Southwark Leisure Swim School Terms and conditions

(A) Teaching Policies, Procedures and Parental Responsibilities

1. All Southwark Leisure Swimming Teachers are Swim England/STA qualified and have the relevant DBS checks before they are allowed to teach. 2. Swimming Teachers will take responsibility for pupils during their swimming lessons, but and parents / guardians are required to remain nearby (poolside viewing or designated viewing gallery) so that if required the parent / guardian can deal with toilet breaks or any behavioural issues. Southwark Leisure staff will not take pupils to the toilet. 3. Parents/guardians must remain on the premises whilst the pupil is attending their swimming lessons. This is imperative in case of the unlikely event of a medical emergency, building evacuation or other emergency situation. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to supervise/watch their child get to and from their teaching station ensuring a prompt pick up at the end of the lesson. Pupils must be collected promptly at the end of the lesson. 4. Parents/guardians must never distract the teacher during a lesson and should direct all communication through the customer service team or the Swim Manager (if available). Parents/guardians should not to speak with a teacher during the period that lessons are in progress as it is dangerous and will distract the teacher from the supervision of the pupils in their lesson. 5. Pupils can be refused entry to the lesson if they are more than 5 minutes late for a class, as it disrupts the lesson for the other pupils. 6. A coloured swimming hat will be issued when joining swim school (stages 1-10) and new hats will be issued when transferring to the next teaching stage. Lost or broken hats can be replaced by purchasing a new hat from reception. It is strongly recommended that children wear their hats to lessons. This may not be suitable for those with some medical conditions.

(B) Pupil Illness

1. If your child is unwell, we request that you do not bring them to their swimming lesson. 2. If your child has been ill with diarrhoea they should not attend their lesson. To protect others, they should not swim for at least a week after it has completely cleared up.

(C) Swimming Lesson Programme

1. The majority of our ‘learn to swim’ programme classes are held over a 30-minute timeslot (some advanced and adult classes might be 45/60) which includes time to take registers and assessments. 2. Pupil to Teacher ratios are developed in line with Swim England Guidelines. 3. Southwark Leisure reserves the right to combine classes as short notice if necessary.

(D) Swimming Lesson Dress Code & Hygiene

1. All children should wear appropriate fitting costumes/trunks and shorts specifically designed for swimming. Baggy costumes/trunks can hamper movement. 2. No jewellery should be worn during a swimming lesson. Religious or medical bracelets are allowed but should not distract the swimmer from their lesson. 3. The use of goggles is permitted but pupils will be asked to remove them if they are providing a distraction and when performing certain skills (unless there is a medical reason for goggles to be worn). 4. All swimmers should shower before their lesson. Please ensure that all hair gel/body lotions etc are removed. This will help to keep the water clean. Make sure your child uses the toilet before the lesson commences. Please ensure your child showers after the lesson.

(E) Pupil Progression

1. All pupils on the ‘learn to swim’ programme work towards the “Swim England Learn to Swim Framework. 2. Swimming Teachers continually assess all pupils’ progression throughout the term. 3. Progression of all pupils will be at the judgment of the swimming teacher and in accordance with the progression within the criteria of the “Swim England Learn to Swim Framework” 4. Pupils will be moved up to the next class when they meet the skills criteria required and if there is adequate room in the next Stage for movement to the next Stage. 5. Upon completion of a Stage, the parent/guardian will be contacted explaining that the child is ready to move up to the next Stage via e-mail/phone. Where Home Portal is available, parents can login and make the required movement. 6. A valid e-mail address is required to access Home Portal, movements and assessments. 7. Due to the continuous progressive nature of our programme, and the variety of ability levels within each session, we cannot guarantee a specific time slot on progression, as a space within the next stage may not always be immediately available. Those waiting for spaces will be kept in their current stage until a place becomes available.

