Terms Conditions and Policies

Core Programme, SwimTots, SwimBabies, RapidTrack, One-to-One and One-to-Two Lessons.

Places are booked on a first come first served basis. Customers book a series of lessons with us on the basis of a vacant space within a pool.

Bookings will be taken by telephone and payments will be processed and recorded on a secure database. On completion of a booking an automatic confirmation e-mail will be generated and sent; new bookings will not be available to book online through the internet.  All new bookings should be accompanied by a payment with either debit or credit card. Debit cards are not subject to charges, credit cards will be subject to an additional £2.50 per transaction. No provisional bookings will be taken under any circumstances. A minimum booking of two consecutive sessions must be made for all new bookings.

When you first book your child into our lessons programme you will be invited to participate in our simple, easy, automated recurring online re-enrolment payment system (EasyPay) for future lessons. This will require you to confirm acceptance of our Automated Payment Terms and Conditions that apply to this payment scheme in order to be eligible for the automated published rate.

Online Re-enrolmentsUsing Our Automated Recurring Re-enrolmentMethod

On acceptance of participation in our Automatic Recurring Re-enrolmentScheme (EasyPay), you will receive notification of the fee. Our automated system will deduct from your initial approved card* details, the sum required to ensure your child’s place is confirmed. 

Due to the continuous progressive nature of our programme, and the variety of ability levels within each session, we will try our very best to accommodate your placement within the same timeslot on promotion as a space within the next Stage may not always be immediately available.  Consideration will be made to siblings and other family members and much effort will be made to allow minimum change but we cannot guarantee specifics. Pupils will be placed and moved on an ongoing basis; SwimEasy operates a continuous progressive policy of moves / promotions / placements.

Pool layout and class stations are designed to take into consideration the maximum amount of Ability Stages learning at the same time; not all timeslots can accommodate all Ability Stages; especially where SwimWell classes are planned as SwimWell is an advanced stage of swimming and has specific needs in terms of pool space. 

SwimEasy will control pupil movements when required. Movement’s decisions are the responsibility of the teachers and the lesson Progress Advisors.

When pupils reach our advanced Stages (e.g. SwimFast and SwimFaster) the lessons format alters as these sessions require us, on occasion, to take up the full size of the pool or use a dedicated number of full lanes with upper ability levels. Sessions are normally allocated exclusive timeslots and, where possible, they are scheduled either directly before, or after, the Core Lessons Programme.

 *Should you wish to change the card details we hold, you must inform the office a minimum of one week prior to the Roll-Over date to allow time for your new card details to be processed.

Cancellation of new bookings, where a child has not commenced with their lessons, and a minimum of 3 weeks’ notice period is given, will be refunded subject to an Administration Fee of £20.00 per booking. Cancellations received outwith this period are non refundable.

Withdrawal of your child from future lessons is expected to be a planned process requiring, in advance, 4 weeks’ notice prior to the next payment date.

Payment dates 2012/2013:

11 March 2013 and 03 June 2013.
7 October and 9 December 2013.

The SwimEasy Swimmer Relinquishment Form must be completed please follow link Swimmer Relinquishment Form. Please Note: Relinquishment from your place in our Lesson Programme will not be accepted by any other method other than by the completion and submission of the official SwimEasy Relinquishment Form within the required notice period.

Change of Venue and / or Timeslot: For continuity it is best for your child to remain at the same venue for their swimming lessons, however we understand that from time to time the need for change may arise. Re-locating and changing venue will be subject to a £10 alteration administration fee per family for moving during term time. No re-location will be charged if you notify us in advance if you wish to move venue at the end of a session. /term.

Fees: Fees are determined on an annual basis of 4 equal payments. Lessons are generally planned over an 8 week period. A minimum of 32 weeks is guaranteed per academic year. Dates for lessons may be subject to change. Lessons will be in line with school terms and will take into account the main school holiday periods. As public holidays are not the same for every school, some lessons will take place on local public holidays. Make-up lessons will only apply to lessons missed in the unlikely event of a pool closure.

Pool Closures: The Company hires the pools from various different schools / councils and therefore is not directly responsible for pool maintenance. This obviously means occasionally we come across problems outwith our control. In the event of a closure we will contact each customer individually by e-mail alert and, if short notice is given, we will also make every attempt to phone our customers with a personal message.  Closures are very rare as pools are generally well maintained however, as with everything in life, the unusual can sometimes happen.  All parents/guardians are encouraged to supply the company with an email address and mobile telephone number for quick communication purposes.

