In our research, we examined the consideration of students’ special educational needs (SEN) in primary-level swimming education. The choice of topic was motivated by the increasing number of students with SEN and the importance of swimming instructors’ professional preparedness. Our aim was to explore the extent to which swimming instructors are able to accommodate the individual needs of SEN students, to identify the challenges they encounter during swimming instruction, and to map the differences between the swimming education of SEN and typically developing students, as well as the factors that support learning.The research method was an online questionnaire survey. A total of 77 professional swimming instructors participated in the study (n = 77). The results reveal that the majority of instructors do not possess specialized qualifications, and their knowledge is primarily based on personal experience. Although many feel adequately prepared, uncertainty occasionally arises in practice. Teaching swimming to children with SEN requires specific methodological tools, increased attention, and differentiated approaches. Additional difficulties include maintaining attention, discipline, and motivation. Providing differentiation and accommodating individual learning paces remain challenging, whereas small-group, play-based sessions promote more effective progress.