Carol McLaren Dance Academy has several rules and policies in place for staff, pupils and parents. These are essential for safety, happiness and progression of our students. Please take time to read the rules below to familiarise yourself with them.
DANCE ACADEMY POLICIES
REGISTRATION - All students are required to enrol with the dance academy, this secures their place in class and makes sure we have the most up to date contact details. If your contact details change, please let us know ASAP. A £10 enrolment fee must be paid every august to renew your child's space and insurance within the academy.
LEAVING THE SCHOOL - Please inform us in advance if your child will be leaving us and let us know the reason why in writing via our email address. No refunds will be given for anything you have previously paid for (show tickets, fees, competiton entries etc) and any uniform that has been ordered must be paid for regardless of leaving. If you do not inform Carol that your child is leaving you will be continued to be billed. If your child is taking some time off i.e. for school Exams one month’s fees must be paid in advance to secure their place on return.
FEES - Fees are paid monthly on the first class of each month and are worked out Pro Rata. Failure to pay fees by the 8th of each month will result in a £10 late fee of overall monthly fees. If you are going on holiday or your child is missing class outside the allocated closure time classes must still be paid for. Please note if you leave the academy your pro data discount bill will be calculated and anything owed will need to be paid on full.
MISSED CLASSES - No refunds are given if a child misses classes. Classes are worked out pro rata with summer and Christmas holidays already deducted.
CLASS CANCELLATION – CMDA reserves the right to cancel a class if there is not enough pupils registered for a certain class or any other suitable reason. NO REFUND will be given if the circumstances were out with the principals control I.e. severe weather conditions, unwell staff etc. If a class is cancelled, we will always try and make it back up at a later date. Please note CMDA will also provide cover teachers in case any of our teachers are unavailable. All teachers will be fully qualified, and disclosure checked.
CHILD PROTECTION - Safety of our students is a priority at CMDA. All staff are CRB checked and we have a Child Protection Policy in place. In order to keep all of our children safe, no parents are allowed to enter our studio unless they have a booked appointment to speak to our staff or have been asked to cone in to video thier childs solo etc (private lesson). The dancer changing area is directly next to our main droor so this also ensures their privacy is protected. We have a door code in place which dancers and parents will be given however this must NOT be given out to anyone other than this. If it is found out that it has, the pupil will will be dismissed from the academy immediatley.
PHYSICAL CONTACT - This may be required between the teacher and student, in an appropriate manner, to teach and correct movements.
PHOTOS & VIDEOS - There are occasions when photos or videos of your child may be taken during class or performances, which may be used by the school for promotional purposes. Parents should inform the principal if they do not want photos of their child to be used.
HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVICE - Please make sure a teacher is present when arriving at lessons and your child is properly supervised outside of class. Whilst we take every care to ensure your child's safety in class, we cannot be responsible for any student outside of class. No pupil under the age of 12 is allowed to leave the studio until a parent or guardian has come inside to collect them.No dancer shouuld enter the stufio any more than 10 minutes before their lesson begins.
MEDICAL ATTENTION DURING CLASS - Minor injuries may be treated in class as required. In the event of more serious illness or injuries, parents will be contacted and emergencies services if needed. Parents will be informed of any injuries sustained during class and be asked to fill out an accident form.
PERSONAL PROPERTY – CMDA is not responsible for any loss or damage to property whilst on the premises. Please only give your child what is needed for thier dance class.
PROGRESSION - It is at the discretion of the teacher if a child is ready to progress to the next level, team or skill in class. Our teachers are trained professionals and have your child's best interests at heart. Progressing a child too quickly can hinder their overall learning experience. Regular assessments will be taken on competition kids and the Principal teacher has the last say in who will be part of these teams.
GENERAL RULES
WATCHING CLASSES - We do not encourage parents, friends and family members to watch class, including peeking in through the doors or standing at our shutter watching in to the studio. This is a cause of distraction for all pupils and can also become a child protection issue when other children are present. There are times in the year when parents, friends and family are invited to watch, and special circumstances when this rule is relaxed.
UNIFORM & FOOTWEAR - Students should be in correct uniform and appropriate footwear and neatly groomed at all times. Proper dancewear allows the teacher to see the dancers body lines. If dancers are continually not in the correct dancewear they wont be able to participate in class until they have the proper attire.
FOOD & DRINK - Food is not allowed during class. Only water is allowed in our sttudio or diluting juice for the younger ones. Food and drink should be consumed at breaks given by the teacher only, students should not be walking off in the middle of exercises for a snack or a drink. With this in mind please ensure the snack you give your child is healthy and will not be heavy on their stomach or cause a sugar high.
TOILETING - Parents should insure their child has been to the toilet before class and for safety reasons all children must ask permission to go to the toilet during class.
PUNCTUALITY & ATTENDANCE - Students should be on time and attend class regularly. This is essential for learning the work and getting the most out of class. Missing warm ups increase the risk or injury, and late arrivals can disrupt a class. If a student is late for class, they should come in quietly and ready to dance. It is also polite to apologize to the teacher if arriving late. Pupils should arrive at class no earlier than 10 minutes prior to start time.
RESPECT & ANTI-BULLYING - We ask all students, their families and staff to be respectful to each other, and to be encouraging and refrain from negative comments. We have zero tolerance for bullying and will remove students and families from the school if they are found to be bullying, foul language will also not be tolerated.
DURING CLASS - No talking or sitting down in class or rehearsal, unless asked to do so by the teacher. If a student isn't in an exercise or sequence they should be practicing, stretching or standing ready to dance their part. Good behaviour is expected in every class. Students should listen and be respectful to the teacher and should also be respectful to each other.
CLASS SAFETY - No student will be allowed to perform a skill until the teacher feels they are ready to, students are encouraged to not attempt moves or skills without help (especially in Acro or Competition class) until they are told they are ready by their teacher. Students should listen and follow their teachers’ instructions carefully; instructions are in place for their safety.
PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS - Parents are asked not to interrupt teachers during class with any questions or problems. Meetings must be arranged with Carol to address any Concerns, Gossiping and Negative Talk about the Academy, staff, dancers or other parents will NOT be Tolerated. Quick queries can be asked just before or after your child's class at the door, but please remember that our classes run consecutively so taking up the teacher’s time will delay the start of the class.