BEST Aquatics Terms and Conditions

info@bestaquatics.com.au

BEST Aquatics Terms & Conditions

All patrons and students agree to abide by the following Terms & Conditions upon enrolment into any of BEST Aquatics’ programs.

New Enrolments

All new students over the age of 3 must undergo an assessment prior to enrolling into a class.
Students will be assigned a skill/class level based on this assessment.
No assessment required for children under 3 years of age.
It is imperative that BEST Aquatics is informed PRIOR to an assessment or allocation of a class if a swimmer has any special needs, including but not limited to, behavioural, medical or learning, so we may cater to these needs.
Swimming terms are aligned with the NSW Public School Terms
Mid-term enrolments are accepted; however, they are subject to availability. Fees will be charged Pro Rata for the remainder of term.

Perpetual Enrolment

Enrolments will be automatically rolled over into subsequent terms unless written notice of cancellation is received.
Part term enrolments will not be accepted.
You will be notified (via email) of any permanent lesson time/day/instructor changes due to your child progressing to a new level or necessary timetable changes, approximately 2 weeks prior to the new term starting.
Every effort will be made to adhere to the timetable, however BEST Aquatics reserves the right to consolidate classes, alter timetables, program schedules and change teachers to suit seasonal and usage requirements as necessary.
As per our communication policy, please make sure the swim school has up-to-date details for your family.
The full term must be paid for regardless of any missed lessons due to holidays, camps, performance rehearsals, religious holidays etc.
Classes will not go ahead on a Public Holiday and are not included in the term fees.

Payments

Enrolments are only confirmed once full payment of term fees has been received.
Children will not be allowed to participate in their lesson if term fees remain outstanding.
Rolled over enrolment fees will be automatically invoiced (via email) 1-3 weeks from the end of the current Term for the following Term. Invoices MUST BE PAID by the nominated due date on the invoice.
All invoice account details must be kept up-to-date and are the responsibility of the account holder. Details can be managed via the customer portal.
Sibling discounts: 5% discount is applied for each child
POS transactions are accepted poolside for merchandise.
We accept Cash, EFTPOS, VISA, Mastercard and AMEX.
Please choose your class carefully as we have a ‘no refund policy’. Swim school fees are payable by EFT, credit card/eftpos or cash. Credit card payments attract a 1.5% surcharge (AMEX incurs ~3.3% surcharge). We do not accept cheques. Fees are to be paid in full by the due date.

Credit Card Fees & Surcharges

Direct Debit Direct debit is available, and our preferred method of payment. The terms for Direct Debit are as follows:

Rolled over enrolment fees will be automatically deducted via direct debit 2 weeks prior to the commencement of Terms 2, 3 & 4. Term 1 is debited ~6.5 weeks in advance due to necessary new year planning requirements and school closure periods at the start of the year.
The full term fee is debited in one go. There is a second option to pay in 2 parts (1/2 before the terms starts and the other half one month later). NOTE: To opt for 2 part payment you need to send an email requesting this option to info@bestaquatics.com.au.
Mid-term enrolments will be charged Pro Rata for the remainder of term and debited upon confirmation of the enrolment.
All payment details must be kept up-to-date and are the responsibility of the account holder. Details can be managed via the customer portal.

Cancellation Policy

Four (4) weeks notice is required to cease enrolment for the next term.
If you choose to cancel the term once payment has been made, BEST Aquatics DOES NOT give refunds. In certain cases, BEST Aquatics will offer a credit valid for 12 months, but this is only assessed on a case by case basis and needs to be applied for in writing.
A $30 administrative fee will be charged by BEST Aquatics if we do agree to a credit.
There will be no refund of unused fees for mid-term cancellations.
No refunds or credits will be issued should you choose to change to a different class within the term.

Fee Credits

Should you not be able to attend more than 5 consecutive classes due to illness/injury a medical suspension form and medical certificate must be supplied.
In the event of injury/illness as described above, a credit will be issued on your account.
If a credit is claimed, your class spot will be vacated and you will need to re-enrol on return. Places cannot be held.

Absences

In order to qualify for a make up class, a notice of absence must be submitted via the customer portal.
Notice of absences will not be accepted in person on the pool deck.
Corresponding make up classes can only be booked once a Notice of Absence has been submitted.

