Ballet barre class at En Pointe Theatre Arts Pontprennau Cardiff

Studio Policies

Policies & Procedures

Our terms and conditions and studio policies are designed to ensure every dancer has a safe, focused and enjoyable experience at En Pointe Theatre Arts.

At En Pointe Theatre Arts, we are committed to fostering a learning environment encompassing our values of Excellence, Dream, Positivity and Community, where students thrive and achieve their full potential. When registering, students, parents and families agree to these terms and conditions by checking the box on the registration form.

Violations of these policies may result in dismissal from the studio without a refund being issued. If you have any questions regarding our terms and conditions, please contact Miss Danielle at danielle@enpointetheatrearts.co.uk.

These terms and conditions apply to our entire range of programmes; differences due to the nature of a programme are noted where relevant. Policies last reviewed on 2 July 2026.

Classes & Registration Fees, Payments & Discounts Private Lessons Withdrawal & Notice Period Cancelled Classes, Venue & Timetable Changes Uniform, Hair & Dance Shoes Attendance, Punctuality & Collection Waiting Area & Parents in the Studio Behaviour, Social Media & Phones Examinations & Productions Photography, Safeguarding & Medical Data Protection & GDPR Belongings, Lost Property & Communication Policy Documents Raise a Concern

Classes & Registration

Our term dates align with academic terms; however, we do not break for single-week holidays. We run up to the end of July in the summer term and return at the start of September.
All term dates are available on our Term Dates page — please refer to this in the first instance.
We offer a 2-week paid taster session for all new and returning students, and for students wishing to try a new genre of dance, so dancers can see if the class is suitable before committing to monthly payments.
New dancers are accepted all year round, and lessons are invoiced from the date the dancer joins. When dancers are nearing examinations or a production, we reserve the right to pause accepting new students into a class until entry would be suitable for the new dancer.
Classes are capped at 10 dancers to ensure individual attention and personalised feedback.
When a class is full, a waiting list opens and entry is based on the order in which registration forms are received. Once a space becomes available you will be contacted and offered the space; if we do not hear from you within 72 hours, the space is offered to the next dancer on the waiting list.
Dancers are grouped by ability rather than age. Each dancer reaches different stages of physical, cognitive, social and emotional development at their own rate, and we place dancers where they can thrive and grow at their own pace — meaning school or dance friends may not always progress together.
Class times and schedules are confirmed upon receipt of a registration form and fee payment.
Entry to the high-performance vocational division is by audition or invitation only. Entry into vocational recreational classes — such as intermediate foundation, intermediate, pre-pointe and pointe classes — is by invitation only.
Dancers may not attend classes in genres we offer at other dance schools without permission from the school principal, Miss Danielle. Associate programmes are permitted following prior discussion. Our holiday camps are open to all dancers; dancers from another school need permission from their own teacher or principal to avoid a conflict of interest.

Fees, Payments & Discounts

Invoices are sent 14 days before payment is due. Payment can be made by cash (in an envelope with the student's name), cheque or bank transfer.
All class fees are due by the 1st of the month, unless a student joins partway through a month, in which case the fee is payable by the date of their first class.
A £10 late fee is applicable where fees are not paid by the date on the invoice.
If fees are repeatedly unpaid and there is no communication regarding payment, students will not be permitted to participate in classes until payment is settled and up to date.
Refunds are not given when students miss classes under any circumstances, including but not limited to holidays, illness, injury, weather, school trips or work commitments.
Payment confirmation is sent within 7 days of receipt of payment, and a PDF report of any fees paid within the last year is available on request.
A 5% multi-class discount applies to students taking 3 or more classes a week — in one genre or a combination, such as ballet, modern and tap. It cannot be shared across siblings when one dancer takes 1 class and the other takes 2; however, if both dancers take 3 or more classes each, the discount applies to both.
As a business we may need to increase our fees. Fees are reviewed every November, ready for January, and we provide at least a month's notice of any increase.

Private Lessons

Private lessons are available both online and in person.
Payment for private lessons is due at the time of booking to secure the teacher's time and venue. We will not book the venue without payment, but we will confirm with the venue whether the studio space is available for a private lesson before invoicing.
If you have booked and paid for your private lesson and do not turn up, no refund will be issued, as the studio space and the teacher's time must be paid for regardless of whether you attend.
We have a 7-day cancellation policy on our in-person private lessons. If you need to cancel for any reason, you must notify us a minimum of 7 days prior to the session taking place. In that case, we can rearrange the lesson with you. After this, you are liable for the studio fee and the teacher's time.
For online lessons, 48 hours' notice is required; otherwise, payment is due.

Withdrawal & Notice Period

If a dancer wishes to leave classes, we require 2 weeks' written notice by email to danielle@enpointetheatrearts.co.uk.
Notice must be received at least 2 weeks before the end of the month. If it is received later than this, the following month's fees become payable.
Dancers are welcome to return at any time.

