More than 300 school children are to get extra swimming lessons over the Christmas holidays.

The swimming sweep-up is being held by the Council's sport and leisure service at pools in Bowling, Keighley, Manningham, Queensbury, Rhodesway, Shipley and at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre as it continues to provide additional lessons to give youngsters a second chance to meet Key Stage 2 National Curriculum swimming standards.

At Bingley, Ilkley and Eccleshill pools, the normal half-term programme has been extended by a week.

Taking place from today, it is the latest extension to lessons the Council has funded after it recognised it was the lack of opportunity rather than ability preventing some children from learning how to swim.

Bradford Council has seen the number of young swimmers who achieve the Key Stage 2 standard rise over the last four years from 3,570 in 2003 to 4,523 in 2007 - an increase of almost 27 per cent.

Bradford Council's executive member for environment and culture, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, said: "The ability to swim is such an important life skill and it is really important we give youngsters opportunities to learn, which is why we have added the Christmas sweep-up to our school swimming programme.

"Providing additional swimming lessons for school children is a priority within our b active campaign and during our last sweep-up in July, over 200 pupils achieved the Key Stage 2 standard.

"We are very hopeful that we will achieve similar results again this time around."

Killinghall Primary School is just one school that has benefited, with record numbers meeting Key Stage 2 requirements and children who were unsuccessful in Year 5 were able to continue their lessons in Year 6. Swimming is an integral part of Bradford Council's b active campaign which aims to give people of all ages and abilities more opportunities to take part in sports and physical activities.