I agree to the terms and conditions:

South Coast Mermaids

The following Terms and Conditions form the basis of a Contract between You and South Coast Mermaids (hereafter referred to as SCM). Please take the time to carefully read through this Contract. By confirming with payment you are acknowledging that you have read, understood and agree to the following terms and conditions.

1. Teaching Policies and procedures

All SCM Instructors are Qualified Swimming Instructors with a CPD in Mermaid Swimming (monofin swimming)

We will endeavour to provide a temporary replacement instructor in the event of any instructor absence; We reserve the right to replace Instructors, if necessary once the term has started and cancellation on due to Instructor change is not valid. Due to in-house training, we may have a second qualified Instructor in the pool as part of their training to become a SCM Instructor.

SCM Instructors can only be responsible for students during their swimming lessons and parents and/or guardians are responsible at all other times. The swimming lesson begins when the instructor accepts charge of the student from the parent or guardian and ends when the student is returned to the designated pick‐up and drop‐off point at the end of the lesson. Although instructors will endeavour to hand the student back directly to the parent or guardian the student is the full and sole responsibility of the parent or guardian when the student is returned to the designated pick‐up and drop‐off point at the end of the lesson.

2. Booking and Payment

By paying, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood and agree to the terms and conditions.
All payments to be made via our website (using the service Square Up) www.southcoastmermaids.com or by bank transfer to our business account (by prior arrangement). If you have any problem using the online facility, please contact SCM at anna@southcoastmermaids.com

3. Cancellation and refunds

If you wish to cancel a confirmed booking once the term has started, no refund or credit will be offered unless on medical grounds (see below).
Missed Lesson(s): We are unable to refund any money for sessions missed because of a) General illness to either parent/guardian or child b) Holidays confirmed prior to or taken during the term c) Late arrival or non-attendance (voluntary withdrawals).

SCM are not obliged to offer ‘catch up’ classes and will not transfer any missed lesson(s). There may be circumstances out of our control, in which the pool might not be available for SCM lesson(s). Examples of these circumstances include (but are not limited to) damage to the pool, severe weather conditions, power failures, industrial action, and instructor sickness. Where a lesson(s) are cancelled due to an unforeseen circumstance, SCM will undertake every action to ensure additional session(s) within the scheduled term (including half term) or in between terms. If you are not able to attend this alternative date, or where SCM is unable to arrange the additional lesson(s), we will automatically credit you with the correct amount for the forthcoming term.

SCM will not be able to cover the cost of any travel expenses if we use an alternative venue.
Should a lesson already in progress or about to start, have to be cleared for any reason, SCM is under no obligation to refund the lesson(s) or part thereof, although SCM will endeavour to make up the cancelled lesson where possible. If you are not able to attend this alternative date, or where SCM is unable to arrange the additional lesson(s), we will automatically credit you with the correct amount for the forthcoming term.

Any catch up classes are at the discretion of SCM and depend on the circumstance of the absence.
SCM offers this service as a gesture of goodwill and is not statutorily obliged to do so.

Refunds/Credits for Withdrawal on Medical Grounds

After a course has started, if you wish to withdraw from the agreements of your booking on a medical basis we require an email/letter cancelling your course followed by a doctors note from your GP , Consultant or Specialist within 7 days of your written cancellation, confirming the child should not swim (for at least 3 weeks), which you need to forward
to anna@southcoastmermaids.com. Where agreed, a credit for the balance of the sessions remaining from the date of the receipt of your written notification along with the doctor’s note.
If you wish to cancel a course on medical grounds before the term has started, please see Sec on 3.0 above and follow our standard cancellation policy.

4. Code of Conduct

Please note, the instructor will not allow in the water any child or parent who does not wear the appropriate swimwear.

Spectators: We welcome spectators but for health and safety reasons and for the comfort of the group, this is limited to 2 spectators per child per session, in the designated viewing area. Only the parent/adult of that child will be allowed inside the poolside and changing areas.

Lost Property and Valuables: All property left in changing rooms, poolside or spectator’s areas, is left at your own risk. SCM will not accept any responsibility for the loss or damage of any personal possessions.
Lost property will be kept at the pool and subject to the Lost Property rules at each pool. Please note, odds and ends lost property such as shampoo, dummies, socks, etc. will be disposed of at the end of each day.

Photography and Video Recording: We cannot allow photography or video recording on any device (including but not limited to mobile phones) during the lessons for health & safety reasons. If SCM take any professional photographs or videos we will inform all parents prior to the start of that class and ask all parents to sign a consent form – for those parents not wishing their child to be photographed or video we will ensure they are not included.

5. Swimming Standards

It is at the instructor’s discretion whether a participant can wear a mono fin or not. By completing a purchase for a class, you are agreeing that you or your child can complete the following:

To swim with us, your child will need to have achieved Swim England Stage 5 (Previously ASA Stage 5).

To ensure everyone’s safety, if your child does not have Swim England Stage 5 but has an equivalent, they still must be able to complete the following:

Participants must:
- be able to swim 25m confidently on their front and back
- be able to tread water for 30 seconds

- be able to roll over in the water horizontally

- be happy going under the water
- be able to perform a dolphin kick

We will do a fun warm up in which
we will assess their ability to complete these skills. Any children who are unable to manage these skills will not be able to wear a monofin or tail.

Data Protection Policy

SCM will not use or make available any personal information that we hold to any third party.
SCM will not use your personal information except to send you promotions, mailing marketing, course information and notifications.

Amendments to Terms & Conditions and Statutory Rights

SCM reserves the right to amend its booking terms and conditions and associated documentation at any time. These Terms and Conditions do not affect your statutory rights.

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