Terms & Conditions
Updated January 2025
Sally Goulding 07596 600 432 / sallyartclasses@yahoo.com
Welcome to Art Classes For Children! We’re so happy you chose us to be part of your child’s art journey. We’re looking forward to them joining our class where we hope they will find a warm welcome and an inspirational environment.
Class sizes have a max of 8 pupils in the younger classes and 10 in the teen classes so that all children can receive good tutor / pupil interaction and meet a small group of like-minded artists of a similar age. We believe the small classes give children space for confidence to grow both in a child’s work and peer sociability if they should choose it. Children are welcome to talk to those around them, but are asked to listen carefully to tutor instructions.
Classes are relaxed. Although the tutor may at times talk to the class as a group, individuals will never be asked to talk in front of the group. In fact there is no expectation to talk at all. Feeling comfortable in our studio is a priority.
Detailed below are our terms and conditions and some other important notices. Please take a moment to read them.
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TERMS & CONDITIONS
PAYMENT OF FEES
* Payment links will be emailed to the primary email address on your ClassForKids account on the 1st of each month. The invoice will cover the amount of classes your child has in that month and there will be 7 days in which to pay. Fees should be paid before your child attends their first class of the month.
* If payment hasn’t been received by the 8th of the month a second invoice reminder will be sent via email and also via SMS offering 48 hours to make a payment before the place is put on HOLD.
* If payment hasn’t been received by the 10th then your child’s place will be put on HOLD until the end of the month. This hold can only be removed in one of two ways:-
1. Full fees are paid
2. Parent / guardian contacts Sally via email, message, phone-call to inform when payment can be made.
* If fees fail to be paid without any contact or explanation by the last day of the month your child’s place will be revoked with immediate effect. The place will be offered to the next child on the waiting list and your child can no longer continue to attend.
If you are struggling to make a fee payment for any reason, whether personal or technical, please contact Sally asap to make an alternative arrangement for payment.
PLACE SECURITY
When you pay your child’s fee you are paying for their place to be secured with Art Classes For Children (not just the class), and the assurance that no-one else will take the place in their absence. The place belongs to your child for the length of time fees are paid. It is expected, and not unreasonably, that you would pay fees before sending your child to class in the first week.
Your child’s booking will automatically run over to the next month’s register unless:-
1. you inform us your child will be leaving at the end of the month
2. fees have not been received by the last day of the current month as per our payment terms.
Please understand that we can’t operate classes on a pay as you go service due to the admin involved with confirming bookings, chasing payments, last minute absences, no shows and running the classes with an unknown amount of pupils each day.
REFUNDS
Refunds will not be issued for non-attendance of a class. Where possible you’ll be offered an alternative class to attend for the week your child misses but this can’t always be guaranteed. (See “switch list” below for more details)
You must pay for any fees you have missed if you pay late. Your fee is paying for their place security and not just the class.
If your child decides they no longer wish to attend art classes, we encourage that they stay to the end of the paid month so we can assist them in completing their final painting. Refunds can’t be issued for children who choose to leave part way through a block or stop attending without notice.
In the very unlikely event that your child behaves in such a way that is disruptive to the class and their place with us is revoked, you will be informed immediately and offered a refund for the classes remaining in the month. Unfortunately your child will be asked to stop attending with immediate effect and the place will be passed to the next child on the waiting list.
Please note refunds can take up to 10 days to show in your account. Please contact Sally if you don’t receive it after 10 days.
CANCELLED ART CLASS
Any adjustment in fee cost for the upcoming month e.g. due to classes being cancelled in advance by us - will already be accounted for in your next invoice. If your child’s art class is cancelled by us for whatever reason AFTER your invoice has been paid, you will be refunded the class fee. Fees do not roll over. This will keep your fees up to date and helps with our admin. Full fees will be due again on the 1st of the following month.
If the studio must close for any reason you will be informed via email or text if it’s last minute. You won’t be charged for the class / classes missed due to closure. Any fees already paid will be refunded.
* Tutors will always endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of an upcoming class cancellation.
LOCATION & PARKING
Classes are held in the Art Classes For Children studio in Ramsbottom. This is located at 54a Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9HX (above GG’s Glamour). The studio must be accessed from the back of the property where you will find a separate entrance. It’s possible to drive around the back of the property, however please note it is one way entering from Callender Street and exiting at Central Street. There isn’t much space for parking so you might find it easier to park at either end of the short street and walk up, the studio is approximately half way along and clearly signed. Alternatively there may be parking at the front on Bolton Road or on nearby streets. Please take note of parking notices if you’re leaving your car.
CLASSES
Please share the following details with family or friends who may be dropping or collecting your child.
