Terms & Conditions of Service

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PAYMENT:

We need to secure the pool space and our teachers in advance of our lessons to make sure that they are all in place for you. As such you’ll understand that:

• Classes need to be booked and paid for in advance on a termly basis. Therefore the cost will vary per term depending on the number of weeks in the term. (We do try to keep it at an 8 week term but some years may vary slightly)

• Once you are enrolled, your booking will be listed as a repeat customer which means you have priority booking over new customers.

• To secure a slot, payment must be made before the start date. If you have not paid you may not be allowed to swim.

• Payments are non-refundable.  

• If you decide to start swimming part way through a term, that’s no problem, we will simply pro-rata the cost from your start date.

• We also run school holiday courses, these are separate from the term courses and need to be applied for separately.

MISSED LESSONS:

• Please inform us ASAP

• Term Time Lessons that cannot be attended, will be classed as missed lessons. As we are new and restricted by space and teachers, we can only offer  "Catch Up" lessons to private one to one students if there is availability.  We do not have a system in place at present for class lessons. If your child cannot attend lessons due to medical reasons and will miss more than 4 consecutive lessons, as a gesture of goodwill we may refund 50% of the missed lessons upon their return to the pool. Simply send an email with a medical note and we can arrange this for you.  

• Summer Intensive Courses (July&Aug) will not have a "Catch Up" system due to the nature of the course.  Any missed days cannot be caught up or reimbursed, as we still need to pay for the hire of the pool and teachers, regardless of attendance.  If you have paid for an intensive week and can no longer attend (the entire week) due to ill health or injury we may refund 50%.  Simply send an email with a medical note and we can arrange this for you.

MERROW UNAVOIDABLY CANCELING LESSONS:

• We try very hard not to cancel lessons. However, although our swimming instructors are nearly superheros, they do occasionally get sick and sometimes our pools are closed for reasons beyond our control.

• So lessons can sometimes unavoidably be subject to change and the lesson dates, times and teacher may need to be altered. In such circumstances we reserve the right to move lessons.

• We can’t offer a credit if we are able to provide an alternative day and time. 

• If Merrow Swim School is unable to find alternative dates we will offer a credit off of the following terms' cost.

STOPPING SWIMMING WITH US:

• If we do not receive a re-registration form from you within your priority booking window, we may have to offer your space to a new customer.  If you know you're leaving us we would be grateful if you could let us know asap.

KEEPING IN TOUCH:

• Parents need to ensure that Merrow Swim School has an up-to-date address, email and telephone contact details for all pupils, as well as current medical records.

• Parents should check notice boards, email, Whatsapp or facebook for up to date information about the school and their classes.  WhatsApp is our primary communication method.

• Please refer to our Privacy Policy for information about what data we collect, why we collect it and how we use and protect it.

AT THE POOL:

• Swimmers should arrive suitably equipped for their lesson.

• All property left in changing rooms or on the poolside are left at your own risk. Merrow Swim School cannot accept responsibility for the loss or damage of any personal belongings.  We will try our best to place any found items in the Dunadry lost and found box.

• Swimmers should be collected at the end of their lesson promptly.

• All pupils and parents need to abide by our Visitor Etiquette & Pool Etiquette rules .

• No camera or video equipment can be used at the pool or during lessons without prior express written permission from Merrow Swim School. Please see our Privacy Policy for details on how and when Merrow Swim School may take photographs and use them.

• Merrow Swim School will not accept any hostility or aggression to our teachers. Any such behaviour shown may result in the relevant parent being banned from the pool. Another adult will then be required to bring the swimmer to lessons.

• If a child’s or adult’s behaviour is unreasonable and/or poses a health risk to them we will refuse entry.

DURING OUR LESSONS:

• We believe that children benefit a lot more from a hands-on approach, in particular the little ones, where the benefits are much greater, giving them the physical support they need. It also helps to build trust between the child and the teacher, allowing pupils to learn the correct body positions and strokes. With regards to the older swimmers, the hands-on approach benefits the pupils by allowing them to focus on their strokes and having the freedom to learn the best techniques directly from their teachers.  Our Teachers will always let the child know that they are supporting them, ie head, lower back etc before laying hands on them.

• Never bring your child swimming if they have an illness, please wait until the doctor has given the all clear before returning. Please notify and keep Merrow Swim School up to date on the condition. We may refuse a child if we feel that the child is too unwell to swim and poses a health risk to themselves and/others.