Swimming lesson terms and conditions
The terms and conditions for our swimming lessons can be found below, simply select each heading for further information. Should you require paper copies of any of our terms and conditions, please ask at reception at any of our leisure centres.
Swim Stars agreement
1. This agreement is between the Customer (You) and Gedling Borough Council (Us/We)
2. For general Leisure Card terms and conditions please see Gedling Leisure Card application form available from reception and online at www.gedling.gov.uk/leisure.
3. We reserve the right to amend terms, conditions and policies. Changes can be found online.
4. Completion and signature of this form will be held to constitute acceptance of these conditions including the requirement of a photograph.
5. Taking images of children within the facility is strictly prohibited and no cameras, video equipment or mobile phones are permitted on poolside, in the viewing areas or changing rooms.
6. All medical conditions/disabilities must be disclosed on this form (these will not preclude the child from being accepted for lessons but will enable the Instructor to make any necessary arrangements - these will be discussed with you)
7. Class numbers are limited and are determined by Us to ensure optimum teaching environment and health and safety of all pupils.
8. We reserve the right to allocate children to a class most suited to their ability.
9. We reserve the right to use relief instructors without notice. We will keep this to a minimum but is sometimes unavoidable. In the event a lesson cannot be carried out with the usual instructor we will endeavour to relocate your child into a suitable lesson taking place at the same time by way of a substitution. If we don’t manage to relocate your child for that week, then you will receive a refund as per the normal process.
10. Each pupil must register with the instructor at the start of the lesson; lessons will last for 25 minutes within an allocated 30 minute window.
11. All pupils must wear appropriate clothing (ie fitted bathing costume or trunks). Long hair must be tied back and no jewellery must be worn (other than stud earrings). We reserve the right to refuse to allow a pupil participate in a lesson (without any refund) if they do not comply.
12. All under 8s must have a responsible adult in the building at all times.
13. Your child will be continually assessed and will be able to move up to the next class when they have met the required criteria.
14. By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions you understand that a pupil may only be moved either when there is a space, or at the discretion of Gedling Swim Stars coordinator or General Manager. The decision of the General Manager is final.
15. Assessments will not be made weekly. HomePortal does not guarantee feedback on every session.
16. Our teachers may need to provide support to your child during the lesson to ensure water confidence and safety. All of our teachers are qualified by Swim England and follow the latest guidance on child safeguarding via the Wavepower child safeguarding policy document produced by Swim England. Should anyone have any concerns around child safeguarding, please talk to our site Duty Manager as soon as possible. Swimline operated by Swim England, and NSPCC Child Protection Helpline are both available, including to children and young people, who believe that the welfare of a child is at risk. You can call Swimline on 0808 100 4001 or you can call the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline direct on 0808 800 5000. The helpline is open for 24 hours each day and calls are free of charge from a landline.
17. The joining fee is non-refundable and is due at the start of the swimming lesson membership. The movement fee for learners is applied when moving between the same stage at the same site within the swim school programme.
Direct Debit payments
1. If you pay by direct debit your membership is for each month that payment is made. If You fail to maintain your payments in accordance with this agreement, We reserve the right to cancel or suspend your membership, (which includes the individuals name being removed from the swim register) and take any action available to Us to recover any outstanding amounts.
2. You will have a payment date of the 5th of each month and the first month’s payment is due at the start of your membership and is non-refundable.
3. If you wish to cancel or suspend your membership we require 10 working days notice. Please notify Us by filling out our cancellation/suspension forms online at Changes to memberships - Gedling Leisure
4. Direct debits are based on customers receiving 50 lessons a year. There will be a 2 week closure over Christmas and New Year. Any cancellations of lessons by Us outside of this period will be refunded to you via a reduced Direct Debit Payment equivalent to one weeks’ lesson price will be applied at the earliest opportunity, which will normally be the following month.
5. Payment by direct debit entitles the individual to unlimited public swim at Arnold, Calverton and Carlton Forum leisure centres. Please note if your child is under 8 years old they will need to be accompanied by a paying adult and they must enter the pool with them as part of our admission policy.
