Terms and Conditions 

Acceptance of terms and conditions

By booking, or by you or your child attending a swimming lesson with us, you accept these terms and conditions and they will form a binding contract between you and us

Please read the following terms and conditions (T&C’s) carefully as they are the basis of the contract between you and Watford and Wildfish Swim School (WSS). They tell you who we are, how we will provide services to you and what to do if there are any problems. For the purpose of this agreement, ‘You’ includes the person making the booking, the person attending the course, lesson, or session and where relevant the parent / guardian or accompanying adults or children.

In addition to these terms and conditions, all parties are expected to follow the swimming pool safety rules at all times.

We may contact you from time to time about the services and products that we provide. If we contact you, we will do so by phone or by writing to you via the email or postal address that you have provided us with when you booked.

We reserve the right to vary these terms and conditions at any time upon reasonable notice to you. Changes will be advertised and made directly to the website.

What we do

• We provide swimming lessons to customers of all ages and abilities.
• We operate from our own purpose-built swimming pool(s) and venues that we hire from third parties such as schools, hotels, and private residents.
• All of our teachers are qualified to nationally recognised standards to teach our customers to swim and where appropriate to provide lifesaver and first aid cover for the environment in which we teach.

Bookings and Payments

Our course dates are published on our website. Weekly lessons run for 11-16 consecutive weeks, depending on the local school term dates. Intensive lessons (‘crash courses’) run on consecutive days.

Bookings are only confirmed once payment has been received. Payment deadlines will be communicated to you in advance for weekly lessons and provided that payments are received by the payment deadline, the space will be held to allow current swimmers to rebook. In the event the payment deadline is missed, the space will be released and will be available to be booked by another customer. Intensive courses are bookable in advance, and spaces are allocated based on when payments are received.

If a swimmer joins part way through a course, a pro rata payment, relative to the remaining lessons, will be due.

All fees must be paid in advance of the lessons taking place and swimmers will not be allowed to participate in any swimming lessons until the fees are paid in full.

All lessons will start promptly at the agreed start time. If you arrive late to the pool, the lesson will not be extended, and the lesson will still end at the agreed end time.

We reserve the right not to accept your booking and shall not be obliged to provide any reason for not accepting your booking.

If you wish to take a holiday while the lessons are running  so that you miss a lesson or lessons within the course, you must still pay for the entire course. You will retain your place on the lessons for the duration of the course.

As part of the booking process for any course, lesson, or session you must register your full details with us.

If full payment for the term or crash course is not made within 2 working days (48 hours) of the booking being made, then we are unable to guarantee your place and it will be opened to other bookings.

Re-enrolment - weekly lessons at Stud Green only or by arrangement.

Prior to the end of a course we will send an email to the address on our system offering you the chance to re-enrol for the next course within a specified time-limit and setting out the fee for the course.

After the priority (existing customers) payment date, we will fill the lessons with other swimmers. If you fail to pay on time and your space has gone, and you wish to continue, we will try to find you a suitable alternative. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to find you a suitable class, so please make sure you pay on time.

If you wish to re-enrol you must follow the re-enrolment procedure set out on our website

Methods of payment

WSS currently offers customers two ways to pay for lessons depending on the location that you attend lessons. BASC transfer or Direct Debit . The Direct Debit option is not available at Stud Green.

With the Direct Debit payment option, you commit to being a member and paying the monthly subscription fee for at least one full calendar month. After the full calendar month has elapsed, your subscription continues on a monthly basis but you can cancel it at any time.  Click HERE for further details about how Direct Debit payments work.

With the BASC transfer payment option, you commit to being a customer and paying the fees for a full term of lessons for at least one full term

Payments must be made by bank transfer or through our online portal which will direct you to our bank account and register your payment against your booking.

We are a non cash operation and cash payments should not be made to swimming teachers under any circumstances. This is for their safety. In extenuating circumstances, we can accept cash if you gain prior agreement with a member of the management team.

If paying via our online portal by DD , our system will automatically direct you to our payment ‘gateway’ partner and the full T&C’s are accessible during the ‘sign up’ process.

Bookings are non-transferable.

