Policies

Enrolment & payment

Jump N Swim offers perpetual enrolments which ensures that your booking is reserved. This means your booking runs continuously throughout the year including school holidays. Bookings are not made on public holidays (if your lessons are booked on that holiday) and during our annual shutdown period which is normally 2 weeks over Christmas.

Enrolments into the program can be made at any time throughout the year.

Upon making a booking, you are required to pay the fees for the first fortnight (or part fortnight) of lessons and create a login to the Jump N Swim Customer Accounts Portal whereupon bank details must be entered for direct debit purposes.

Subsequent fees must be paid via direct debit and will be debited fortnightly. Your nominated bank account or credit card will be debited every Monday for the proceeding fortnight.

Your booking will continue each fortnight until written notification is given for the cancellation of lessons (see Cancelling a Booking).

Bookings can only be made within one week of the desired start date.

Make-up lessons offered for missed lessons

We understand that you cannot always attend your scheduled lessons, therefore we offer make-up lessons.

Conditions for make-up lessons:

For a make-up voucher to be applied to your account, the centre must be notified of the absence before 8:00 am on the day of the lesson
Make-up lessons are limited to a maximum of 8 per calendar year per weekly booking. 1 lesson booked per week = 8 make-ups / 2 lessons booked per week = 16 make-ups etc.
Make-up lessons expire on 31 December each year. Any unused make-up vouchers will be forfeited
Make-up lessons can only be booked within 7 days from the date of the request
Make-up lessons are offered where available space exists in another class, so they are subject to availability and the same instructor cannot be guaranteed
Make-up lessons cannot be booked within the School Holiday Intensive program
If you are unable to attend the scheduled make-up lesson, it will be forfeited
If your perpetual booking is cancelled, any unused make-up lessons will be forfeited
There will be no refund or credit given for missed or unused make-up lessons

Please note: Managers have some discretion to slightly extend the quota of make-ups to accommodate extenuating circumstances beyond a parent’s control, e.g. continued or repeated illness/hospitalisation etc. Medical or other suitable evidence may be required to support a request for extra make-ups.

Cancelling a booking

Should you decide to cease your lessons with Jump N Swim, written notification of the cancellation is required prior to the last day of the month.

Written notification may take the form of either an email sent to the centre’s email address or by filling in a Cancellation Form at the centre.

Please ensure cancellations are received on time as cancellations received after your direct debit has been processed will not be refunded or credited, i.e. there will be no refund or credit given for which payment has already been received.

Family discounts

We offer a discounted rate on the enrolment of second, third and subsequent children from the same family unit. The amount of the discount is provided if:

We can link the family member/s to the responsible person/bill payer
The responsible person/bill payer agrees to pay for the fees/s from the same account

Using a concession discount

You may receive a discount at our centres if you are a senior’s cardholder.

Your agreement with Jump N Swim

You have an agreement with us when you have made a booking which includes accepting our terms and conditions online and/or commenced using our facilities (whichever is the earlier). If these terms and conditions or your agreement differ from anything you are told at the centre or over the phone, these terms and your agreement will apply, unless written confirmation is received by email from an Jump N Swim employee using an Jump N Swim email.

Swim caps mandatory

A swim cap is essential for every student. This also applies to lap swimmers, aqua-aerobic customers and participants in any other pool-related activities.

Exemptions will be granted where special or medical reasons prevent wearing a swim cap. A letter from a certified professional may be required.

If your child refuses to wear a swim cap, we can make exceptions from time to time, for a short while, to help your child get used to wearing one. We’ll appreciate you talking to us and working with us so that together we can help your child adjust.

A swim cap will

Keep hair out of faces & goggles in place
Keep swimmers warmer
Keep our pool water cleaner

Goggles recommended

While goggles aren‘t mandatory, we highly recommend them when learning to swim. It encourages students to put their heads under water and helps to improve their body positioning. We find that wearing goggles often speeds up learning.

