H.G Swim Academy — Terms & Conditions. Booking, cancellation, credits, and data protection terms for all lessons, packets, subscriptions, trials and intensive courses
Effective 2026-04-22. Applies to all Lessons, Packets, Monthly Subscriptions, Trial Lessons and Intensive Courses booked with H.G Swim Academy Limited, however the booking is made (including via the Company’s booking portal at parentsportal.hg-swimacademy.co.uk, the Company’s website at hg-swimacademy.co.uk, email to info@hgswimacademy.co.uk, WhatsApp, SMS, telephone, or verbally in person).
1.1 Unless the context otherwise requires, references to the singular include the plural and references to the masculine include the feminine, and vice versa.
1.2 H.G Swim Academy (hereafter referred to as “the Company”) reserves the right to vary these Terms and Conditions periodically as may be required, and the Client agrees that the latest version as published on the Company’s website at www.hg-swimacademy.co.uk will govern the Client’s Agreement with the Company and supersede all previous published editions, paper or electronic.
1.3 H.G Swim Academy (hereafter referred to as “the Company”) refers to H.G Swim Academy Limited, a Company registered in England and Wales No. 16671905 whose Registered Office is 11 Redcliffe Street, London SW10 9DR.
1.4 The headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience only and do not affect their interpretation. In this Agreement the following terms shall have the meanings as defined:
2.1 This Agreement, together with any separate booking confirmations made via the Company’s booking portal, email, WhatsApp, SMS, or verbally, forms the basis of the contract between the Company and the Client and governs the arrangements agreed between the parties.
3.1 The Company will ensure that its Teachers carry out their teaching duties to the highest standard with due skill and care in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and any other timetables or performance targets that may be set by the Company.
3.2 The Company will take responsibility for ensuring that its Students fall under its control and adhere to all relevant teaching-centre regulations and procedures.
3.3 The Company will ensure that the Teachers have the required skills, qualifications (as laid out by Swim England regulations or a similar recognised professional body) and resources to provide the Coaching Services to the highest possible standards.
3.3.1 The Teachers will teach from the water where necessary. In any case, and without exception, the Company undertakes to ensure that its Teachers teach all beginners and non-swimmers from the water and not from the pool deck.
3.4 The Company will ensure that all of the Teachers are managed professionally.
3.5 The Teachers will be punctual and professional at all times in their appearance and behaviour, and will be courteous and polite to the Company’s Clients, members of management and staff working at the teaching locations where the Company operates, as well as fellow teaching colleagues.
3.5.1 Company Uniform and Presentation. The Company Staff will be well-groomed and presentable in their appearance at all times. It is obligatory that they wear a branded Company t-shirt or polo shirt (supplied), plus branded colour shorts or branded colour three-quarter-length trousers at all times when teaching from outside the water (or during any break periods), and a silicon hat (optional) and wet-suit when teaching Students in the water.
3.6 The Company shall take all reasonable steps to ensure teaching continuity and avoid any unplanned or sudden changes of Teacher assigned to perform the Coaching Services. However, if, for whatever reason, the Teacher is unable to perform the Coaching Services, the Company will endeavour to provide teaching cover in the event of any Teacher absence.
3.7 Student Progression. It is the Company’s policy to move a Student to the next level as soon as he is deemed to have mastered the requisite swimming skills and passed the relevant course modules enabling him to progress. However, the progression of any Student will be at the sole and exclusive discretion of the Company and subject to availability.
3.8 Schedule Calendars. The Company’s published schedule of Lessons, school-holiday Intensive Courses, and seasonal availability is maintained on the Company’s website at www.hg-swimacademy.co.uk and communicated to Clients by email and through the booking portal.
3.8.1 The Company has the right to change scheduled dates subject to the Client being given prior notice, and the Company’s published schedule may not always coincide with the Student’s school or holiday calendar. The Client agrees that the Company is unable to replace, make-up or refund Lessons missed solely on the basis of any variation between the Company’s schedule and the Student’s school calendar.
