Our school has only the primary kids go (Yrs 3-6) and they are bussed from school to the pool.They pay for bus fare and pool entry, parents pay to spectate . The pool entry is not a school thing, its the pool which is council run charging that and the parent money. We have ours at a pool with a huge grandstand big enough so that everyone is undercover. We don't have any free time in the pool as it is harder to monitor and look after so the only children in the pool are those racing. We have novelty events for non swimmers too. (can you tell I am a teacher who has had to organise it before LOL)