Make Up Classes

One make up class can be booked via the customer portal once a Notice of Absence has been submitted.
Make up classes are subject to the approval of BEST Aquatics management. You will be notified of acceptance of, and able to view booking via the customer portal.
Make up classes cannot be booked in the first 2 weeks of term.
Non-medical make up classes are limited to 1 per term per student.
An additional medical make up class can be allocated after a medical certificate has been submitted to admin@bestaquatics.com.au.
Make ups do not need to be taken at the time of submitting a Notice of Absence.
BEST Aquatics must be notified of a student being absent at least 30 minutes prior to a class commencing.
Make ups can be taken in advance of the scheduled class for which a Notice of Absence was submitted.
Make ups must be used within the same term as the corresponding absences.
The make up lesson will expire at the end of the term in which the absence occurred.
Booked make ups cannot be modified. The class will be forfeited if not attended or cancelled.
Make ups can only be booked in an alternate class of the students current or assessed level.
Make ups are strictly limited by availability and cannot be guaranteed. Missed classes will not be credited or refunded.
Make ups are non-transferrable and can only be used by the enrolled student. (sibling transfers, etc not accepted).
Make ups are unavailable for accounts that are in arrears.

Class Progression/Changes

Assessments are held 2-3 weeks prior to the end of each term. However, students who have achieved all of the skill requirements for their current level may be approved by the supervisor to move to the next level (mid-term), subject to class availability.
Students can remain in current class until an available spot is secured in the next level, however, only skills for the current nominated class level will be taught.
Students may be required to change times/days in order to secure a class at the new appropriate level.
Maximum class numbers cannot be exceeded.

BEST Aquatics Instructors

All instructors at BEST Aquatics have a Working with Children certificate.
All instructors are certified in CPR.
All instructors are fully qualified by at least one of the following accrediting bodies: Austswim, Swim Australia (SCTA) or Royal Life Saving.
Instructor continuation is not guaranteed term to term.
Requests to have a specific instructor will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.
BEST Aquatics reserves the right to alter instructor and/or class times if required.
Instructors and coaches working at BEST Aquatics cannot be approached to teach privately outside the swim school. If any parent is found soliciting BEST Aquatics instructors, BEST Aquatics reserves the right to expel your child with no refund or credit given for any remaining lessons.

Communication Policy

Our preferred method of communication is via email or our customer portal. Please ensure that you check your nominated email address (and keep it up-to-date) as we will send you enrolment updates and all other relevant information via email.
It is your responsibility to inform us of any changes to your personal details. Details can be updated via the customer portal.

HEALTH & SAFETY

Illness and Communicable Diseases

Please respect our precautionary health rules and refrain from lessons if your child is suffering from any of the following: ANY contagious disease e.g. conjunctivitis, rubella, flu, COVID-19, gastro, fever, common cold, runny infected noses, sore throats, cold sores, ringworm, head lice and urinary tract infection, or any illness (however small) if there is a risk to others. The instructors have the right to refuse a child who shows clear signs of illness in their class.

COVID-19, Flu & Gastro Specific Precautions

If you or your children are unwell with a fever, fatigue, infection, flu, COVID-19 or any gastro, please do not come to BEST Aquatics until 14 days after those symptoms subside.
Frequently wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, hand wipes and/or sanitiser:
- prior to passing your children to their instructor, as well as after their lesson;
- after coughing or sneezing; before and after eating;
- after going to the toilet; and
- after changing nappies.
Hand washing is the key to prevent the spread of germs!
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or by coughing/sneezing into your elbow. Encourage your children to do the same. Dispose of used tissues immediately
Please shower, using soap and rinsing thoroughly before entering the water.
Do not urinate in the pool. This contaminates the pool water.
If you currently have, or have had, diarrhoea you should not enter the water. You should not swim for 14 days after symptoms have stopped.
Faecal accidents can happen. If you or your child doesn’t quite make it to the toilet, please tell our staff immediately. Confidentiality will be respected.
Do not change nappies beside the pool or rinse off your child in the pool. Use the change rooms provided.
Parents/guardians should ensure young children use the toilet before entering the water and regularly while at this facility.
Avoid swallowing the pool water.
Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers, which are located throughout the pool premises.
Avoid unnecessary contact with others.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
We do not offer communal items (ie. goggles, caps). Read Swimming Attire NOTE below.
All BEST Aquatics Instructors and Management team have been double vaccinated

Aqua Nappies & Swimming Attire

All students under the age of 3, and any child who is not yet toilet trained, must wear a double swimming nappy: Aqua Nappy with a SplashAbout Happy Nappy on top.
- A ‘SplashAbout Happy Nappy aqua nappy’ is compulsory; no other brand of aqua nappy is accepted for the top nappy.
- Any brand of disposable aqua nappy can be worn underneath the Happy Nappy.
- Unfortunately, we will not accept your enrolment if you refuse to use Happy Nappy in conjunction with another aqua nappy; or if you refuse to have your child wear one.
- Happy Nappies and aqua nappies are available for purchase at the pool deck.
Only approved swimwear will be allowed in the pool.
Swimming caps must be worn by all swimmers with the exception of Droplets and their parents/guardians.
Goggles are recommended for all swimmers except Droplets.