3.9 Child Protection. The Company has a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which Students can learn and will endeavour to safeguard the interests of its Students at all times. The Company’s Teachers will ensure that physical contact with a Student is restricted to only that which may be lawful, appropriate to the requirements of teaching, and to provide comfort to any Student who, for whatever reason, may be distressed, or to take appropriate steps to preserve a Student’s health and well-being. The Company’s Teachers have an obligation to familiarise themselves with current Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures as published by Swim England.
3.10 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Company undertakes to ensure that every Teacher holds an Enhanced DBS check appropriate to their role. Copies of current DBS certificates will be supplied upon reasonable request by the Client.
3.11 Public Liability Insurance. The Company holds current Public Liability Insurance in respect of the Coaching Services, and undertakes to keep such insurance in force at all times.
3.12 The Company will keep confidential any Confidential Information about the Client and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) in relation to the processing of personal data.
3.13 Teaching Continuity. Whilst the Company will endeavour to ensure continuity of teaching staff, the Company reserves the right to change Teachers at short notice for operational reasons, including but not limited to staff sickness or where circumstances beyond the Company’s reasonable control so require.
3.14 The Company reserves the right to amend or cancel any Lesson, class, Packet, Monthly Subscription, Intensive Course or schedule for operational reasons or in exceptional circumstances, subject to the cancellation remedies available to the Client under Section 6.
4.1 Parental Presence. The Client (or the Student’s nominated guardian) must remain on site throughout the entire Student’s Lesson. This is a mandatory requirement for three important reasons: (a) to comply with each venue’s health and safety procedures (Normal Operating Procedure and Emergency Action Plan); (b) to safeguard the Student, especially as the Teacher cannot accompany a child (for example, to the toilet); and (c) to be immediately available in the event of any medical or safeguarding incident. If this requirement is not met, the Company reserves the right to cancel the Lesson without refund or rescheduling.
4.2 Medical Conditions. The Client must disclose any existing medical conditions at the time of the Student’s Registration and must notify the Company immediately thereafter should any new medical condition be diagnosed.
4.3 Transmission of Infections. Any Student known to be, or found to be, suffering from any infectious ailment or condition will not be permitted to pursue his Lesson. It is the responsibility of the Client or, where the Student is a child, the parent or guardian, to ensure that the Student is fit and well enough to be taught.
4.3.1 The Company will not accept liability for any infection passed to a Student by another Student enrolled on any of its Lessons or Courses, nor from the swimming-pool premises.
4.4 In the event that the Client is absent for any reason, the Client authorises the Company in loco parentis to make decisions for the proper safeguarding of the Student’s well-being.
4.5 The Client gives consent to any physical contact which may be lawful, appropriate to the requirements of teaching, and provides comfort to a Student who, for any reason, may be distressed, or takes appropriate steps to preserve a Student’s health and well-being.
4.5.1 The Client gives consent for any Student in the Company’s care to receive emergency medical treatment by a person suitably qualified, where such treatment is crucial to the Student’s health and well-being, or in the event that the Client cannot be notified immediately about a medical emergency or injury sustained by a Student whilst attending any of the Company’s Lessons.
4.6 Under no circumstances are any of the Company’s Teachers to be distracted or interrupted whilst any Lesson or training session is in progress, nor should any attempt be made to assist in the performance of teaching duties unless specifically requested to do so by the Teacher or another member of the Company’s staff.
4.7 A Student must not enter the water before the scheduled start time of the Lesson and must leave the pool immediately after the Lesson has finished, unless explicitly permitted to remain under the terms and conditions of the venue.
4.8 The Client undertakes to observe the rules and regulations in force at the Student’s teaching venue at all times, and the Student is expected to behave properly when enrolled on any of the Company’s Lessons.
4.9 The Company reserves the right to exclude any Student from continuing their Lessons for repeated misbehaviour before, during, or after any Lesson, or if the rules and regulations at the Company’s teaching venue are repeatedly broken, causing risk to the Student or others, or in the event that the Student’s behaviour has been detrimental to the smooth running of the Company’s services or the Company’s reputation.