In the unusual event of a pool closure, (with the exception of closures as a direct result of heavy snow fall or dangerous weather conditions**) we will offer an alternative date or venue. No refunds will be given in any circumstance. Where possible a “make-up” lesson will be offered and, in some circumstances credit notes may be given in lieu of payment for future lessons. In an instance where a pupil is not returning to our classes for a further lessons they will be afforded a make-up lesson only and will not receive a refund. In this instance the make-up lesson can be taken anywhere in our programme subject to the availability of places.

** In the unusual event of classes being cancelled as a venue/school has been closed due to heavy snow fall or dangerous weather conditions, no make-up classes or credit notes will be offered. 

Classes: Core Programme Classes are held over a 40 minute timeslot inclusive of 5 minutes allocated for registration and debrief (with the exception of specialist programmes where 30 minute timeslots are determined i.e. James Gillespie’s High School) . One-to-One and One-to-Two Classes are held over a 30 minute timeslot inclusive of 3 minutes allocated for registration and debrief. SwimFast will be allocated 1 x 60 minute lesson per week and SwimFaster will be allocated 2 x 60 minutes lessons per week for quicker progression.

Class numbers are projected target figures and are not guaranteed. If a teacher is absent, the Company reserves the right to join classes together if considered appropriate. Whilst the Company tries to employ 100% reliable staff, obviously there are times when unavoidable sickness or accidents occur at the last minute. We would always try to put a replacement teacher in place immediately however if this is not manageable (due to time constraints) we would put the classes together in order to avoid the cancellation of any classes, which is not a happy outcome for anyone. This would be an extremely rare occurrence as additional teachers are usually available at each pool to cover any such eventualities.

Pupils:  All pupils in the Core Lessons Programme will be considered as athletes and will be treated in accordance with the long term athlete development model endorsed by British Swimming. Swimmers throughout all the Ability Stages will be progressed in accordance with the “SwimEasy Passport to Successful Swimming!” awards system which falls in line with the criteria’s used by Swim Australia, British and Scottish Swimming.

Pupil Progression: Progression of swimmers will be at the judgment of the Teacher, the Teacher Trainer and the lesson Progress Advisor in accordance with the progression within the criteria written in the Passport to Successful Swimming. Pupils will be moved during the course of lessons if they meet the skills criteria required for movement to the next Stage, and will not be deliberately held back.

Child Protection: Child protection, including bullying, is in line with the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association (SASA) child protection policies.

Teaching and Office Staff: All teaching and office staff are Enhanced Disclosure Scotland checked. The company operates within an equal opportunities programme. The company reserves the right not to offer places if it is deemed that a pupil is living with a limited physical or mental ability; our main reason for rejection would be that of unqualified staff.  

Risk Assessment: Pupil to teacher ratios are in line with small numbers to teachers in the lower stages and increasing to higher numbers of pupils to teachers as the child moves through the programme of lessons. Numbers also reflect in the allocation of space required to enhance a child’s progress.

Quality Control:Teachers will be Enhanced Disclosure Scotland checked and will wear appropriate SwimEasy uniform to perform their job of working in and out of the water. All teachers will take part in regular teacher training on various aspects of learn to swim skills along with CPD (Continuous Professional Development) courses to ensure that they are up-to-date with modern methods.

Teachers are challenged regularly to respond to weekly online-learning videos to ensure that they are constantly refreshing their knowledge and skills as swimming teachers. Quality Assurance checks on each teacher’s performance are monitored at each session by a Teacher in attendance at the pool.

Progress Advisors / Managers will be in attendance at each pool to ensure the safe, smooth running of the lessons and to look after the needs of the teachers, pupils, and parents / guardians. Usually the highest qualified swimming teacher or coach, the Progress Advisor / Manager, will hold a pool rescue or pool safety award in line with British Standards. In some venues a separate Lifeguard will be in attendance. It is not necessary to have Lifeguards available at all pools as our pupil to teacher ratios exceeds the normal national requirements for safe teaching.

