Sailing breakthrough for special needs youngsters 

Children with severe learning difficulties benefit from OnBoard sailing sessions

Progress has been exceptional for children with very severe learning difficulties and behavioural problems who have been learning to sail with OnBoard at Burton Sailing Club on Foremark Reservoir in Derbyshire.

The project began when Keith Pallett, Training Principal at the club, visited Pingle School and spent time learning about the children, how to plan the sessions and also assess the active and developing risks there might be for each group and each session.

Two groups of youngsters attended OnBoard sessions at the club on Wednesdays and Fridays for six weeks. The children required constant support from the club instructors and teaching staff throughout the sessions.

“The outcomes were fantastic,” reports Keith. “The children with behavioural problems sailed, and completely changed their mannerisms and attitude to each other and the tasks they were given. The ones with learning difficulties started out not wanting to put on buoyancy aids. They couldn’t walk on the jetty without aid and encouragement, and many were simply fearful of the water. In the end they would swim, walk on the jetty unaided, and sail in the dinghies.”

The youngsters themselves were very positive about their experiences, and some of them gave quotes for school newsletter articles:

Friday Group
The students had a brilliant time. Megan Riley, a Year 8 student, said: “I went on a speed boat. You should have seen my face! I squealed and had to hold on tight.” Francis Jeffrey, a Year 10 student added: “It was nice. I had to steer the boat and it was scary!” For some of the students it was their first sailing experience but they would all go again. Jaskarin Singh Nahal, a Year 7 student commented: “It was amazing and I got my socks wet!” and Callum Richardson, a Year 7 student said: “It was my first time sailing. I was scared but after a bit I was leaning back to balance the boat!”

Wednesday Group
Jake Crawshaw, a Year 9 student said: “We sailed the speed boats around the lake, which is massive. I really enjoyed learning to drive the speedboat - it was one of the best things I have done. We were also taught how to rig and sail a sailing boat, which I really liked. If I could I would like to have a boat of my own, a little sail boat that I could set up easily. Going to Foremark has been one of the best things I have done.”

Keith adds that Burton Sailing Club also learned a lot about this specialised education sector: “We were supported by the teaching staff, and the instructors enjoyed working with the kids immensely. Teaching SEN (Special Educational Needs) and LD (Learning Difficulty) kids is a new skill set for our instructors and we have now contracted with another SEN school. There is no doubt that OnBoard as a concept works really well not just for the kids but also the carers and parents, who could see the benefits the sailing experience had on the well-being of the kids and how together we can develop sailing into the curriculum as an aid to child development.”