4.9.1 In the event that a Student, parent, guardian, sibling or other associate of the Client should (i) refuse to obey any reasonable instruction from a Teacher or member of Company staff; (ii) behave in an unruly manner towards a Teacher, member of Company staff or any other person; or (iii) cause wilful damage at the venue, whether to furniture, fixtures, fittings or equipment, the Student shall be excluded forthwith. In such circumstances, the Company reserves the right to terminate this Agreement with the Client immediately and without notice, and the Company will not be liable to refund or credit any balance of fees outstanding for Lessons not completed by virtue of such behaviour.
4.10 Hygiene. In the interests of hygiene, the Client (and the Client’s companions) must not wear outdoor shoes in the swimming-pool area of any teaching venue. Plastic shoe covers are available at the Company’s teaching centres where applicable.
4.11 Prolonged Absence. Should a Student be absent from scheduled Lessons for two or more consecutive weeks, the Client must notify the Company. In the event that a Student is absent for four weeks or more without written notification or explanation, the Company reserves the right to cancel the Student’s enrolment without further notice and make the Student’s place available to another Student. In such circumstances, the Company shall not be liable to refund any balance of fees paid in respect of unconsumed Lessons.
4.12 The Company shall be the sole and final arbiter in deciding any Student’s swimming level and ability, and/or eligibility to progress to any higher swimming level.
4.13 Insurance. The Company holds appropriate Public Liability Insurance as required by law. However, it is the sole responsibility of the Client to ensure that separate insurance cover is in place for any Student’s personal property when attending any of the Company’s Lessons. The Company accepts no liability for any loss of personal property sustained by the Client or Student whilst attending any of the Company’s Lessons.
4.14 Student Uniform. At teaching centres where Company swimming hats (silicon) are provided to the Student, such hats form part of the required uniform. Only the Company’s hats will be deemed acceptable head-wear during any Lesson or training session. Accordingly, the Student is required to bring their hat to every Lesson.
4.15 Client Contact Details. In addition to any information freely available on the Company’s website, communications will only be sent to the Client via email, SMS or WhatsApp. It is therefore incumbent upon the Client to ensure that any contact details (including email addresses and telephone numbers) supplied and held on file by the Company remain up-to-date. The Company accepts no liability for any communication failure or lapsed Registration arising from the Client’s failure to notify the Company of changes to their contact information.
4.16 Intellectual Property. The Client acknowledges that, under the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the Registered Designs Act 1949, as amended, all copyright, trademarks, patents and other intellectual property rights deriving from the Coaching Services shall belong to the Company, including any documents or other works prepared by any Client or Student. The Client further undertakes to keep confidential any Confidential Information relating to the Company to which they may be privy during the course of their dealings with the Company.
4.17 Second Sessions. The booking of a Student’s second Lesson in any week is subject to availability. The Client agrees that there is no automatic right to a second Lesson, and that Clients on the Company’s waiting list will be given priority.
4.18 The Client agrees to support the Company’s aims and uphold the Company’s good name and reputation, and will not under any circumstances engage or act in a manner which could damage either.
5.1 Payment in Advance. Payment for all Lessons, Packets, Monthly Subscriptions, Intensive Courses and Trial Lessons is due in full at the time of booking. The Company will not reserve or confirm a Student’s place on any Lesson, Packet, Monthly Subscription or Intensive Course until payment is received.
5.2 Accepted Payment Methods. The Company accepts payment by:
5.3 Any payment which is less than the full amount owing will be accepted by the Company on account only, and the balance must be paid before the Student’s first Lesson or place reservation lapses.
5.4 The payment of Lesson fees is the responsibility of every Client who completes a Registration with the Company. Any separate agreement that may exist between a Client and a third party to pay fees on the Client’s behalf does not absolve the Client from any liability arising under these Terms and Conditions, unless agreed separately in writing between the Company and the third party.
