Downloads & Policies

Notice to All Customers

We kindly request that you avoid parking in spaces belonging to our neighbours. Should the on-site car park be unavailable, please make use of the roadside parking highlighted on the map below:

Please note:  Sapphire Gymnastics Pitstone is located in a business park. Please be mindful when walking to and from your car that vehicles such as lorries will be driving in and out of the carpark.

General Policies and Terms & Conditions

What happens at the first class?

Please arrive approximately no earlier than 5 minutes before the class and ensure your child is on time to start promptly.

Children should be ready in their gym clothes upon arrival as no changing areas will be accessible.

Children will be asked to arrive with easy slide on/off footwear in order to enter the class as quickly as possible.

Clothing

Children should wear comfortable clothing and must be barefoot inside the gym to maximize safety and freedom.

Jewellery, food and chewing gum are not permitted in the gym. Adults entering the gym are asked to remove their shoes.

Adults must wear socks.

Class Observation & Spectators

We have allowed limited viewing for all of our recreational classes however, hand sanitizing and face masks are recommended in all viewing areas.

Due to limited viewing, we recommend one spectator per child, this includes siblings excluding younger siblings*.

Responsibilities

We make every reasonable effort to ensure the safety of children in the gym and while they are in the lobby. Parents or legal guardians are ultimately responsible for seeing the safe entry and exit of their children.

How do I know my child is in the right class?

We assess your child’s ability throughout the term and work towards badges in the spring and summer term. If your child does need to change class we will contact you.

My child has already done gymnastics can they join?

Yes, during their first session the will be assessed to see if the class level is suitable for them. We will let you know at the end of the session if changes need to be made.

My child has a disability, can they come to classes?

We endeavor to offer classes for everyone!! Please contact us on 01442 230077 and we can discuss the most suitable class for your child. Please remember to inform us of ALL medical conditions.

What happens if we miss a lesson?

If you miss a session due to serious medical reasons or injury and we are informed ahead of time we can credit those missed sessions for the next term. Unfortunately if a class is missed for any other reason, the session will be un-able to be reimbursed.

Can I change the class that I have selected for my child?

Yes of course depending on availability, or we can put them on the relevant waiting list.

What happens if a class is cancelled?

If we inform you that a planned class is cancelled, our main priority will be to re-schedule that class you will be informed of when that make up session will happen.

What if I can’t make the rescheduled session?

Unfortunately if you cannot attend the rescheduled/make up session, the session will be un-abled to be reimbursed or carried forward.

What is Gymnastics Membership/Insurance?

Our membership and insurance is renewable every September and will pro-rata down each term. The membership and insurance completely covers your child participating in our activities. Every child is required to have membership and insurance when taking part in our classes.

This is provided by Howden Insurance and attached to your fees payment when you become a member. Insurance provides a fixed benefit payment if you sustain a specific injury whilst taking part in a recognised gymnastic activity, in a recognised environment. For further details, please contact us at contact@sapphiregymnastics.co.uk

Behavioural Issues 

If a child is being disruptive, destructive, or dangerous to themselves, other children, or staff members during class or special events, we will make every effort to work with parents and the child in question to resolve this behaviour.

If the behaviour persists or other undesired behaviours develop, the child in question will be asked to take a break from the class or event.

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk in our sport and our aim is to ensure all who participate in gymnastics have a safe, fun, positive experience and are able to fulfil their potential. In order to help ensure a safe environment, we provide information and training opportunities to enable those working with children in gymnastics to respond appropriately if they are worried a child may be at risk or suffering abuse. For more information please visit: https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/safeguarding

Parents play a vital role in their children’s sport. Positive support from parents both physically and emotionally can make such a difference to a child’s enjoyment and progress as well as teaching them life lessons in terms of being a positive role model.

Keeping your child safe

We have designed our new leaflet ‘Keeping your child safe’ a guide to parents, which provides useful information to help parents be confident that their child can have fun in a safe environment and how they can help.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/

Credit / Refunds

Please see below the refund policy for each class type:

Term fees – Available for refund within 28 days of the childs first session.

Gymnastics Membership – No refund.

Holiday Classes – No refund if cancelled within 48 hours of the class. Full refund otherwise.

Parties – No refund if cancelled within 28 days of the party. Full refund otherwise.

Pay & Play Session – No refund if cancelled within 48 hours of the session. Full refund otherwise.

Events / Competitions – No Refunds.

If a gymnast is injured or a long term illness during the term, any refund or credit is at the descretion of the club directors.

Other closure

If Sapphire cancels a class then we will always endeavour to make these sessions up during the school holidays with holiday camps if the cancellation is for four weeks or less.

If the club has to close for longer than four weeks, we will offer applicable refunds based on the circumstances of the cancellation.

All refunds are at the directors discretion and not guaranteed.

 The club places the welfare and safety of its members as the highest priority. Sapphire Gymnastics Club has a designated Health, Welfare and Safety Officer to whom all complaints, grievances and suspicions of poor practice should be addressed.

