Policies

Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines

The Covid-19 Restrictions and Guidelines we have in place at our 3 private pools in W5 are below. Please do adhere to all the points mentioned as we are all responsible for each others health and safety. Oaklands school have a letting agent we hire from, so we will of course work alongside them to put this all in place and will add the communication once all agreed. 

Ealing Pools 

  • We will ask all adults to wear masks while in the waiting area

  • No blue shoes available, so all shoes will be left outside and you'll need bring your own flip flops.

  • Only one adult per family and no non-swimming siblings to attend.

  • No adults who are in the high risk categories can attend. So no 70’s and over, no expecting mother’s and no one with a pre-existing medical condition.

  • Please come ready to swim or “Beach ready”

  • We have sanitation stations at entrance to the property as well as entrance to the pools. 

  • We have arranged the furniture in each property to adhere to social distancing

  • We have added outdoor changing space in the pools where changing space is at a minimum

  • We have installed one way systems or priority systems where the walk ways are either too narrow or 2 way, so there will be no crossing of paths 

  • We have added a new role within the team at each session, our Covid-19 officer. They will be responsible for monitoring who attends and keeping the waiting area occupancy to a minimum. They will also have a cleaning schedule to complete after each session has left. This covers cleaning all seating, touch points and toilet along with topping up all sanitisation stations.

  • Finally we'll be disinfecting the floor and all equipment used before we leave for each session and deep cleaning each site once a week. 

Health & Safety

The aim of this policy is to prevent accidents and occupational ill health by eliminating hazards, wherever possible, and by reducing those that remain to the lowest level reasonably practicable. The Health and Safety Policy demonstrates that all members of the Swimming School have a part to play in making our workplace safe and healthy.

Comfort Aquatics does not own or manage any facilities or premises, but is wholly committed to providing a safe and healthy environment at its sites for the benefit of its staff, customers and contractors by achieving high standards of health & safety in its operations

  • By working in conjunction with those use the facilities to we will, so far as reasonably practicable:

  • Establish, maintain and review health & safety standards through the process of risk assessment.

  • Ensure that the premises are without risk to those who use them.

  • Provide safe systems of work for all employees

  • Make suitable arrangements for welfare facilities in the workplace

Comfort Aquatics are expected to take responsible care of themselves and to protect themselves from the following risks and hazards when working for the Swimming School.

Possible areas for concern maybe divided into two sections: In the water and on poolside

Photography & Recording

The taking of photographs or videos are strictly prohibited in line with Comfort Aquatics safeguarding procedures. We will reserve the right to ask for any photos and videos taken to be deleted. Under no circumstances will photography be permitted in the changing facilities or toilet areas of the pools. The use of mobile phones on the poolside is strictly prohibited. If you need to take or make a phone call please do so off poolside.

If you wish to take a photo of your child, please inform the lead instructor, prior to doing. In accordance with Swim England guide-lines any images taken by Comfort Aquatics for publicity purposes will be done with the written permission of the parent/guardian.

Children on the poolside should be supervised by their parent/carer. It is Comfort Aquatics policy that mobile phones are not used on the poolside and any photography or recording of images is only carried out in accordance with the Swimming School’s Safeguarding policy. Parents of children playing with electronic devices on poolside must make their children aware that any recording or streaming of other people is not allowed.

Photographs and information appearing on the Comfort Aquatics website, Instagram and Facebook page are used in accordance with the Safeguarding policy.

Hygiene for Swimmers

  • If possible, shower before entering the water

  • Use the toilet before entering the water

  • ATHLETE’S FOOT – persons with severe athlete’s foot should not be allowed in the swimming pool or surrounding area unless their feet are suitably covered

  • Anyone suffering from any type of stomach upset (diarrhoea or sickness) should not be allowed in the pool for a minimum of 48 hours after the symptoms have cleared

  • Persons with any infected skin lesion should not be allowed in the pool

  • Persons with a discharging ear infection should not be allowed in the pool

  • A swimming hat must be worn by all swimmers in order to protect the filter system. These will be supplied initially and then available to purchase

Hygiene for Spectators

  • No shoes on poolside or pool houses, overshoes may be worn

  • No food or drink on poolside or in pool houses, water is permitted.

  • No buggies or pushchairs are to be brought into pool house

Pool Safety

  • In the event of an emergency the person in charge will blow a single long blast on a whistle

  • All swimmers and spectators will immediately stop what they are doing and wait quietly for further instructions

  • Should it be necessary to clear the pool, when the instruction is given, all swimmers will move to the sides of the pool, leave the water and stand back from the side. Swimmers will remain standing at all times

  • Should it be necessary to evacuate the building no attempt should be made to recover possessions from the changing rooms or anywhere else within the building

  • There is a set of procedures for evacuation. In all instances where it is necessary to evacuate the building a member of staff will take charge once the swimmers have left the water

  • The pool at the point of access together with safety signage must display a statuary disclaimer

  • Lifesaving equipment is provided on the poolside e.g. Reach pole

Safeguarding Policy

Available on request

Parents & Swimmers

  • We ask that you as Parents & Swimmers agree with the following: –

  • Complete and return the Medical Information form as requested and provide details of any relevant health conditions/concerns. To report any changes in the state of your child’s health to the teacher prior to the lesson.

