Courtesy Class FAQs

A Courtesy Class is a goodwill gesture by us. If you are unable to make your normal lesson, and you let us know at least 1 hour in advance, we will allow you to book an alternative lesson, subject to availability.

In order to generate a Courtesy Class, you need to let us know you can’t attend your lesson at least 1 hour before your regular lesson takes place. You can do this via your ‘My Puddle Ducks’ online account on both your ‘Overview’ page and your ‘My Children’ page by clicking on ‘Let us know you can’t attend a lesson’ and following the instructions. You can also do this by telephoning your local Puddle Ducks office.

Illness has been a large part of our discussions at Puddle Ducks when trying to work out the logistics of this policy.

In a recent customer survey a major issue was flagged which was that customers couldn’t use their Courtesy Classes (previously called ‘Catch Up Classes’) as there weren’t any free spaces in lessons. We felt that if we required our customers to let us know they can’t attend in advance, not only do we reward them with the Courtesy Class but there is still time for another customer to benefit by being able to book into and attend that lesson in the space freed up.

In terms of fairness, we are offering a service over and above most of our competitors in the children’s sector. We are one of the only children’s activity providers to offer an alternative to someone who can’t attend a session. If a lesson is running, all the costs associated with that lesson are incurred whether or not a customer attends. A customer pays for a specific space in a specific lesson and the Courtesy/goodwill gesture is that we allow a customer to attend a lesson that they haven’t specifically paid for as long as they can meet our specified criteria.

If you have a Courtesy Class showing on your ‘My Puddle Ducks’ online account you simply click on the ‘Book a Courtesy Class’ button and select the alternative lesson that you can attend. You can also book a Courtesy Class by telephoning your local Puddle Ducks office.

You can book today, up to 1 hour before the Courtesy Class takes place, and up to 6 days in advance. Availability i.e. space in a lesson can vary right up to the lesson takes place so if you can’t see a space in a specific lesson, keep checking back as one may become available closer to the lesson taking place. As long as you keep making your regular payments for your lessons you will have 6 months to use the Courtesy Class.

You can book a Courtesy Class up to 1 hour before the lesson takes place, but any bookings made within 24 hours of the lesson taking place will require proof of the booking taking to the lesson by yourself. You can do this by showing a print-out of the confirmation email you will receive or showing the text* you will receive to your teacher before entering the pool, to the poolside assistant, if present and/or to the pool operator (if you are attending a pool where they register your arrival on site). This is because your Teacher may have already printed their register and they need to know it’s OK for you to attend the lesson before you enter the pool.

*Puddle Ducks cannot accept responsibility for mobile phones that are taken poolside

There are no monetary refunds if you are unable to attend a Courtesy Class but if you are able to let us know at least 1 hour in advance that you are unable to attend you can cancel your booking via the ‘Overview’ page of your ‘My Puddle Ducks’ online account. This will place the Courtesy Class back in your online account with the same expiry date as it originally had.

Yes, if there is space in a relevant class. Give your local office a ring or click on the ‘Book a Courtesy Class’ within your ‘My Puddle Ducks’ online account and select the alternative lesson that you can attend. You can book up to 1 hour before the Courtesy Class is due to take place.

Unfortunately not. Courtesy Classes can only be taken by current paying customers so you cannot use them once your paid-for lessons have finished. During your notice period though, you can use them to take extra lessons each week subject to availability.