2 swimming award, which requires children to be able to swim for 25 metres both on the back and front.

Serco Leisure ,who manage and operate nine swimming pools in Manchester, offered pupils in year five and six access to their Swimlife learn to swim programme free of charge..

The Swimlife programme currently runs at the nine swimming pools most evenings and weekends at a price of £33 for a 10-week course, but Serco Leisure offered a free place to 9-11 year olds in the city for a period of up to five weeks..

Now the scheme is being extended until Christmas with children in years four, five and six also eligible to take up the free swimming lessons.