5.5 Course Discounts. The Company does not offer any official or standard discounts. Any discount or special-rate adjustment is granted solely at the discretion of the Company’s management. The availability, amount, or duration of any discount may vary and may be withdrawn or modified at any time without prior notice. Discounts cannot be combined with other offers or applied retroactively unless expressly approved in writing by management.
5.6 Unless expressly agreed otherwise, all Registrations and payments should be processed through a member of the Company’s management, and not via any of the Company’s Teachers.
6.1 Credit Issue. When the Client cancels a scheduled Lesson at least 24 hours before its scheduled start time, the Lesson value is issued as a Credit to the Client’s account by default.
6.2 Credit Validity. A Credit is valid for three (3) calendar months from the Original Lesson Date. After this period the Credit expires and carries no value. Credit expiry is automatic and non-negotiable; the Company does not extend Credit validity under any payment arrangement.
6.3 Credits are issued in equivalent Lesson duration (30, 45 or 60 minutes) and retain the price tier of the original booking.
6.4 Expiry Notifications. The Company will endeavour to send reminder emails to the Client’s registered email address approximately 30 days and 7 days before a Credit’s expiry date. These reminders are a goodwill courtesy and do not affect the expiry rule in clause 6.2; responsibility for redeeming Credits within their validity period rests with the Client.
6.5 Alternative Refund Election. In place of a Credit, the Client may request a cash refund for a Lesson cancelled 24 hours or more before its scheduled start time, provided the request is submitted in writing to info@hgswimacademy.co.uk within 14 calendar days of the cancellation. Refunds under this clause are processed via the original payment method where practicable (otherwise by bank transfer) within 14 working days of receipt of a valid request, in line with Consumer Rights Act 2015 requirements for prompt refunds. Where a Lesson was paid as part of a Packet or Monthly Subscription, the refund amount is the pro-rata value of the cancelled Lesson (the total price divided by the number of Lessons in the Packet or monthly billing period). Once a Credit has been redeemed for a new Lesson (see clauses 6.7–6.11), the right to request a refund under this clause is extinguished; redeemed Credits cannot be converted back to cash.
6.6 Late Cancellations and No-Shows. Lessons cancelled less than 24 hours before their scheduled start time are forfeited in full. No Credit will be issued and no refund will be given. A Lesson is considered a “no-show” if the Student does not attend within the first 15 minutes of the scheduled start time and no cancellation has been received; no-shows are treated as late cancellations under this clause. The Company may, at its absolute discretion, waive these rules in cases of documented medical emergency or bereavement.
6.7 Credit Redemption Across Siblings. Credits are redeemable across Siblings registered on the same Client account, provided the redeeming Student’s Lesson is of the same duration as the Credit (30-minute Credits redeem against 30-minute Lessons only, and so on).
6.8 When multiple Credits are available, the system automatically redeems the Credit with the earliest expiry date first.
6.9 Once redeemed, a Credit is locked to the new booking. The resulting Lesson may not be cancelled online and is non-refundable. Changes to a Credit-redeemed Lesson (rescheduling for exceptional reasons) may be made only at the discretion of the Company by contacting info@hgswimacademy.co.uk.
6.10 If a Credit-redeemed Lesson is cancelled less than 24 hours before its scheduled start time, or is a no-show, the Credit is forfeited in full. No new Credit will be issued and no refund will be given.
6.11 The restriction in clause 6.9 exists to protect fair access to Lesson slots and prevent repeated rescheduling of the same Lesson.
6.12 Monthly Subscriptions. When the Client cancels a Monthly Subscription mid-billing-period, any Lessons remaining in the current billing period that have not yet been held are automatically converted to Credits under clauses 6.1–6.4, carrying the same 3-month expiry from their Original Lesson Date. Billing for subsequent periods ceases from the cancellation date.
