Terms & Conditions
DCA Terms and Conditions School regulations, Policies and GDPR
Observance of the following rules, regulations and policies is implicit in the acceptance of a place in the School. The School reserves the right to refuse entry to classes if these rules are not complied with. Dance and Cheer-a-cality is a trademarked company so any use of our logo or materials must seek advance approval. The School reviews and amends its policies and regulations on a regular basis and advises parents and teachers to read this document thoroughly to ensure a clear understanding is gained. Please contact the Principal, Lara if you require more information.
1. All pupils must complete a registration form via our booking portal and must receive notification of a place before any classes are attended. The signed registration form acts as an agreement between Dance and Cheer-a-cality and parents/guardians.
2. To cancel your subscriptions you must inform us by the 10th to cancel the following month. Alternatively a full month's fee must be paid in lieu of such notice.
3. All fees are payable by the 1st of each month through subscriptions. If payment fails it will automatically re-attempt 3 times . A £15 late fee surcharge will be added to any fees outstanding after the third attempt. Fees are non-refundable and will not be returned because of absence under any circumstances.
4. Students may get the opportunity to perform throughout the year in shows, competitions etc, please note if you choose to participate in these performances additional charges may occur and if you leave mid event the full charge of event is still due to be paid.
5. Hair should be dressed correctly for all classes. For Modern, Cheer Jazz and Tap classes hair should be in a ponytail/Bun/Plaits. Only very short hair can be worn down with a hair band. Pupils may be refused entry to class if hair is not styled correctly.
6. Correct footwear must be worn for all classes.
7. After one month of attending, the official uniform should be purchased. Pupils may be asked to sit out of elements of class if inappropriate wear is shown.
8. No jewellery is to be worn in class; this includes watches, earrings and face jewellery. We accept no responsibility if this is worn.
9. For security reasons, we recommend that valuables are not brought to the school. Mobile phones must be switched off, and the teacher has a right to confiscate mobile phones if used within the duration of the class. Your child will receive the mobile phone after the lesson ends.
10. NO chewing gum is allowed in class.
11. Water and non messy snacks can be brought to class but only used when a coach directs.
12. It is the responsibility of the parent to name ALL pieces of uniform and to check when leaving that they have all their possessions with them. No responsibility will be taken by the school for any losses incurred on the premises.
13. Please inform us if your child is suffering from any health complaints or allergies. This is the parent’s responsibility to do this
14. . All term and holiday dates are on the newsletter and website at the start of every term. We try and stay in line with school terms as much as possible, though we cannot help circumstances which may change this.
15. If a pupil wishes to undertake auditions or other classes at a different school it is professional etiquette to contact the Principal of the School in order for permission to be granted.
16. The School reserves the right to end a student’s attendance at the school for reasons such as non-payment of fees, incorrect dress or unacceptable behaviour.
17. . Please respect the building and property where the classes are taking place, by keeping the noise level low and the rooms tidy and free of rubbish.
18. Pupils under the age of 11 (year 6 and under) are advised to wait in the studio if parents are not here to collect them, however if they leave the studio after their session time then Dance and Cheer-a-caltiy is not responsible for the safety of the child once they leave the class. Please wait with your child if she/he takes more than one class and there is an intermission between classes if you are concerned. Please walk your children to and from classes. Do not drop them in the car park's and let them walk in by themselves. Dropping off earlier than class time is not permitted.
19. Parents must keep child’s details up to date via their booking portal account if their details have changed. It is the parents role to do this. The Principal must be notified of any changes of address, contact number and email address.
20. Students and Parents will show commitment, good behaviour and aim for 100% attendance. Any issues or concerns I will bring to the principal to discuss in confidence, and I will not partake in team gossip, or comment any negative discussions about the school, teachers or pupils on any social sites, or otherwise disciplinary action will be enforced.
21. Athletes will act appropriate when wearing any branded merchandise or uniform representing the club and this includes no drinking alcohol/ smoking or taking of drugs.
22. Parents will encourage your child to follow the rules and set good examples for your child, using correct language at all times. Ensure your child has the correct attire for class and water . Inform the club if your child is absent, respect the coaches decisions and support the club in good sportsmanship behaviour. Any parent who would like to help with fundraising or sponsorship ideas please reach out to us as we are keen to have you to assist. A parent will share any concerns directly with the head coach to solve (rather than gossip).
23 .athlete insurance is a parents responsibility and we strongly encourage all to do this and recomend insure4sport.
24. DCA or any of their staff are not responsible for any loss or injury during the class.
Competition/ exam additional terms and conditions.