However, for some classes, and during Pass Class, (which is part of our Swim Safety Week, usually held at least twice a year), students will be expected (but not forced) to swim without goggles. This is to ensure your child does not become over-dependent on goggles and is able to swim without them because it’s likely your child won’t be wearing them if they accidentally fall into water.

Swim nappies mandatory (until fully toilet trained)

Babies and toddlers not fully toilet trained must wear tight–fitting waterproof swim nappies.

Any person not complying with this policy will be instructed to not enter the water (e.g. we notice the child is wearing an ordinary nappy) or leave the water (e.g. the nappy needs changing.)

Indoor Play Equipment

Children must be completely dry before entering the playroom.
Children must wear socks (not shoes or bare feet) on the play equipment.
All playroom rules must be observed at all times.

Wearing suitable clothes

All swimmers and guests must wear suitable clothing. We do not allow clothes with offensive images or inappropriate language.

Understanding our rights

If we do not enforce our agreement rights at any time, it does not mean we have waived those rights, no matter how long we wait.

Promising you are in good health

On the day you make a booking/accept our terms and conditions and each time you use our centres, you promise us that you or the children that you are responsible for who are using our facilities are in good physical condition and that you do not know of any medical or other reason why you or they cannot or should not attend lessons at our centre.

Seeking expert advice

Our staff and contractors are not medically trained. They are not qualified to assess if you and/or your children are in good physical condition and can exercise without risking your/their health, safety or comfort. If you have any doubts, we strongly urge you to seek expert advice before starting a swimming program.

Credits

We may offer you credit from time to time, including in connection with when we have to cancel a lesson due to pool closure, unexpected maintenance works or in other circumstances.

Credit is attached to a specific customer account and is usually processed at the next direct debit run.

If the customer account is closed for any reason, any credit is lost.

We may close a customer account, at our option, if the customer is in default of payment or in breach of our terms and policies, if we notice any other issue or error with the account (including possible fraud or criminal activity) or if the account remains idle for 12 months or more.

Credit may not be assigned or transferred to another customer account, except in our discretion.

We may approve a transfer of credit where you change your account details but not where the customer identity changes.

Credit is otherwise valid for a maximum of 12 months from the date of issue or creation.

Expired credit will be deleted and is not refundable.

We are not responsible for notifying you of the credit expiry date on issue or to provide you with reminders.

Credits can only be applied towards swimming lessons and for no other purpose and may not be used in conjunction with special offers and promotions which state credit does not apply.

Credit may not be redeemed for cash or converted into any other forms of tender including gift cards or vouchers.

What happens if your payment is late or fails?

In certain instances, such as insufficient funds, lost or stolen card, incorrect expiry date, a customer’s direct debit may reject. The Company has the right to charge the customer a $10 rejection fee to cover our administrative costs in relation to this rejection. We generally will not charge the customer a rejection fee, however, management has the right to charge the fee at its discretion e.g. repeat offenders.

Paying your outstanding debts

We will continue to debit your nominated account without notice, until we have received the total amount you owe us. We will make a reasonable effort to let you know beforehand by:

Phoning you or speaking to you at your centre
Writing to the email address you last gave us

For bookings attached to your billing account, you must make sure that the payment method you choose continues for the length of your agreement. This includes third-party accounts. If the details you give us fail, you are liable for all resulting fees. You should update your details as soon as practicable. If you default in payment of your fees, we may send your outstanding debt to a third-party debt collection agency to collect your outstanding fees. If this debt is sent to a third-party further fees and charges may be payable.

Staying up to date with our terms

We may sometimes add to, change, or remove our terms and conditions. This includes changing a centre opening and closing hours, its services and facilities and fees.

Sometimes, we may also close centres for refurbishment to improve their facilities. We do not reduce your fees because your centre is closed for renovations provided it does not affect your use of the facilities. We reduce the direct debit charge if your scheduled lesson falls on a public holiday and we are closed on that day or if we are closed for a holiday shutdown or an extended shutdown caused by maintenance repairs.

The most up-to-date terms and conditions always apply. You can find these on our website at https://jumpnswimacademy.com.au/.