ON ARRIVAL - please bring or send your child into class NO EARLIER than 5 minutes before their start time. Children can’t always be supervised for longer than this as your tutor could be setting up for your class, with another parent or preparing work in the back room. If you arrive too early please wait in your car or on the steps until 5 minutes before class begins. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE YOUNG CHILDREN OUTSIDE UNATTENDED. They cannot be supervised until 5 minutes before class starts.
AT COLLECTION - We must request that pupils are dropped off and collected promptly so that they can make full use of the hour available to them and not delay class start for the rest of the children. Please note there is often more than one class per day, prompt collection of your child is essential to allow tutors time to prepare for the next class. When collecting your child can parents / guardians please wait outside the classroom as class might still be in progress. The door will be opened and you’ll be welcomed in when class has finished. This will be an opportunity to see what your child has been working on and talk to your tutor about anything. Please be aware there are several classes per day which are 15 minutes apart. If you need to speak to your tutor in depth our email addresses are at the top of this letter.
PROTECTING PAINTINGS
There is no need to purchase a professional art folder for class. However, please provide your child with at least a simple A4 folder to transport their work from class to home in bad weather. We keep a stock of basic cardboard folders for 50p and basic zip waterproof wallets for £1.50 in the studio available for purchase during class. Please bring cash for these.
CLASS ABSENCE & CALENDAR
Contact details are above should you need to speak to us between classes or inform us of a class absence. Sally is the main contact for everything you need. Parents of children in the older acrylics class are welcome to email or message Andy directly to discuss anything class related but should contact Sally for everything else.
Please inform of a class absence or an expected late arrival by dropping a text to Sally (or Andy for the older classes) as soon as you are able to so the start of class is not delayed for the other pupils. This would be greatly appreciated.
PLACE “SWITCHING”
There are going to be times when your child can’t attend class for whatever reason, e.g. illness, holiday or another engagement. This is expected and understood. We encourage all parents to inform us of an expected absence as soon as possible. If every parent can do this it means your child might be able to place switch another pupils place for one week and equally you might benefit from this too should you need it in the future. Please understand place switching isn’t always guaranteed and you might have to forfeit your fee for that week but we’ll always do our best to offer this as an option. Your child’s place will NEVER be offered out to a new starter or for a taster session in your absence, only ever to another paying pupil. The more we are informed, the better chance you will benefit from this yourself.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE
WAITING - There is no internal waiting area for parents or pupils making prompt drop off and collection all the more important. The studio is situated on a residential street. Please respect our neighbours when parking and waiting outside. Please encourage children to wait quietly outside and leave promptly after class.
PARKING - There are various side streets and car parks nearby but these have their own rules for parking so please check their signs before leaving your car, we take no responsibility for clamping or fines.
FACILITIES - There are coat hooks and toilet facilities available in the studio. Each child will have their own work space and all equipment and materials provided.
CALENDAR - As a guide class dates closely follow the term times for local bury schools as this works for the majority of our pupils. A calendar for the year can be found on our Facebook page. Dates for your class in the current month can be found in your classforkids account. If you need to know class dates beyond the current month, you can always contact Sally. Dates are subject to change throughout the year (as we have children too!) but we try to keep disruption to a minimum and you will always be given notice via email or text message.
GADGETS - Children to kindly refrain from playing with mobile phones, toys, gadgets or similar during class sessions as their full attention is required (sensory gadgets or comfort toys are fine if needed, please let your tutor know). We can’t be responsible for any loss or damage to personal property. Drink bottles of water are ok, food is discouraged in order to protect work.
CLOTHING - Children should wear appropriate clothing as it may get paint or a product called masking fluid (aka drawing gum) on. This can be difficult to remove. Please be mindful of sending children in their best clothes, favourite clothes, party clothes or school / club uniform etc. Painting in class isn’t necessarily messy but spillage accidents can happen, we can’t be held responsible for damage to clothing or personal items.
MEDICAL DETAILS - Please keep all contact and medical details up to date on your ClassForKids account. Feel free to add notes at any time (or drop us a text so that we can), if any circumstances should change with your child that might affect them in class.
STAYING UP TO DATE - Parents are encouraged to check the ClassForKids system for class dates and to check the status of fee payments. Please KEEP CONTACT DETAILS up to date. The primary phone number will be used in an emergency. The primary email is for fee links and important class information. As the ClassForKids system is parent led, due to GDPR rules we can’t update these details for you. It must come from the person who set up the account.
If you would like any further clarification of these terms or any other information please don’t hesitate to email or message Sally at sallyartclasses@yahoo.com
Thank you for reading.
Sally & Andrew Goulding