Competitions and examinations are taken when and only when the Principal believes the pupil has reached the required standard. A letter will be given to the pupil when they are ready for an exam. If fees are not received by the due date, the pupil will not be entered for the exam. Examinations/ Competitions require a lot of hard work, dedication and require attendance of extra examination classes to ensure pupils are at the correct standard by the exam date. These classes are scheduled in addition to syllabus classes and are charged by a separate fee. Once payments are made these entry fees are non refundable
· A yearly joining fee is required for competition teams – This is non refundable.
· I will pay all my entry fees and additional competition fees on time. Failure to do so could risk your child not being entered for an event. If i leave mid season i understand that entries are included in subs and the full cost of all competitions must be paid if I choose to leave mid season.
· All choreography and music rights are owned by Dance and Cheer-a-cality and must NOT be shared without written consent from Dance and Cheer-a-cality.
· I agree that my coaches have the final word on team placement and routine choreography. As it is a team sport if members are unable to perform or drop out suddenly, that the whole team will be affected, and this may lead to the team being unable to perform. If the routine is not to a performance standard an entry for a competition may also be removed at short notice.
· I agree that all lessons are compulsory not optional: If I am unable to attend a lesson I MUST inform of my absence directly to the Principal and coach, sending a message with a friend is not acceptable. If I miss more than 3 sessions, I understand I may be substituted or taken out a competition team for an event. Club members must realise absences affect the entire team and their performances at competitions. Choreography becomes affected and your child could have different choreography if unable to learn the amendments
· I understand that if I am issued 2 yellow cards for unacceptable behaviour/unauthorized absences etc. my third will be red and I will be asked to leave the competition squad with no refunds. – All of these matters will be discussed with Coach AND Principal.
· Under no circumstances may I miss the 2 lessons (red zone) leading up to a competition. I may loose my space in the team..
· Illness – We understand members do get ill – please inform us If you are unable to attend – if you are injured and not with fever , please still attend class with a notepad to update and learn any new amendments.
· Athletes could loose spaces in a competition team if behaviour is non coachable, disruptive or dis respectful . We will always try to encourage a athlete with parent support but if it is continual a chat with the parent will occur.
· Notice to leave : If you stop 6 weeks before a competition/ exam the full month's fees will be charged. (we are unable to refund entry, exam entry, tickets to competitions at any point)
· All discussions about the competition and routine will not be discussed outside of class- we must not share our routine and music on public domain until the coach has informed at the end of each season if this is possible.
· Team Mum’s and coaches MAY have access to all team members adults phone numbers for competition days unless you inform us otherwise.
· Un-sportmanship behavior from adults and athletes at any time, is not tolerated and can result in your child and parent being asked to leave.
· As it is a public event all filming and photography will be taken by an outside company and we are aware of this.
· It is my responsibility to make sure I bring all outfits/shoes/makeup and hair accessories when required.
· It is my responsibility to ensure I arrange ticket orders by set dates shown by DCA, all transportation to and from all practices and competition venues if applicable and I agree to arrive at the designated times.
Coach Guidelines
We are fully committed to ensure our staff are committed to safeguarding and promoting the club. The criteria of all staff members is : qualified to coach, indovidual public insurance, first aid and encourage contuinal training within DCA and outside companies to work on developing their knowledge to improve. All are Aware of the clubs, safety , emergency policy, first aid, GDPR and child safeguarding policies and have access to registers online. All coaches will dress appropriately and be respectful with language and to follow the coach /club guidelines. (these can be asked for if required)
Confidentiality
The School's emails and letters contain confidential and/or privileged information and are intended for only the person to whom it is addressed. Any unauthorised copying, forwarding, disclosure or distribution of the material contained in emails and any attachment is strictly prohibited. (please see our GDPR guidelines below)
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE : All complaints must be emailed to info@ dance-and-cheer-a-cality.com who will deal with the matter in hand confidentially.
Cancellations.Refunds: If there is a bad weather warning in place and you are in doubt about classes taking place. Please check the website for information. In such cases the school will not reimburse or replace classes. Parents will be notified by our texting service, website and emails. Please make sure your details are up to date and you check our news page. If classes are cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances and cannot be replaced during the School term in which it was cancelled the School will not reimburse classes. All teachers will continue with classes, even if there are inadequate numbers of students. In such cases the Principal will be contacted in to discuss alterations for that particular class. Some classes can be covered or taught by other professionals and staff members if required at any time. Refunds are not available for your own child absences, Covid Isolations , immediate dismissal or an athlete change of mind mid terms of booking. DCA will only refund when WE have to cancel the class.