Being notified about changes

We will give you at least 7 days’ notice of any material changes that will impact you, including price rises, for instance by:

Publishing them in our newsletter or on our website
Placing a notice at the centre
Phoning you or writing to the email address you last gave us (we generally do not use post unless absolutely required)

If we suspend a centres operations or services, temporarily or permanently, we may send you a written notice offering you either a:

Transfer to another centre, if available
A pause on your booking/s with no fees to be charged

Cancelling your booking

If we do not fulfil our obligations to you, you are entitled to cancel your bookings. Unless the law states otherwise, you won’t have any other claim against us if this happens other than recovery of fees for lessons that you have already paid for and we have not provided to you. In respect of any other liability to you, whether arising out of tort, contract or otherwise, this liability is limited to the greater of the amount of money that we have received from you for services which we have not been provided to you, the total amount you have paid us over the past 12 months or $1000.

Telling us about your health risks

If you believe any lessons or activities might risk the swimmer’s health, you must tell us this in writing with full details. You must also tell us if the medical condition changes after the booking commence.

We may choose to refuse your bookings until:

Your doctor agrees in writing that the swimmer is fit to exercise
You show us proof that you have received medical advice on an appropriate exercise program

Managing infections and illnesses

You must not use our centres facilities if:

You have an infection, contagious illness or material physical ailment, such as an open cut or sore or there is any other material risk, to other members and guests
In this instance you will be entitled to a make up in accordance with our make-up policy.

Cancelling if changes to terms and conditions adversely affect you

We reserve the right to change or add to these terms and conditions. If by making such changes you are adversely affected, you may cancel your booking/s by providing reasonable written notice to us including a valid reason.

Respecting our equipment

You are responsible for using our facilities and equipment correctly. If you are not sure how to operate any equipment, please ask our staff before you use it. Note that you will be responsible for any damage that you or your guests cause through a wilful act or negligence. Note also that you must not use a camera in our centres without written permission.

For your safety

You must always follow instruction from the staff at the centres. This includes but is not limited to instructions relating to safety, supervision of children and adherence to pool deck procedures. Signage displayed in the centres must always be followed.

Children under 10 – a parent/carer must always be present poolside. The water can be a scary place for some children and sometimes instructions/guidance is required to be sought from you or someone who knows your child well. We also find that in these early years of learning to swim, it’s advantageous that you or someone close to your child are involved in their swim journey.

Children aged 10 & 11 – the parent/carer can leave the poolside/site whilst the lesson is taking place, if they feel their child can cope. However, they must be present at the beginning and end of the lesson, and responsible for getting their child changed. It gets busy during lesson changeover times and we can’t allow staff to be taken away from water safety duties by having to supervise individual children. We see these as the transitional years, where children are learning to become more and more independent as they near their high school journey. So whilst in the water, most are able to cope without having an adult poolside during the lesson.

Keeping your belongings safe

Unfortunately, thefts do happen. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to your belongings while you are at the centre. We may give lost property to charity or others at the end of each month.

Parking

You park in the centre’s car park or on centres premises at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage to your vehicle or its contents.

Being refused entry or receiving a warning

We can refuse entry to anyone if they act unreasonably. We may also warn you that you risk having your booking cancelled. If you continue to behave in the same way, we may cancel your bookings immediately.

Facing instant cancellation

We can cancel your bookings without warning if you behave in a way that is risky or seriously inappropriate to our staff, other customers and/or our property, such as:

Threatening or harassing others including our staff, customers and/or suppliers whether at the centre and/or on social media etc
damaging equipment

Meeting your responsibilities

Your responsibilities, including payment of fees, do not depend on how often you attend lessons. You must tell us about anything that affects your bookings, and any changes to your contact and bank details.

GST exempt lessons

All of our learn to swim programs are GST exempt because they include mainly instruction in personal aquatic survival skills and meet the definition of a ‘first aid or lifesaving course’ in the GST Act. Our Squad Programs however do not qualify for GST exemption.

Understanding our privacy policy

During and after termination of your membership, we will have access to personal information about you. We will only use, disclose, or deal with your information in line with our privacy policy.