Cancellations/Refunds

There is a 14-day window after payments have been received for a refund to be requested provided this is more than 14 days before the start of the course. This allows a reasonable opportunity to resell the space. If you wish to cancel a booking for a course after payment has been made, this request must be either completed online via your Member Hub or by email to info@wildfishswimschool.com

Refunds will be processed as soon as possible and, in any event within 14 days of receipt of your request and appropriate details being provided. Payment will be made via online  transfer to the account from which the payment was received less a 10% administration charge. No cash refunds are provided under any circumstances.

If WSS does not receive the necessary banking details via email as detailed within 12 weeks of the request, the refund will become null and void.

To cancel your subscription, you must send your notice in writing to Info@wildfishswimschool.com or cancel your Direct Debit via your Member Hub. Once we have received your cancellation no further payments will be taken by us. The deposit you paid when you joined the swim programme will be used to cover the cost of your lessons during your 4 week notice period.

Once a course has started, we are unable to refund payments for missed lessons including for any illness, injury or holidays as we have a commitment, in advance, to the teacher. However, if a learner suffers a serious illness or injury which affects their participation for more than 4 weeks (such as a broken bone or prolonged hospitalisation) we may offer a refund for lessons missed provided you notify us at least 48 hours before the first lesson missed, provide us with a medical note detailing the illness or medical condition and you accept that we may offer the space to another learner; we will endeavour to offer you another suitable slot when you are ready to return.

Refunds will not be given for lessons missed due to adverse weather conditions in your locality if the venue and environment are accessible and the lessons go ahead.

It sometimes takes new swimmers a few lessons to settle into the programme. If after 3 lessons, WSS feels that it is in the swimmer’s interests to terminate the course at the current time, the remainder of the course fee will be refunded.

If you have any concerns about a class or teacher, please let us know immediately or alternatively email us at info@wildfishswimschool.com at the earliest opportunity so that we can resolve your concerns.

Cancellation by us

Classes may be cancelled at short notice if the pool is not fit for teaching purposes.

In the unfortunate event we have to cancel a lesson we will notify you as soon as possible via the method that we believe is most appropriate to ensure you have received the message in a timely manner.  We will endeavour to add an alternative date, offer to make up the lesson or provide a credit. No refunds will be offered.

If we determine that there is insufficient support for a course, we have the right to cancel, suspend or postpone the course before the date of the first lesson. We shall give you as much notice as possible of any such cancellation and we will provide you with a full refund of your course fee if no suitable alternative course is found. Our liability for any such cancellation shall be limited to this refund and we shall not be liable for any losses of any kind incurred by you because of such cancellation.

If you notify us that you are unable to attend the substitute lesson in advance of the date scheduled for the substitute lesson, then you will receive a credit for the cancelled lesson. This credit may be offset against your fees for a subsequent course. If you do not accept the substitute lesson or do not wish to re-enrol for a subsequent course, we are not obliged to provide a refund but may do this at our absolute discretion.

Swimming Teachers

We are not able to guarantee a particular swimming teacher for a course, lesson, or session and teachers may be changed on a temporary or permanent basis once a course has started. We deliver the Swim England framework, and all of our swimming teachers have visibility of progress by each learner and their medical needs.

When teaching swimming lessons in the water, swimming teachers do need to ‘handle’ the swimmer for the purposes of supporting them in the water for safety or to assist body position. By agreeing to these T&C’s your permission is assumed for this to take place. If you have any concerns in this regard, please let us know immediately.

Medical conditions and Illness

You will be asked to declare any existing medical conditions when you register. Please inform us of any changes to medical conditions, including pregnancy, as soon as you are aware so that reasonable adjustments can be made as necessary.

If you have a contagious illness such as an ear infection, flu, diarrhoea, vomiting, chicken pox, impetigo, conjunctivitis or a bad cold, please wait until your doctor has given the all clear for you to swim. In instances of vomiting or diarrhoea you must have been clear of the symptoms for 48 hours before attending a session.

People with symptoms of cryptosporidiosis should not use a swimming pool for 14 days after the symptoms have cleared.

People with athlete’s foot are not allowed in the swimming pool or surrounding area unless their feet are suitably covered.

Verrucae socks must be worn if a person is suffering from verrucae(s).

If you are ill, please inform us at the earliest opportunity so that we can notify the teacher.

In case of illness or injury, if you are not present, by agreeing to these T&C’s you authorise and desire medical care for your child at the discretion of the attending First Aider and/ or competent medical authorities.

Photography & Recording

You may not take photographs or video recordings during lessons unless this has been pre-agreed with WSS. In addition, consent from everyone who is in the photo or video is required.