Child Protection: At Dance-a-cality we have a duty of care to safeguard all children. It is our aim to provide children and young people with appropriate safety and protection that attend the School. We abide by The Child Protection Act 2004. All staff have a right to report safe guarding concern to the principal , who will report concerns to parents and local authority if required. Teaching to dance and cheer correctly will from time to time involve physical contact, to get students into the correct stance for example. We aim to make these corrections with due care and respect for dignity but these corrections must be made as part of class training. We also do not tolerate any behaviour that results in bullying or discrimination, the school will give a written notice for any unacceptable behaviour from a student. If this behaviour does not show improvement the school has the right to refuse admission. While we can control bullying in the class setting – online is a matter that we can not always control and for parent’s to address. We ask you inform us of any bullying via email and we will then look at evidence and discuss with those in question to resolve. A copy of our child protection, Behaviour policy, Qualifications of staff, Emergency Safety procedure and Insurance are available on request.
Risk Assessment Risk assessments are carried out annually by the head coach and can be emailed if you require. Before each session the coach will ensure all safety measures are in place. Our additional covd guidelines can be requested via email.
Use of Photographic/Filming Equipment: If a parent wishes to photograph or film classes at watching week, they may do so with the permission of the Principal and the teacher's consent, however we operate a policy that protects families that do not wish their children to be photographed or filmed. If this policy is found to be breeched we will ask you to remove all evidence of the photography/filming. Dance and Cheer-a-cality uses our own Photograph's and Filming as a platform to advertise the School and to celebrate it's students's achievements. The School Photo's and Filming will be published of children at the School and we ask that all members of the School notify the School if you do not want wish your child to be photographed or filmed when you register with the School. When the School film's it's Shows, if parents do not wish their child to be recorded students therefore will be unable to participate in School Shows. Occasionally we may take photographs of the children at Dance & Cheer-a-cality. We may use these images in our dance schools prospectus or in other printed publication’s that we produce, as well as on our website or on promotional display boards at the dance school or other venues ie: Theatre or a summer fete. We may also make videos for use on our social media accounts, for monitoring or for other educational purposes as deemed necessary by the dance school. If we use photographs of individual pupils, we will not use the name of that child in the accompanying text or photo caption. If we name a pupil in the text, we will not use a photograph of that child to accompany the article. We may be visited by the media who will take photographs or film footage of pupils, which may appear in local or national newspapers or on televised news programmes. Please note that, the press are exempt from the Data protection Act and may wish to include the names and personal details of children and adults in the media. We have an additional breakdown of these conditions if you require more information.
Health and Safety: Risk assessments, Fire policy are in practice for each venue and a First aider on site. Some physical contact is necessary by the teacher to demonstrate exercises or techniques or to prevent injury during the class. If in the case of minor accidents, first aid needs to be administered, the school will contact the Parent/Guardian immediately. No responsibility is taken for any injury occurring, during or after classes, although great care is taken to avoid such an occurrence. All accidents are recorded in our accident book. When a parent enrolls their child with Dance-a-cality, it is their responsibility to ensure that the information given on their registration form is correct and the school is aware of any illness or disability that may affect their child during lessons. We strongly recommend you get your own ATHLETE insurance for all dance and cheer classes each year. If your child has an additional medical needs please complete our asthma or epipen form for guidance to assist coaches, It is the parents responsibility to complete these forms. Forms are live on DCA LINKTREE. For more details of these procedures please contact us.
The use of Social Media;
Social media can be a great tool but always be safe and careful. We ask that current students who have access to social media do not contact teachers or student teachers on their personal pages. We ask that all students contact the School’s email and/or social media page for any questions, helpful tips and advice. Social media is a wonderful communication tool however the School email, Instagram, Tic Tok, Twitter and Facebook pages should be the only use contact from current students to teachers. The School will not tolerate current students and or teachers being in contact through social media however please feel free to contact us personally when you have moved on from the school to keep us up-to-date on how you are doing. Dance-a-cality uses our Social Media Page as a platform to advertise the School and to celebrate it's students’ achievements. The School Photo's will be published of children at the School unless you have informed us no photography to be posted in your entry form. We do not use children’s names in photographers. Any photos sent to us to share– by sending means the parent gives permission for it to be shared on our media platforms. Any items shared on our social media are open to the local media to use on contact with he head coach and approval given. Be careful and respect the schools logo, branding , accounts etc to make sure copyright ownership is required. All logo use must be approved by the club to respect our trademark. Club coaches can monitor social media accounts to ensure all are being safe and complacent and any concern for your child or the club will be addressed with the parent. Be fully aware that the images you share reflect the club and yourself, so it is important you consider this. Please also be respectful when posting comments – whatever you write can not always be deleted. Avoid heated debates online and speak to a member of staff if any concerns directly rather than posting on a public/private social media page.