  • Ensure that Comfort Aquatics has up to date contact details as required.

  • Ensure that your child is prompt for their lessons and is well enough to participate fully in the lesson. Swimmers must be in a clean state before entering the pool.

  • Ensure that the swimmers have the appropriate swimwear and swimming hats with them. Hats must be worn at all pools. Jewellery should not be worn in the water. The parent/guardian is responsible for the safe keeping of any valuables.

  • Ensure that the Lead instructor knows if a child is being looked after by someone other than their usual adult. Staff will stay with a child who has not been collected if left alone without any notice to the team, but if they are unable to contact parents, they will be following safeguarding guidelines and contact the local police to find the best course of action.

  • To obey instructions given by the Teacher(s) and comply with any safety regulations. No running or pushing is allowed.

  • To consistently display high standards of behaviour and report poor behaviour by others to an appropriate member of staff.

  • To ensure a member of Comfort Aquatics is present before entering the pool building. Swimmers should not enter the water unless directed to do so by a Teacher. Floats and swimming aids should only be used under the instruction and supervision of the Teacher.

  • No running is permitted on the premises. Children not swimming are the responsibility of the parent/guardian and must remain with them at all times. The School and Playgrounds are out of bounds and the parent/guardian will be held responsible for any damage to school property caused by the child in their care.

  • As space is limited, the changing area should be vacated as quickly as possible and the number of spectators kept to a minimum.

Parent and baby

  • Nappies. To avoid leaks, which can close the pool and spread bugs we ask all babies to adopt our double nappy system. A swim nappy as the first layer and a neoprene nappy as the second. This can be just a neoprene nappy, or you can have a happy nappy swim all in one suit. Please ensure the top layer fits snug at the time of purchase, as growing into these nappies is not a wise idea.

  • Child's health: Please leave 48hours before coming swimming if your child has had vomiting/diarrhoea. We want your child to enjoy their lesson and we want the other children to stay healthy. You shouldn't bring your child to their lesson if they have an ear infection/a bad cold/the flu/chicken pox or any other sickness that would normally stop you taking them to nursery.

  • Changing facilities: We have nappy bins, changing tables, showers, changing mats and travel cots to make things straight forward. Please note we are happy for you to put the mats on the ground and change your babies there. If you use the changing tables it is your responsibility to keep your child safe, while doing so.

  • Pool: The pool we use is heated to over 30 degrees, if for any reason it drops to under 30 we will cancel our baby and adult lessons and re-schedule them accordingly. It is lovely and warm and the ideal temperature for babies over 3months.

  • Goggles: If you have goggles for yourself as the adult, we highly recommend you bring them along. Its lovely to see your baby wide eyed and happy under the water and we encourage you to show them how you can go under the water. If you are not water confident, we can work around this but do remember most babies learn best through demonstrations.

Terms and conditions

  • All payments for a new booking must be made to confirm the booking. Invoices are sent via email and must be settled by the date shown.

  • All payment for a renewal booking must be paid in full by the deadline set to confirm space.

  • Payments can be made by BACS transfer, cheque made payable to Comfort Aquatics, or cash.

  • All lessons are non-refundable or transferrable unless stated below.

  • If you present symptoms for Covid-19 you cannot attend, but will not be offered a refund. You must isolate according to government guidelines and you then can return to your lessons.

  • If, for any reason we are faced with a Covid-19 case, Comfort Aquatics may need to close a session or pool. Then all lessons missed will be replaced in the future. If this period if longer than 2 weeks, then the lessons missed will be refunded.

  • Private swimming lesson term packs must be completed within the prescribed term dates. Lessons not taken within such dates will not be refunded.

  • If, for any reason, you need to rearrange a swimming lesson you have booked as part of your child’s private swimming lessons, you must give us one weeks’ notice. This will be allowed only once as gesture of good will and must be delivered within the prescribed term

  • Unfortunately, we will not be able to replace missed group lessons for any reason.

  • If, for any reason, Comfort Aquatics needs to cancel a swimming lesson, the lesson will be rearranged. No refunds will be made.

  • If a participant is unable to continue any scheduled swimming lessons for medical reasons, a refund will be issued for the lessons the participant has been unable to take, provided that reasonable evidence is provided (such as a letter or note from the participant’s doctor).

  • You can cancel all swimming courses and private term packs bought within seven days of purchase of the relevant swim product, provided the lessons have not started and/or you have not taken any lessons.

  • Whilst you are at the venue, we ask you to respect all property. All access to any site and any surroundings will be at your own risk. No children must use any of the venue’s property. If so, this will again be at the participants own risk. Once you enter the swimming pool, you will be under our responsibility and care

  • If we use private properties for our swimming lessons, please do not arrive more than 15 minutes before your lessons starts and then leave once dry and changed. No one should stay within the property or gardens after the lesson has finished.

You give us information about you by filling out our booking form. The information you give us includes: name, date of birth, family data, phone number, email address, address, financial and credit card information. This data is necessary for our legitimate interests and for us to fulfil our contractual obligations to you, and we rely on this as a lawful basis to use and process the data described above. We only keep your personal information for as long as is necessary for our original legitimate purpose for collecting the information and for as long as we have your permission to keep it.