Gnarwhal Skate School
Last updated: 6 September 2026
These Terms & Conditions apply to coaching sessions, private lessons, skate clubs, camps and other activities provided directly by Gnarwhal Skate School (“Gnarwhal”).
By making a booking, the parent or guardian making the booking agrees to these Terms & Conditions on behalf of themselves and, where applicable, the participating child.
Individual sessions or events may have additional booking information or conditions. Where something important applies specifically to an event — such as weather arrangements — this will be made clear when booking.
1. Bookings
Bookings are subject to availability.
For camps and other activities advertised as pre-booked events, a place is not secured until payment has been received unless Gnarwhal has specifically agreed otherwise.
Private lessons and regular sessions may have different payment arrangements agreed directly with the parent or guardian.
Parents and guardians are responsible for providing accurate and up-to-date information when making a booking.
2. Cancellations — regular sessions and private lessons
If you need to cancel or rearrange a regular coached session or private lesson, please give Gnarwhal at least 24 hours’ notice.
Where at least 24 hours’ notice is given, any payment already made may normally be refunded or transferred to another suitable session.
Where less than 24 hours’ notice is given, Gnarwhal may retain some or all of any payment already made where this reasonably reflects the loss caused by the cancellation, including where the booked place or coaching time cannot reasonably be filled.
Gnarwhal will always try to be reasonable where genuine emergencies or exceptional circumstances occur.
3. Camps and special events
Unless different cancellation terms are clearly stated when booking:
cancellations made at least 7 days before a camp or special event will receive a full refund;
cancellations made within 7 days may result in some or all of the booking payment being retained where this reasonably reflects Gnarwhal’s loss;
if the place can be filled by another participant, Gnarwhal will take this into account when determining any refund.
Any event-specific cancellation arrangements will be clearly communicated when booking.
4. Cancellation or changes by Gnarwhal
Gnarwhal may occasionally need to cancel, postpone or change a session because of weather, venue availability, coach illness, safety concerns or circumstances outside its reasonable control.
Where Gnarwhal cancels a session and cannot provide the booked service, participants will normally be offered either:
a full refund for the affected session; or
the option to transfer the payment to another suitable Gnarwhal session.
Where appropriate, Gnarwhal may make reasonable changes to session times, locations or coaching arrangements. Families will be informed as soon as reasonably possible.
Nothing in these terms affects any statutory rights a customer may have.
5. Outdoor sessions and weather
Outdoor skateboarding sessions are weather dependent.
Gnarwhal will always try to run sessions as planned, but rain, wet surfaces, extreme heat or other unsafe conditions may make skateboarding unsuitable.
Safety decisions will be made by Gnarwhal based on the conditions at the venue.
If Gnarwhal cancels a session because conditions are unsafe, the cancellation arrangements in Section 4 will apply.
If a session goes ahead safely and a participant chooses not to attend, the normal customer cancellation terms will apply.
6. Supervision, drop-off and collection
Parents and guardians are welcome to remain at the venue during sessions unless specific venue arrangements state otherwise.
Children may also be dropped off and left in Gnarwhal’s care during an appropriate coached session.
A parent or guardian must tell the lead Gnarwhal coach before leaving the venue.
Before leaving, parents should ensure that Gnarwhal has:
an appropriate emergency contact number;
relevant medical information;
information about additional or support needs that may affect the child’s participation; and
any necessary information relating to collection.
A responsible parent, guardian or nominated emergency contact must remain contactable during the session.
Children should be collected promptly at the advertised finish time. If a parent or guardian is unexpectedly delayed, they should contact Gnarwhal as soon as possible.
Where a child is not collected and Gnarwhal cannot contact the responsible adult, Gnarwhal will continue to safeguard the child and follow its safeguarding and late-collection procedures until an appropriate handover can be made.
7. Medical information and additional needs
Parents and guardians must tell Gnarwhal about any medical condition, allergy, injury, disability, additional need or other information that may reasonably affect the participant’s safety, wellbeing or ability to take part.
This information should be provided before participation and updated if circumstances change.
Providing medical or additional-needs information does not automatically prevent a child from participating. Gnarwhal aims to make its sessions as inclusive as reasonably possible and encourages parents to discuss individual requirements with the lead coach.
There may, however, be circumstances where an activity needs to be adapted or participation restricted where this is reasonably necessary for the safety of the participant or others.
8. Medication
Where a child may require medication during a session, the parent or guardian must discuss this with Gnarwhal beforehand.
Where Gnarwhal agrees to hold or administer medication, parents or guardians must provide clear written instructions and appropriate consent.
Prescribed medication should normally be supplied in its original labelled packaging with the child’s details and dosage instructions, where applicable.
Medication must be in date and suitable for its intended use.
Emergency medication such as inhalers or adrenaline auto-injectors must remain readily accessible.
Where appropriate, arrangements may be made for a child who is capable of doing so to carry and/or administer their own medication.
Gnarwhal will only administer medication where the coach is willing, competent and, where necessary, appropriately trained to do so.
Administration of medication by Gnarwhal will be recorded.