Dress Code: All children should wear eye goggles and tight fitting costumes / trunks. Baggy shorts are not permitted, the reason for this is that, if costumes are too loose, they cause ‘drag’ through the water and this distorts the feeling of movement for the pupil in the pool. Baggy shorts do not allow children to get the feel of how their body moves in the water; they also fill up with air and cause water resistance. Full body wetsuits are not permitted as they create false buoyancy skills.

In the interests of hygiene all the children should wear the SwimEasy cap, as provided, to prevent their hair trailing through the water and causing others to swallow it. By keeping hair off the face, less distraction is caused to the pupil during the lesson. Swim caps also keep the smaller children warmer as most body heat is lost through the head. The cap is part of the SwimEasy Uniform and determines the pupil’s Ability Stage as well as their positioning within the pool planning.

Parental Responsibilities: Parents/guardians are responsible for their child/ren in the changing area. The Company’s responsibility to look after pupils begins when the children come onto poolside in preparation for their lesson. If parents / guardians chose to leave the changing area during the course of your child/ren’s lesson, we would ask that please ensure you return at least 5 minutes before the lessons end; children can get very distressed if parent/guardian cannot be found. Change-over periods are exceptionally busy for all Progress Advisors / Managers as they must ensure the safe exit and entry of all pupils from/to the poolside.

Parents / guardians must never distract the teacher and should direct all communication through the lesson Progress Advisor / Manager. Parents / guardians attempting to speak with a teacher during the period that lessons are in progress can be very dangerous and would definitely pose a safety issue for all pupils participating. If a teacher is distracted and takes his / her eye away from the pupils in their care anything could happen in a split second; it is unfair on staff and pupils to put teachers in this situation.

Lost Property: SwimEasy cannot accept any responsibility for the loss or damage to clothing or personal items at any venue. In the event of a loss of property parents / guardians are advised to contact the janitorial staff at the venue directly.

Communication: We always like to encourage communication and welcome discussion and points of issues to be raised with our staff. In order to ensure that lessons are not interrupted, we would request that, if you have any questions for the teacher, you approach your Progress Advisor / Manager who will be happy to assist by speaking with the teacher on your behalf. If necessary, the Progress Advisor / Manager will arrange a suitable time for you to speak directly with the teacher concerned. The Progress Advisor / Manager will always be the person to resolve the issue at poolside so issues should be conveyed through them. The Progress Advisor / Manager is unable to make any decisions with regards to administrative or monetary concerns but will be able to assist with questions regarding the progression of pupils or behavioural issues occurring at the pool venue.

Office Communication: Will be offered to any customer, who wishes to discuss matters of an administrative nature such as pool closures, deferring lessons etc.

Viewing: At most venues parents / guardians will be permitted on poolside; parents/guardians will be advised accordingly. If a particular venue does not allow this practice, we would ask that parents/guardians adhere to the rules as set out for safety and insurance purposes. When permitted on poolside, we request that all parents / guardians realise that we are dedicated to teaching the children and that the Company cannot take responsibility for parents / guardians sitting on poolside. Noise is a distraction and all parents / guardians must appreciate that continuous chatter is unacceptable. It is also very difficult for the teaching staff to gain full attention from their pupils if they are constantly being distracted by outside sources; progress can be affected if children are not fully able to concentrate.  Customers must appreciate that most of pool venues are school pools and are not designed for spectators therefore parents should not demand that seating is available specifically for their use.  We insist that parents / guardians comply with our pool venue rules as we can often be in danger of losing a let due to parental misconduct.   

Parking: Parking is only permitted in allocated spaces at each venue. The Company has to adhere to the regulations laid down by the letting facility for each pool. Individual parking regulations and restrictions are in place for the safety reasons; please help us to ensure everyone safe and out of harm’s way. Parking is normally plentiful as most venues have large play grounds / parking areas. Parking is free at almost all venues.

SwimTots/ SwimBabies Fees: Fees are determined on an annual basis of 4 equal payments. Lessons are normally planned over an 8 week period.  A minimum of 32 lessons are guaranteed per academic year. Dates for lessons may be subject to change. Lessons will run in line with school terms. As public holidays are not the same for every school, some lessons will take place on public / local holidays. Make-up lessons will only apply to lessons missed through pool closure etc. Children and babies will be accompanied by an adult at all times. The adult will be responsible for the child in both the pool and the changing areas and must comply with the safety and health regulations laid down by the teacher / leader.  Siblings attending lessons, but not participating, must be accompanied by an adult. Both parents / guardians can attend the classes by prior arrangement but this cannot be guaranteed each week on account of class sizes.