Matters will be dealt with confidentially and only those who need to know will be informed. The  procedures for dealing with complaints will be followed and if an issue cannot be suitably addressed at club level, the necessary external organisation will be contacted and worked with.

If you have a general complaint please see the contact details below:

Site Managers

Hemel Hempstead Site – Monique Walters
monique.walters@sapphiregymnastics.co.uk
Pitstone Site – Ross Hudson-O’Toole
Ross.hudson@sapphiregymnastics.co.uk

If you have a welfare issue or complaint please contact either of the Club Welfare officers:

Glynis Tovey
gtovey@btinternet.com
07812 057488

Lynne Driver
Lynne.driver@hotmail.com
07760 428163

SAPPHIRE GYMNASTICS is committed to ensuring that those working with children and vulnerable adults adopt the best possible practice to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the participants and staff.
Sapphire will endeavour to promote the highest standards of care for all members, staff and officials by:-

1 The adoption of Sport England’s Health, safety and welfare guidelines.
2 The adoption of Sport England’s guidelines for the protection of children and vulnerable adults.
3 The appointment of a Welfare Officer to whom grievances or complaints can be made confidentially.
4 Ensuring that coaches and officials have been screened to confirm their suitability to work with children. This will include criminal record disclosure if appropriate.
5 Ensuring that the best coaching practice guidelines are followed at all times.
6 Ensuring that grievances or complaints are dealt with promptly and in accordance with the grievance procedure.
7 Ensuring that there are a minimum of two responsible adults at all training sessions.
8 Ensuring that the participants and parents are aware of the purposes of videoing, filming or photography during training or events.
9 Having a zero tolerance level of poor practice, bullying or any other potential form of abuse.

We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk in our sport and our aim is to ensure all who participate in gymnastics have a safe, fun, positive experience and are able to fulfil their potential. In order to help ensure a safe environment, we provide information and training opportunities to enable those working with children in gymnastics to respond appropriately if they are worried a child may be at risk or suffering abuse. For more information, please visit: https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/safeguarding

Contact Information

We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young persons and adults at risk in our sport and our aim is to ensure all who participate in gymnastics have a safe, fun, positive experience and are able to fulfil their potential.

Club Welfare Officers

At our club we have two fantastic Club Welfare Officers in order to help ensure a safe environment at Sapphire Gymnastics. Please see their contact information and the flowchart below if you have any safeguarding concerns:

Glynis Tovey – Tel: 07812 057488 Email: gtovey@btinternet.com

Lynne Driver – Tel: 07760 428163 Email: lynne.driver@hotmail.com

Further contacts:

Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership

Tel: 0300 123 4043

Email: adminHSCPHSAB@hertfordshire.gov.uk

NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit

Tel: 0116 366 5580

Email: cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a British child protection charity.

Tel: 0808 800 5000

Email: help@nspcc.org.uk

Statement of Intent

Sapphire Gymnastics Club is committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our members. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our club. We believe it is important that participants, coaches, administrators, committee members and parents should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the welfare of others. Our Anti-Bullying Policy has been designed with our entire membership in mind; we recognise that an abuser may be from different groups within our organisation and that bullying can take different forms.

If bullying does occur, members should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with effectively. We are a transparent club. This means that ANYONE who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell staff and/or Club Welfare Officer.

What is Bullying?

Bullying can be:

• Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding or tormenting.

• Verbal: name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours or teasing.

• Physical: any use of violence.

• Racist: racial taunts, graffiti or gestures.

• Sexual: unwanted physical contact or abusive/inappropriate comments.

• Cyber: all areas of internet, such as email and chat room misuse. Mobile threats by text messaging and calls.

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?

Nobody deserves to be a victim of bullying; everybody has the right to be treated with respect. As a club we take bullying seriously.

Objectives of this Policy:

• All officials, coaching and non-coaching staff, volunteers, committee members, children and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is.

• All officials, coaching and non-coaching staff, volunteers and committee members should know what the club policy is on bullying and follow it when bullying is reported.

• All children and parents should know what the club policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises.

• Bullying will not be tolerated.

Procedures:

1. Report bullying incidents to the Club Welfare Officer(s).

2. Where the alleged bully is a child (children), if applicable, parents should be informed and will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss the problem.

3. The bullying behaviour or threats of bullying must be investigated and stopped.

4. An attempt will be made to help the bully (bullies) change their behaviour through discussion about bullying.

5. Bullies may be asked to sign a behaviour contract.

6. If bullying continues the bully will be asked to leave the Club.

Our membership and insurance is renewable every September and will pro-rata down each term. The membership and insurance completely covers your child participating in our activities. Every child is required to have membership and insurance when taking part in our classes.

This is provided by Hiscox Insurance and attached to your fees payment when you become a member. Insurance provides a fixed benefit payment if you sustain a specific injury whilst taking part in a recognised gymnastic activity, in a recognised environment. For further details, please contact us at contact@sapphiregymnastics.co.uk