6.13 Trial Lessons. Trial Lessons are offered once per Student and cannot be cancelled through the online booking portal. To cancel or reschedule a Trial Lesson, the Client must contact info@hgswimacademy.co.uk at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are treated as no-shows and the Student forfeits the right to any further Trial Lesson.
6.14 Intensive Courses. Intensive Courses (typically four to five consecutive weekday Lessons within one school holiday week) are governed by separate cancellation rules from single Lessons. The following schedule represents a genuine pre-estimate of the Company’s administrative and opportunity costs, and is not a penalty clause:
6.15 Intensive Courses are not eligible for Credit issue under clauses 6.1–6.4. The sole remedy for a cancelled Intensive Course is a cash refund under the schedule in clause 6.14.
6.16 Partial attendance (for example, attending Monday but not Tuesday) does not entitle the Client to a pro-rata refund of missed days. Once an Intensive Course has started, the full fee is retained.
6.17 Intensive Courses cannot be cancelled through the online booking portal. Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to info@hgswimacademy.co.uk.
6.18 Cancellation by the Company. If the Company cancels a Lesson (due to Teacher illness, pool closure, severe weather, or similar), the Company will first offer to reschedule the Lesson at no cost to the Client. If rescheduling is not practicable within a reasonable timeframe, the Client may choose between (a) a full cash refund of the Lesson value, processed via the original payment method where practicable (otherwise by bank transfer) within 14 working days of the Client’s election, in line with Consumer Rights Act 2015 requirements for prompt refunds; or (b) a Credit for the Lesson value that is not subject to the 3-month expiry in clause 6.2 and remains valid until redeemed or until the Student’s enrolment ends, whichever is later.
6.19 The Company’s liability for a cancelled Lesson is limited to the value of that Lesson and does not extend to consequential costs (travel, childcare, time off work, or similar).
6.20 Exceptional Circumstances. The Company acknowledges that families occasionally experience genuine emergencies including but not limited to serious illness, bereavement, and family crises. In such cases, the Client is encouraged to contact info@hgswimacademy.co.uk as soon as reasonably practicable. The Company may, at its absolute discretion, waive any cancellation or credit-expiry rule in this Section. Decisions under this clause are made at the absolute discretion of the Company and are not subject to appeal.
6.21 Changes to This Section. The Company reserves the right to amend this Section by giving active Clients at least 14 calendar days’ written notice via email to the address registered on their account. Credits issued before the effective date of any amendment are governed by the Terms and Conditions in force at the time of issue.
7.1 Lawful Basis and Consent. The Client gives consent to the Company (and any data processors acting on its behalf) to process personal data relating to the Client and the Student for the purposes of the administration and management of the Company’s business, and to comply with any applicable laws, regulations and procedures. This data will be held for the duration that the Client’s booking remains in force, or for any longer period permitted under clause 7.4 below. All reasonable care will be taken to ensure that this personal data is held securely.
7.2 Data Controller. The Company is the data controller for personal data collected about Clients and Students. The Company is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number ZC126807 and processes personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
7.3 Purposes of Data Processing. The Company processes personal data for the following purposes:
The Company does not create commercial profiles or automated decision-making systems about Clients or Students. Data is used only for the operational, communication and legal-compliance purposes listed above.
7.4 Data Retention. The Company retains personal data for as long as the business relationship requires. The Client may request deletion of personal data at any time under clause 7.5(b). Where a deletion request is received, the Company will delete personal data promptly, subject to any legal obligation to retain certain records — in particular, financial and transactional records, which HMRC requires to be retained for six years after the final transaction with the Client.
7.5 Data Subject Rights. The Client has the following rights under UK GDPR:
7.6 Contact for Data Protection Enquiries. To exercise any right in clause 7.5, or for any query about how personal data is handled, the Client should contact:
H.G Swim Academy Limited
11 Redcliffe Street, London SW10 9DR
Email: info@hgswimacademy.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)7751 210 336
7.7 Data Sharing. The Company uses trusted third-party service providers — including but not limited to cloud hosting, email service, payment processing, and data-storage infrastructure providers — who act as data processors on the Company’s instructions and are bound by appropriate contractual safeguards under UK GDPR. The Company does not sell personal data, nor share it with third parties for marketing purposes. Personal data may also be disclosed where required by a legal obligation (for example, court order, regulatory request, or emergency medical treatment under clause 4.5.1).