9. Accidents, first aid and emergencies
Skateboarding is a physical activity and injuries can occur.
Gnarwhal takes reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable risks through appropriate coaching, supervision, session management, risk assessment and safety procedures.
If a participant becomes injured or unwell during a session, Gnarwhal may:
provide appropriate first aid;
contact the participant’s parent, guardian or emergency contact;
contact the emergency services where reasonably necessary; and
take reasonable immediate steps to safeguard the participant’s health and welfare until responsibility can be transferred to a parent, guardian, medical professional or emergency service.
Parents will be informed of significant accidents, injuries or medical incidents as soon as reasonably practicable.
10. Protective equipment
Helmets are mandatory for all children participating in Gnarwhal coached skateboarding sessions.
A participant who refuses to wear an appropriate helmet will not be permitted to skate during the coached session.
Knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards are available and their use is encouraged where appropriate, but they are not generally mandatory. Parents or guardians may decide whether their child uses this additional protective equipment unless Gnarwhal determines that additional protection is reasonably required for a particular activity.
Gnarwhal can provide skateboards and protective equipment where available.
Participants may use their own equipment, but Gnarwhal may prevent the use of equipment that a coach reasonably considers damaged, unsuitable or unsafe.
11. The risks of skateboarding
Skateboarding involves inherent risks, including falls, collisions and physical injury. These risks cannot be completely eliminated even with appropriate coaching, supervision and protective equipment.
Parents and guardians should consider these inherent risks when deciding whether skateboarding is appropriate for their child.
Participants are expected to follow reasonable coaching and safety instructions and to skate within the boundaries established by the coach.
Gnarwhal remains responsible for taking reasonable care in the provision of its services.
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence.
12. Behaviour and inclusion
Gnarwhal aims to provide a safe, supportive, inclusive and judgement-free environment.
Participants are expected to treat coaches, other participants, venue staff and members of the public with reasonable respect and to follow safety instructions.
Gnarwhal recognises that behaviour can be affected by age, disability, neurodivergence, additional needs, anxiety, emotional regulation and other individual circumstances.
Where difficulties occur, coaches will make reasonable efforts to understand and support the individual while also protecting the safety and wellbeing of everyone taking part.
Where behaviour becomes unsafe or seriously disruptive, Gnarwhal may take proportionate action including:
providing additional guidance or warnings;
temporarily asking a participant to sit out;
adapting their participation;
contacting their parent or guardian; or
ending their participation in the session where reasonably necessary.
In cases involving serious violence, bullying, deliberate dangerous behaviour or another immediate safeguarding risk, Gnarwhal may act immediately without first working through each of these steps.
13. Photography and video
Consent for the promotional use of identifiable photographs or video of children is managed separately from these Terms & Conditions.
Parents and guardians will be given a clear choice about whether their child may appear in Gnarwhal promotional photography or video.
Refusing media consent will not affect a child’s ability to participate in Gnarwhal activities.
Where consent has been given, images or video may be used reasonably to promote Gnarwhal Skate School, including on Gnarwhal’s website, social-media channels and promotional materials.
Gnarwhal will not normally publish a child’s full name alongside an identifiable promotional image.
Media consent may be withdrawn for future use by contacting Gnarwhal.
14. Personal information and privacy
Gnarwhal collects personal information necessary to manage bookings and provide its services safely. This may include participant and parent/guardian details, contact information, emergency contacts and relevant medical or additional-needs information.
Information concerning health receives additional protection under UK data-protection law.
Gnarwhal will handle personal information in accordance with applicable data-protection law and its Privacy Notice.
Marketing communications are managed separately and will not be made a condition of participating in Gnarwhal activities.
15. Personal belongings
Participants remain responsible for their own belongings and equipment.
Gnarwhal will take reasonable care but cannot accept responsibility for loss, theft or damage unless caused by Gnarwhal’s failure to take reasonable care.
Parents are encouraged not to send children to sessions with unnecessary valuables.
16. Venues
Some Gnarwhal activities take place at skateparks, schools, community facilities or other third-party venues.
Participants may also be required to comply with reasonable rules imposed by the venue.
Where a venue charges an admission or usage fee separately from Gnarwhal coaching, this will be made clear when reasonably practicable.
17. Complaints and concerns
Gnarwhal wants concerns to be dealt with fairly and promptly.
Parents or guardians who have a concern about a session, booking, coach or other aspect of the service should contact Gnarwhal Skate School in the first instance so the matter can be investigated and addressed.
Safeguarding concerns will be handled in accordance with Gnarwhal’s safeguarding procedures.
18. Changes to these terms
These Terms & Conditions may occasionally be updated to reflect changes to Gnarwhal’s services, procedures or legal obligations.
The current version will be published on the Gnarwhal Skate School website with the date it was last updated.
Changes will not retrospectively remove rights that a customer already has in relation to an existing booking.
19. Contact
Questions about these Terms & Conditions, bookings or Gnarwhal’s services can be directed to:
Gnarwhal Skate School
Ricky Tunbridge
Email: info@gnarwhalskateschool.com
Website: gnarwhalskateschool.com