6. We are unable to offer a refund to anyone who has cancelled their swim lesson membership and has a lesson cancelled by us during their cancellation period.
7. The swim lesson membership begins at the point of purchase either online or at reception. From this date you have secured your space on our weekly lessons and can start utilising free access to public swim sessions.
Direct Debit guarantee
Anti-social behaviour in swimming lessons
Process for dealing with anti-social behaviour within swimming lessons
We operate the below system to ensure all our safe within our lessons:
Stage 1 – Offense leading to removal from a lesson
This can include bad language, aggressive behaviour, failure to listen to instructions on multiple occasions, physical violence can all result in a learner being removed from a lesson.
Action: Removal from the lesson and a letter to parent/guardian/carer. Phone call to discuss and review the Disability Care Plan if they are on Disability Swim Stars or phone call to discuss why do we think it happened and if there is anything different that we can do moving forwards.
Stage 2 – Repeat offense
If another offense is committed by the learner and they are again removed from lesson.
Action: Removed from the lesson, letter and phone call to parent/guardian/carer informing them they are on the last stage before they are removed and if they are on the Disability Swim Stars, another review of the Care Plan.
Stage 3 – Final removal from lesson
If there is a third offense and these have happened within 6 months of each other then we will remove the learner from the lesson and inform the parent/guardian that they will no longer attend lessons with usunless they can prove there has been an improvement of behaviour.
Action: Removed from the lesson, Direct Debit cancelled and letter and phone call to parents. The Care
Plan is stored on file for 12 months after the leaner leaves the lessons.
Stage 4 – Improved behaviour
If the parent/guardian has noted that there is improved behaviour we can set up a meeting before a return to lessons. We would then invite them in to the lesson on a trial. If the behaviour has improved we can revert back to them being on the lessons. If not then we can only allow them back once they display acceptable behaviour. This will only be subject to availability as the vacant space can be given to another learner awaiting lessons.
Action: Either added back to lessons or not allowed back until behaviour has improved. If they have come back to lessons then they go back to Stage 1 if an incident occurs in the following lesson.
Home Portal
The home portal is an online system that improves communication with parents regarding their child’s progress in swimming lessons.
The portal is generally updated after each lessons and shows parents how their child is progressing, and what skills require improvement.
Other benefits to the home portal include the ability to:
- Make a payment online for future lessons
- Make amendments to you or your child’s details e.g. medical issues, contact details
- Move your child to the next class (when they have passed the class requirements)
Enrolling on the home portal is easy. Simply provide us with your email address and we will email you a registration code that you will be asked to validate against your child’s DOB and postcode. In addition to the benefits of using the home portal, we will also be able to email you when your child is ready to move up a class, and when they can buy badges and certificates.
Illness and injuries
When children attend swimming lessons with an illness, this can spread germs and infections. Some illnesses can also result in the pool needing to temporarily close for cleaning to take place.
Learners should not attend their lesson if they have any of the following:
Sickness/ Diarrhoea
Colds/ Flu/ COVID (if the learner’s breathing is being affected)
Cuts (unless scabbed over, waterproof plasters are recommended)
Broken bones
Chicken pox
Pulled/ strained muscles
Concussion / head injury
Learners can attend their lesson if they have any of the following:
Verruca (please wear verruca socks or waterproof plasters)
Ear infection (check with a GP/ pharmacist first).
Always check with a health professional that it is safe to return to exercise after an illness or injury.
What happens to my Direct Debit payments when illness/ injury occurs?
For short term absences, we are unable to issue a refund or a reduced Direct Debit payment.
For a prolonged absence, we can accept a doctor’s note and freeze or cancel your Direct Debit payments until the learner is able to return to lessons. Please be aware that we may not be able to offer you the same lesson time or day on your return. There would be no joining fee to pay on your return if the learner stopped lessons due to a medical incident e.g. with a doctor’s note.
If you would like further information, please contact one of the leisure centres.