Police awarded the pupils, Ruby Chamberlain, Finley Clarke Daniel Horrell, Oliver Chamberlain Sam Horrell, Tomas Clarke, all of Hauroko Valley School, and Maleia Pou, from Thornbury Primary School, bravery awards earlier this month for the quick thinking which saved the boy’s life.
Senior Sergeant Pete Graham said the group should be very proud of themselves.
"This was very close to ending in a tragedy, and had the children not been as switched on as they were, to act so quickly, we would have undoubtedly been dealing with a drowning."
A spectator, who was a member of Winton Fire and Emergency, performed CPR on the child until he became responsive.
The pool owners have refused to explain the circumstances around the near tragedy or who was responsible for supervising the child.
Central Southland Community swimming pool committee president Maria Scammell declined two invitations to confirm whether a lifeguard was on duty or present at pool-side when the incident occurred.
No explanation had been given about how the child was missed by the pool lifeguard, and what health and safety processes had been put in place since to ensure optimal swimmer safety during public pool sessions.
Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Daniel Gerrard said it was the responsibility of a swim instructor to monitor student safety during the lesson.
But that responsibility immediately ended when the lesson finished.
The Otago Daily Times understands the children were playing after a swimming lesson had finished when the boy was discovered at the bottom of the pool.
Mr Gerrard said public and council pools had different safety requirements from those privately owned by trusts and individuals.
It was up to the pool’s owners to decide what safety protocols it had in place for public sessions, such as lifeguard numbers and pool capacity. He said the local pool trust needed to explain what its safety policies and processes were around free swimming time.
However, he said there still should have been parents present to support a 6-year-old.
He said at that age, especially in a learn-to-swim environment, children should not be left unattended. "Parental supervision is really, really important."
Mr Gerrard said the pupils’ actions were a great example of how young and confident swimmers, who had the basic skills, could be effective in an emergency.