(F) Swimming Lesson Payment

1. All fees for swimming lessons must be paid in advance of the lessons. 2. Direct Debit payments are taken on or around, 1st of each month. 3. New joiners, will pay a pro-rata payment for any lessons which take place prior to the first Direct Debit being taken. 4. All lessons will have a joining fee. 5. One clear calendar’s months’ notice of the Direct Debit is required via southwarkleisureinfo@southwark.gov.uk for the cancellation of Swim School Direct Debits. 6. Failure to provide the full notice period to cancel your swim school when on Direct Debit may result in Southwark Leisure taking recovery action for the outstanding payment. 7. Southwark Leisure reserves the right to change the price of swimming lessons at any time. Direct Debit customers will be notified in writing with at least 10 working days’ notice of any change. 8. For any failed Direct Debits, Southwark Leisure reserves the right to restrict access to the lessons until a suitable payment has been made for the missed Direct Debit Payment. Under these circumstances Southwark Leisure will not guarantee the same space on the existing lesson. 9. Direct Debit payments include one lesson per week at the agreed Stage of lessons for the monthly Direct Debit subscription, and for all learners get free access to Public Swimming sessions (subject to pool capacity) whilst on the swim scheme. 10. The monthly Direct Debit subscription remains the same for each calendar month, regardless of the number of lessons that are delivered during the month. I.e. some months there will be five lessons, while most months there will be four. During December there will two or three lessons depending on the cycle of the year. Over a 12-month period, with 12 equal Direct Debit payments a total of 50 swimming lessons will be available to attend*. (* unless a lesson has been cancelled – please see section (H) below.

(G) Pool Closure and Cancelled Swimming Lessons

1. In the event of a pool closure we will make every attempt to contact our customers as soon as possible. Contact will via e-mail/phone. 2. Customers paying for swimming lessons will be provided with reduction of fee on the next Direct Debit collection, if this falls after 15^th of the month it will be on the month afters collection. 4. Southwark Leisure reserves the right to cancel classes should numbers fall below our minimum numbers per group (50% of class capacity). If this happens you will be offered an alternative lesson of the same level. 5. If a pool closure is likely to affect swimming lessons on the long term, every effort will be made to offer space at another pool within the area.

(H) Missed Lessons

1. Lesson fees are non-refundable where the pupil has either missed lessons or decided to withdraw from the programme altogether. 2. Lessons run consecutively, the lesson credits will be utilised as each lesson takes place regardless of pupil attendance (with the exception of pool closure/lesson cancellation). 3. In exceptional circumstances management may exercise discretion on refunds or credit notes but this would only be on production of a medical certificate or documentation from a medical centre, hospital or GP.

(I) Changing Teacher

1. We will use reasonable endeavours to provide the same instructor for each lesson within a course. However, relief instructors may be used without prior notification. 2. We reserve the right to appoint a new teacher at any time and may, at times need to provide an alternative teacher for a class or classes due to illness or for any other unforeseen circumstances. 3. In the event a teacher is away for a long period of time we will try to keep the same cover teacher for the time period where possible. 4. If a teacher is absent, the centre reserves the right to join classes together if considered appropriate and safe according to Swim England guidelines. We would always try to put a replacement teacher in place immediately however, if this is not manageable we would put the classes together in order to avoid the cancellation. This would be an extremely rare occurrence as additional teacher are usually available to cover any such eventualities.

(J) Communication

1. We like to encourage communication and welcome issues to be raised with our staff. 2. The duty management team will be the people to resolve any poolside issues. Any problems or issues should be conveyed through them. 3. Questions regarding the progression of pupils should be directed towards the reception staff that will be able to pass on the message to the relevant member of staff, who will then contact you to discuss the pupil. Please ask to fill in a swim school enquiry card. 4. All parents/guardians are required to supply us with a valid e-mail address for quick communication purposes. This is essential so that we can inform you when your child is ready to move up a Stage of lessons or for any cancellations.

(K) Viewing

1. Parents/guardians are not permitted on poolside but must sit in the pool viewing areas. Where pool viewing is on poolside, parents must not interfere with the lessons or distract the swimming teachers. 2. We do ask that all spectators remain in the seating area in order to prevent any unnecessary distractions for the teachers and make every effort to ensure that all footwear is removed when on poolside. 3. It is difficult for the teaching staff to gain full attention from their pupils if they are being distracted; progress can be affected if children are not fully able to concentrate. 4. No photography or filming is permitted on poolside or in the changing area without the prior approval from the Centre Management.

(L) Behaviour & conduct

1. Parents accept that their child is under the supervision, control and care of the Swimming Teacher, during the lesson period. Should the behaviour of the child be unsatisfactory and the class is being disrupted, the Swimming Teacher has the right to remove the pupil from the class. 2. The teacher may employ reasonable measures as are necessary to maintain the smooth delivery of the class. We reserve the right to request that your child should be removed from classes should they persistently disrupt or are seen to be putting themselves or anyone else at risk during the class. If a child is removed under these circumstances and suitable alternatives arrangements cannot be made, no refund will be provided. 3. If a swim school pupil causes the cancellation of a swim school session or individual class, we reserve the right to apply a penalty for loss of income for this activity. This will be administered and applied at the centre management discretion