7.8 Compulsory and Optional Information. Personal data requested at Registration (including parent/guardian contact details, Student’s name, age, home address, and any medical conditions) is compulsory as it is required to provide the Coaching Services safely and lawfully. Failure to provide complete or accurate data may mean the Company is unable to accept a Registration.
7.9 Security Measures. The Company implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, in accordance with the principles set out in Article 5 of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
8.1 The Company shall not be liable for any breach of its obligations under this Agreement, nor for any consequent failure to provide the Coaching Services, arising from causes beyond the Company’s reasonable control. Such causes include but are not limited to: acts of God, fire, flood, severe weather, earthquake, disease, pandemic or epidemic, public health orders or government restrictions, war, civil unrest, terrorism, industrial action or strikes, failure of utilities (including water, electricity and gas) at a teaching venue, cyber-attack or malicious software affecting Company or venue systems, or any other circumstance reasonably outside the Company’s control.
8.2 Where a force majeure event prevents or materially disrupts the delivery of a Lesson or series of Lessons, the Company will notify the Client as soon as reasonably practicable. The Client’s remedies in that event are set out in clause 6.18 (Cancellation by the Company).
9.1 If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable under any applicable law or by any court or regulatory decision, that provision shall be severed from this Agreement without affecting the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions.
9.2 Where the severance of a provision under clause 9.1 materially affects the commercial basis of this Agreement, the Company and the Client will negotiate in good faith to amend or replace the affected provision as necessary to preserve the original commercial intent, so far as consistent with the applicable law.
10.1 Subject to clause 10.4, where the Client incurs any loss in connection with or arising from the performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, and the Company’s liability to the Client is established, the Company’s total aggregate liability under this Agreement or otherwise shall in no circumstances exceed the total fees paid by the Client to the Company for Lessons consumed during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the act or omission giving rise to the loss.
10.2 Subject to clause 10.4, the Company shall not be liable to the Client by reason of any representation or implied warranty, condition, or other term for any loss (whether occasioned by the Company’s negligence or that of the Company’s employees, agents or sub-contractors) arising out of or in connection with any act or omission relating to the provision of any Lessons, products, services, or equipment by the Company or any Teacher.
10.3 Subject to clause 10.4, the Company shall not be liable to the Client for any loss arising as a result of any Teacher’s acts or omissions relating to the provision of any Lessons, products, services, or equipment.
10.4 Unaffected Liabilities. Nothing in this Agreement limits or excludes the Company’s liability for:
11.1 This Agreement, together with the Company’s booking portal confirmations and any written booking correspondence, sets out the complete terms and conditions by which the Company is contracted by the Client, and shall supersede any prior arrangement or understanding (whether oral or written) between the parties.
11.2 No variation or alteration of these terms shall be valid unless approved by both the Company and the Client in writing, except where changes to the delivery of teaching or any other obligation are necessary to comply with applicable health and safety, safeguarding, or other statutory requirements.
11.3 Updates to These Terms. The Company may update these Terms from time to time. Where a change materially affects the Client’s rights or obligations, the Company will give active Clients at least 14 calendar days’ written notice (see clause 6.21). Credits issued before the effective date of any amendment are governed by the Terms and Conditions in force at the time of issue.
12.1 This Agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. All disputes, claims or proceedings between the parties relating to the validity, construction or performance of this Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.
12.2 Nothing in this clause 12 affects the Client’s statutory rights as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or any other applicable UK consumer protection legislation, including the right to refer a dispute to an alternative dispute resolution scheme or to bring proceedings in the Client’s local jurisdiction where applicable consumer protection law so permits.
End of Terms and Conditions.