Having your contract transferred

We can assign or transfer the benefit of your contract to a person, firm, or company at any time. We will provide you with written notice if this has occurred. We can also sub-contract our obligations to someone else without notice. But if we do, we are still responsible for ensuring those obligations are met.

Child Safety Code of Conduct

This is one of the many policies that represents our corporate values and commitment to your child’s safety. It’s an important component of our staff induction and ongoing training programs.

It not only sets out the standards our staff must abide by, but also outlines the behaviours our staff will teach, encourage and expect of your child. Such as co-operating, playing by the rules and listening attentively to instructions, which are so important for your child’s safety.

It outlines our staff’s duty of care, including knowing who you’ve advised has parental responsibility for your child when they are on our premises and recording any emergency contacts in our system you’ve provided. Respect for others and no bullying, harassment or intimidation of any child whilst on our premises, by anyone, are just some of the standards we value very highly.

It’s a valuable document that helps staff identify acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, including guidance on how to maintain appropriate physical, verbal and personal boundaries between students and teachers. Your child’s safety also includes their psychological wellbeing, so our Code of Conduct includes rules such as communicating with children in an age-appropriate manner and using positive feedback and encouragement on performance.

It’s important our staff are positive role models for our students and our Code of Conduct is one tool that helps our staff achieve that.

Child Protection & Mandatory Reporting

At the time of writing, NSW has legislative mandatory reporting requirements that certain professionals and community members MUST report incidences of child abuse and/or neglect or if they believe, on reasonable grounds, that a child needs protection. As a provider of education services, we have a legal obligation to comply. Even if we didn’t have to comply, we would do so anyway because we’re committed to child safety.

Our Child Protection & Mandatory Reporting Policy guides our staff on what to do should they have reasonable grounds that a child needs protection. It covers a range of safety, welfare and wellbeing situations. Including physical and psychological neglect; the failure or refusal to arrange necessary medical care; physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and domestic violence where the child may be at risk of serious physical or emotional abuse.

Our Policy supports staff in assessing what are reasonable grounds for concerns and outlines various procedures depending on the situation. Unless it’s an emergency, only the highest level of management will decide if, and how to proceed, and will then oversee any reporting.

We assure you that a decision to make a report is only done so after following relevant government guidelines and/or seeking expert advice from listed helplines. As an outsider to the family of course we won’t have all the facts, or the full story, but we trust you will understand that if we do act it’s because we have a genuine concern and because we strongly care about the safety of children.

Permission required for photos & filming on-site

We appreciate that students and parents might want to record memorable moments, to share with those who couldn’t be there – which might even be you. But it’s more important we protect children. A photo of a child innocently posted by their parent on social media, could put another child at risk. A child identified in the background, whose location was unknown to one or both parents, because of child safety issues. There are other potential risks and dangers, so that’s why we’ve adopted a “No Unauthorised Photos or Filming” rule.

We do want to achieve a balance. Occasionally we may allow families to take photographs or videos of ONLY their child, but only in appropriate circumstances and only with permission. For example, a photo against an achievement board, or when they can be photographed or filmed without other children in the background that can be identified.

Please appreciate and respect that staff have the right to refuse. There may be valid reasons for this, for example, staff may have time to supervise and check the photo.

Under no circumstances will parents ever be granted permission for filming or photography in changing rooms, toilets, showers or other sensitive areas.

Where some sites are leased, the landlord (for example an educational school) may have a blanket no photography or filming policy. In those circumstances our lease agreement may not permit us to overrule that policy. Thank you for respecting that.

For staff or student training, we sometimes organise photography and/or filming. For example, coaches find it helpful to film students to show them where stroke correction is needed. We’ll always seek permission and ensure the identities of any nearby students are protected.

For filming and/or photography for marketing purposes, we’ll advise that such activities are taking place and written permission to use images of any child will be obtained form the appropriate parent/carer prior to any usage.

