EDUCATION bosses at County Hall are set to take part in a discussion over how it can ensure every child in Tendring can swim before they leave primary school.

More than 2,000 youngsters will be given free swimming lessons next year in the wake of the death of Ben Quartermaine, 15, from Clacton.

Ben died in the sea to the east of Clacton Pier on July 26 after getting into trouble while swimming with friend Albert Caller.

A campaign launched following Ben’s death calling for free swimming lessons for every school child in the district and to teach them how to deal with a rip tide or strong current.

It has led to Swim Safe, a practical outdoor water safety programme developed by Swim England and the RNLI, being rolled out across Tendring this summer.

But a motion agreed by Tendring Council in November also led to an invitation for Clare Kershaw, director for education at Essex County Council, to attend a meeting to discuss how all schools can meet their statutory duty and move towards 100 per-cent of children learning to swim.

Mick Skeels, Tendring Council’s cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said working with Essex County Council to explore how it ensures swimming is delivered as part of the primary school curriculum was important.

“We are doing several things as part of the Tendring Water Safety Forum to promote swim safety in our district, not least with expanding the Swim Safe scheme this summer,” he said.

“But we are also keen to better understand how County Hall works to support schools deliver general swimming lesson provision within Tendring, and we hope that is what this meeting will achieve.”

The issue will be discussed at a special meeting of the council’s community leadership scrutiny committee on January 28 at 7.30pm.