SwimTots/ SwimBabies Class Numbers: Class numbers will vary depending on venue and pool capacity, more than one class may be scheduled in a pool running at the same time,  when there is more than one class being taught at the same time the teacher ratio is normally 7 learners to 1 teacher.  Maximum use of space will be used to run our programme and not all lessons will be afforded exclusive use of the whole pool especially when there is adequate space to run more than one class at each time slot.

Adequate swimwear must be worn; costumes that enhance buoyancy are not permitted. Goggles and swimming aids i.e. arm rings or bands are not permitted. Parents / guardians, in the first instance, will be encouraged to submerge and allow the child to experience water being splashed over their heads at every lesson. In line with modern teaching methods, total submersion of children is only encouraged after a period of progressive practices has been taught. Parents/guardians are asked to participate and demonstrate techniques under the guidance of the teacher/leader. Parents/guardians will be asked to wear a t-shirt to encourage grabbing, gripping and climbing techniques.

RapidTrack: Our specialist One-to-Two Holiday “RapidTrack” Lessons can be booked a week at a time, each morning, from Monday to Friday during holiday periods. One-to-Two Classes are held over a 30 minute timeslot inclusive of 3 minutes allocated for registration and debrief. Fees are determined on a weekly basis of five equal payments. In the event of a booking being taken for two in a class every effort will be made to match the pupil with a similar pupil of the same ability; if a suitable match cannot be found you will receive a phone call to discuss terms.

CrashCourse: CrashCourses can be arranged from time to time. These courses are designed to run at specific times and will allow new pupils to join SwimEasy during an interim period. A CrashCourse can provide specialist teaching e.g. rookie life saving, water polo, one-to-one, stroke correction (stroke stamina for advanced pupils who have already mastered the skill only).

Incentives and Offers:The Company has the right to offer incentives to new customers which should not be directly comparable to specific circumstances. The company will not apply discounted rates to new customers but will offer better rates to existing customers who choose to book into RapidTrack or CrashCourse courses. In the event of some classes being under subscribed the company has the right to sell a space at specific rate which may not comply with rate card.

SwimEasy Refer A Friend Terms And Conditions

Referral incentive 

Refer a friend’s child for SwimEasy lessons and save money on your next EasyPay payment. 

Referring a friend for SwimEasy lessons at selected venues allows you to receive up to 50% off your child’s next set of lessons. 

When your friends book in you will get up to half of your next set of lessons paid for by SwimEasy. 

Take advantage of this incentive now by asking your friend to call us on 0131 466 0764. 

We will ask your friend to give your name, your child’s name and the pool venue attended. 

Reap the reward today and refer a friend to receive this great money off incentive.

• Incentive applies to new customers only and does not apply to immediate family members.
• Incentive applies to the next immediate EasyPay payment only following the referral confirmation.
• Incentive is not transferable.
• Incentive is not valid for RapidTrack or
• Private Lessons (One-to-One or One-to-Two)
• Terms and Conditions apply and the management have all rights to apply additional conditions if appropriate
• The management have the rights to amend the incentive at any time

“EasyPay” Rollover Payments

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information sent out by email as part of the “EasyPay” Rollover process, this cannot be guaranteed.  Inaccuracies related to a child’s name, class booked and venue can be resolved by contacting the office. 

Errors relating to payment will be subject to the following conditions:

i)          A booking is only deemed confirmed on payment of our full published rates as displayed on our website www.swimeasy.co.ukor in published literature, dated and distributed from time to time (not withstanding special offers as detailed below (iii)).

ii)          Where the incorrect amount is paid due to a computer error on our part, resulting in an underpayment, and where a confirmation email has been sent, a full refund will be offered and the booking will be cancelled.  Alternatively, to retain the booking, the balance payment must be made within one week of being informed of the error.  In the case of a computer error resulting in an overpayment, an immediate refund for the surplus to our current published rates will be repaid.

iii)         Where a special offer is in place, full compliance with the Terms and Conditions of that offer must also be adhered to.  Non-compliance will invalidate the offer and the full published rate will be due.