NOTE: For health & safety reasons, we do not supply communal goggles and caps. If you forget either of these items, you will need to purchase them from the pool deck or miss out on the lesson. A make up lesson will not be granted for this situation.

Pool & Pool Area

Children are not permitted to enter the water until the start of their lesson.
Children must leave the water as soon as their lesson is finished.
No child is permitted in the water if there are no teachers present.
We have a ‘no diving policy’.
Students and their parents must follow and observe all safety rules and the directions of staff at ALL times.
Please do not allow your child to run anywhere on the BEST Aquatics premises. We have wet floors and they can be slippery.
A unisex changing area is available for your convenience.
All children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult or guardian (over the age of 18) at all times, unless prior arrangement has been made with staff / management.
No balls, ball games, running, skating, bikes or scooters will be permitted in the pool area or in the BEST hub building.

Code of Conduct

BEST Aquatics management, staff and teachers reserve the right to remove any student / child who they believe to be behaving in a dangerous or disruptive manner.
Management reserves the right to refuse entry, cancel enrolments, and request student/parent/guardian to vacate the premises should they not behave in a respectful and responsible manner.
BEST Aquatics has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any form of aggression towards our staff or patrons.
While parents are encouraged to watch classes, parents must not approach teachers during lessons.
All students and their guests must remain under the supervision of the responsible adult at all times.
BEST Aquatics and its surrounds are non-smoking areas.

Child Safety

BEST Aquatics will uphold practices that promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people. All members and guests must behave accordingly. Our commitment to Child Safety:

BEST Aquatics is committed to child safety.
We want children to be safe, happy and empowered.
We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers.
We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children.
We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures.
We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.
BEST Aquatics is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks.
BEST Aquatics has robust human resources and recruitment practices to reduce the risk of child abuse by staff and volunteers.
BEST Aquatics is committed to regularly training and educating our staff and volunteers on child abuse risks.
We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
All employees at BEST Aquatics have a Working with Children (NSW) as required by relevant legislation, as well as BEST Aquatics being registered as a Working with Children (NSW) Employer.

Photo / Video Policy

It is a condition of entry to BEST Aquatics that a person will not operate any visual recording equipment in the facility without pre-approval from BEST Aquatics. Any person breaching this condition must immediately leave if directed to do so by a member of the staff. Please enquire with the manager if you wish to operate visual recording equipment on the premises. We ask that you respect the wishes of other patrons who may not wish to have themselves or their children filmed whilst using the BEST Aquatics pool.
Under no circumstances are cameras, video cameras or mobile phones to be used in change room areas or showers.
Periodically, BEST Aquatics will conduct professional photoshoots for the purpose of promoting the school. When a photoshoot has been arranged, patrons attending at that time will be informed and required to sign a photo/video waiver if they agree to participate. We respect the wishes of individuals who do not wish to participate in these activities.
Periodically, BEST Aquatics will offer professional photoshoots to patrons to capture special moments of your child swimming in the pool and underwater. These special events will be pre-booked and a fee will be charged for the purchase of the photos (the same as you do with school photos). There is no obligation to participate in any of these photoshoots.

Limitation of Liability

You understand that you and/or your child will be engaging in activities that may involve risk of personal injury or illness and which may also involve the risk of economical/property loss and damage. You also understand that there may be risks involved that are not known to you and/or your child or to the BEST Aquatics, or may not be foreseen or reasonably foreseeable at this time or at the time of using the BEST Aquatics facilities or participating in the BEST Aquatics program. In consideration of your enrolment in the BEST Aquatics Program, you hereby release and forever discharge BEST Aquatics from all actions, suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses, damages, penalties, fines, costs and expenses howsoever arising that you may have incurred arising from or in connection with your and /or your child’s use of BEST Aquatics facilities and equipment, or from being on BEST Aquatics premises to the fullest extent permitted by law and whether caused or contributed to (directly or indirectly) by any act of negligence, breach of duty or default/omission on the part of The BEST Aquatics and its respective owners, directors, officers, employees or agents.

In consideration of enrolment to you and/or your child, you and/or your child agree that BEST Aquatics will not be liable for any loss, damage or theft of any of your and/or your child’s property.

BEST Aquatics will not be liable for any death, personal injury or illness occurring on the BEST Aquatics premises or as a result of use of facilities or equipment.

In accordance with the Privacy Act 2001, all information that is collected and stored by BEST Aquatics will only be used for the purpose of administration, enrolment, and in the case of an emergency. In addition, BEST Aquatics will only use the contact details that you have provided to contact you in relation to BEST Aquatics activities and will not release your details to a third party.