Use of closed-circuit television surveillance (CCTV)

Closed-circuit television surveillance (CCTV) is currently used at most of our facilities, or may be installed in the future. We use CCTV to ensure the safety and security of workers and customers, especially children. The presence of CCTV can discourage unsafe behaviour and can provide protection from harassment, exploitation and abuse. People are less likely to engage in inappropriate behaviour when they know there is someone or something watching them. Generally, people feel an enhanced sense of safety where surveillance systems exist.

The collection of CCTV footage is regulated by law and we will comply with current and future legislation. At the time of writing this includes such things as:

cameras will not record sound
cameras will be clearly visible
signs will be at any relevant entrances to notify people that they may be under surveillance
no CCTV in any changing rooms or bathrooms

We have no control or obligations where CCTV is installed by the landlord on the outside of premises leased by us, for example, installed on the outside of the building or in the car park.

We trust you appreciate our use of CCTV is primarily for safety reasons.

Unaccompanied Children On-Site

It’s important to have adequate supervision of children at our sites, to keep children safe. Whether it’s kids swimming with us, poolside spectators, or older children waiting to be collected. It also contributes to creating a more calm, relaxing and enjoyable environment, for everyone. Our comprehensive policy is used for induction and ongoing training of our staff and includes such things as:

Children under 10 – a parent/carer must always be present poolside. The water can be a scary place for some children and sometimes instructions/guidance is required to be sought from you or someone who knows your child well. We also find that in these early years of learning to swim, it’s advantageous that you or someone close to your child are involved in their swim journey. To help keep them motivated, praise and congratulate them. Having you or someone else poolside also provides us with the opportunity to keep you up to date on your child’s progress. We find we get the best results when we work together in partnership with parents.
Children aged 10 & 11 – the parent/carer can leave the poolside/site whilst the lesson is taking place, if they feel their child can cope. However, they must be present at the beginning and end of the lesson, and responsible for getting their child changed. It gets busy during lesson changeover times and we can’t allow staff to be taken away from water safety duties by having to supervise individual children. We see these as the transitional years, where children are learning to become more and more independent as they near their high school journey. So whilst in the water, most are able to cope without having an adult poolside during the lesson.
Children aged 12 and above – no parent/carer is required poolside. Your child can be dropped off/collected or make their own way to/from the swim school. At this age, some kids are travelling to and from high school on their own. If we are aware that your child hasn’t been collected as planned, we’ll get them to wait in our reception area and we’ll contact you. If it’s not safe for them to travel home alone, we won’t let them. We’ll help to make other safe arrangements. We care about your child’s safety.
The person responsible for a child under the age of 12 must be at least 16 year’s old. For example a capable older sibling could take responsibility for their younger sibling.
Other children attending the site not having lessons, regardless of their age, must always be supervised and controlled by the parent/carer of the child taking part in the lesson.
Adult supervision will be required for any 12+ aged child who has special needs, or is unruly or immature. Don’t worry or feel embarrassed because we understand children can sometimes be challenging and can go through phases.

As further protection for children in our care, if our staff feel a parent/carer is not capable of being responsible for a child, we have the right to prevent the child taking the lesson. For example, the parent/carer may appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We will call the Police if there is an immediate risk to a child. And if staff have reasonable grounds that the incident might not be a “one off” our Child Protection & Mandatory Reporting Policy will be actioned. This rarely happens (if ever at any of our swim schools), but it shows what we are prepared to do to keep children safe.

Staff Recruitment & Working with Children Check

When hiring staff we don’t just rely on paper qualifications. A large part of our recruitment criteria is assessing how skilled they are at being responsible for others. That they can protect a child’s mental and psychological wellbeing, help build their self-esteem, boost their confidence. Our swimming lessons are much more than just protecting your child’s physical safety.

We have policies and procedures in place, which we used to train staff on how best to screen and interview potential swim teachers.

It’s also an essential requirement that relevant staff have their Working with Children Check. As an additional step, we conduct at least two comprehensive reference checks for any new staff who will be closely working with children.

And it doesn’t stop once we’ve employed a new teacher. Newbies are closely supervised during a probationary period to ensure that they meet our high teaching standards.