We reserve the right to ask for any photos and videos taken to be deleted. Under no circumstances will photography be permitted in the changing facilities or toilet areas of the pools.

The use of mobile phones on the poolside is strictly prohibited. If you need to take or make a phone call please do so off poolside.

If you wish to take a photo of your child, please inform the poolside manager or the swimming teacher and they will arrange the appropriate time to take the photo.

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

By providing the information to us, you:

• Give permission for the personal and contact information to be held by WSS for use where necessary to contact you and oversee your safe attendance at WSS.
• Give permission for your contact email address and or mobile phone number to be used to provide all necessary information for future events, promotions and advertisement purposes relating to WSS.
• Agree to update WSS should any of the contact or medical information you have provided change and needs updating.
• Understand that WSS will retain my information until your ‘membership’ has elapsed for one calendar year.

Please let us know if you would like your data permanently deleted from WSS records at any time.

General Responsibilities

 Parents or guardians are responsible for children that they bring to lessons from arrival on site, supervision in the changing rooms and in any part of the facility.

You must not leave the pool area whilst your child is in the pool. In the event that your child needs to go to the toilet during a lesson, the teacher will ask you to supervise them.

WSS will not accept liability for loss or damage to any personal belongings brought by a swimmer to any session. You are therefore requested to ensure that no valuable items are brought to the swimming lessons.

Given the inherent dangers associated with swimming, In the event that you or anyone associated with you refuse to obey an instruction from a member of staff or behave in an unacceptable manner towards a member of the team or any other person or causing damage to property, you and or the swimmer will not be permitted to continue with the swimming lessons.

Whilst you are at the venue, we ask you to respect all property. All access to any site and any surroundings will be at your own risk. Any other facilities that may be available at venues we hire are only available to be used by authorised people of the property owner and must be used in accordance with their rules.

Swimmers must not enter the water until instructed to do so by the swimming teacher.

You are responsible for your child until the teacher collects them at the start of the lesson and you must collect your child, promptly, at the end of the lesson.

Please refrain from communicating with or distracting the teacher or lifeguard during lessons.

Children who are not participating, must be supervised at all times.

Children must not be fed for 1 hour before their lesson (45 mins for milk/fluids).

If your child is not toilet trained, please ensure that they wear a suitable nappy under their swimming costume. Please take all your used nappies away with you. Please do not dispose of them in an open bin on the premises.

Children must all shower and go to the toilet before their lesson.

Long hair must be tied back, or a swim cap must be worn.

Goggles may be used but we reserve the right to remove them if they are hindering the swimmer or class.

Shoes must be removed before going on poolside (or overshoes must be worn).

Buggies must not be taken onto poolside.

Glass items, crockery and other such items must not be taken onto poolside.

There is a no smoking policy on site and the consumption of alcohol is not permitted.

Dogs are not permitted on the premises nor in the grounds of any location

General rules at Watford Swim School (Stud Green)

You must not leave the premises whilst your child is in the pool. If your child is in a one to one lesson with a teacher in the swimming pool and the teacher is ‘lone working’ we require you to stay on poolside or a suitable place where you can see the swimming pool at all times to maintain parental supervision of your child.

Children are not the responsibility of WSS or our swimming teachers until the child enters the swimming pool at the start of a lesson.

WSS will advise you if your child has reached a stage where they are too old or advanced for our lessons due to the length of the pool and sign post you to another one of our locations.

Please be aware that our lessons usually run with two or sometimes three teachers working alongside each other running their own separate lessons.

When parking your car, please respect our neighbour’s rights of access. You are welcome to park your car on the driveway of number 12 Stud Green, if a space is available.

General pool rules

• No Diving.
• No Running.
• No Food On Poolside.
• In The Event Of An Emergency Please Use The Emergency Phone And Push Button Provided To Summon Help.
• Shoes Must Be Removed Before Entering The Building.
• No Buggies Are Allowed In Changing Rooms Or On The Poolside.
• There Must Be No Breakable Items Brought Onto Poolside Such As Coffee Cups, Glass Bottles Etc.
• Swimmers, Siblings, Parents And Guardians Are Expected To Observe The No Smoking Policy In The Garden.
• Swimmers Must Leave The Pool As Soon As The Class Has Finished And Should Leave In An Orderly Manner