Cancelled Classes, Venue & Timetable Changes

If a teacher is unwell and no cover teacher, alternative class or rescheduled class can be offered, a refund for that session is given. If the class is rescheduled or an alternative is offered, a refund is not provided.
In the event of adverse weather, please check the school WhatsApp group and your email regularly for information about closures or class adaptations. Tuition is non-refundable in the event of adverse weather. In the case of snow, classes move online to keep teachers and students safe when travelling.
Where classes are cancelled due to government policies, they are taken online in the first instance through platforms such as Zoom, Google Classroom or Teams. No refunds are given for classes cancelled due to government policies.
At times it may be necessary to use an alternative venue due to circumstances outside our control. We will notify you of any change of venue as early as possible and endeavour to find a location within a reasonable travel distance.
Following examinations it may be necessary to adjust the timetable — classes may move to an earlier or later time, or a different day, depending on the studio's availability. If class numbers are low, we may need to combine or cancel classes. We endeavour to provide a minimum of 1 month's notice in writing of any schedule updates.

Uniform, Hair & Dance Shoes

Correct uniform and attire must be worn at all times — it allows teachers to correct alignment and posture, helping students progress safely. Failure to observe the uniform policy will result in students being asked to watch the lesson and make notes.
The correct uniform for each of our recreational classes is listed on our Uniform page. Uniform can be purchased through the links provided there or by emailing Miss Danielle.
School hoodies, onesies and t-shirts may be worn for warm-up and are available through Rock the Dragon.
Students may be asked to remove items of non-uniform clothing, including hoodies, sweatshirts, sports jackets, t-shirts, onesies, joggers, leggings and shorts. Crossovers in school uniform colours may be worn, provided they match the student's class uniform in colour and material.
No jewellery may be worn apart from small studs. Students will be asked to remove any other items, including facial piercings, hoop or dangly earrings, watches, bracelets and necklaces.
Hair must be tied up off the face and neck for all classes — loose hair can cause injury during turns and is a distraction. For all ballet classes, hair must be in crossover braids or a ballet bun; short hair should be secured with an Alice band in the same colour as the dancer's leotard.
Dance shoes must fit properly — shoes that are too big can cause injury. Ballet shoes should have no more than a finger's width of material at the end. Demi-pointe and pointe shoes must be correctly fitted by a dance shop and must not be purchased online.
Dance shoes must not be worn outside, as this can damage the studio floor, introduce pathogens and affect the shoes' longevity.
Our high-performance vocational division has its own uniform requirements, which are disclosed to parents once students have successfully completed their audition.

Attendance, Punctuality & Collection

Attendance is an important part of a dancer's training; consistently missing classes can lead to students falling behind in their technique and knowledge of examination work.
If a student is absent for any reason, please notify us by email or in the parents' WhatsApp group.
Please be punctual. If you are running late, notify the school WhatsApp group or send a text message. If you have not received a response or been let into the building within 5 minutes, please phone 07858 572884.
It may not always be possible to admit a student who arrives after the warm-up is complete, as the warm-up is essential for injury prevention. Whether a late-arriving student may participate is at the teacher's discretion, with the student's best interest in mind. Late students should knock on the studio door and wait to be admitted.
During class, students must ask their teacher before leaving the studio — for example to use the bathroom or fill a water bottle — so we always know where every student is.
All children under 12 must be collected at the end of class. Students aged 12 to 17 must provide written permission from a parent or guardian to leave without an adult. All students must be collected promptly after their last class.

Waiting Area & Parents in the Studio

We ask parents in the waiting area to maintain a positive tone, with no negative talk about dancers, teachers, other parents or other dance schools. Positivity is one of our core values.
Please do not change nappies in the waiting area — bathrooms are available. Please keep the waiting area tidy, put everything back where you found it and take all rubbish with you when you leave.
Students should wait quietly in the waiting area and not enter the studio before their class time.
It is completely fine to look in and see what your dancer is doing through the studio windows, but please discourage younger children from pushing on the door or making faces through it, as students can become distracted.
Parents are not permitted into the studio to watch dancers unless invited by the class teacher — dancers focus better without parents present, and it encourages independence, problem-solving, communication and listening.
For new pre-school students who are shy or not used to being left, parents may enter the studio for the first few classes until the dancer is comfortable participating on their own.
When parents are invited into the studio, we ask that conversation stays focused on the dancers' learning and that phones are switched off or set to silent. If you wish to photograph or film your dancer while in the studio, please check with the other parents first for safeguarding.

Behaviour, Social Media & Phones

All students, parents and guardians agree to follow these terms and conditions and school rules upon registration. En Pointe Theatre Arts reserves the right to dismiss any students or families who violate the code of conduct and school rules at any time, without providing a refund.
Teachers will not add students or their parents on personal social media accounts, and students and parents must not message teachers' personal accounts — please use the En Pointe Theatre Arts school accounts.
Please be mindful of your and your dancer's personal social media accounts; inappropriate posts which reference En Pointe Theatre Arts may result in dismissal from the studio.
The use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs is strictly prohibited in and around the dance studio. Anyone caught in possession of these items will be dismissed from the studio immediately.
Dancers must not bring food into the studio; snacks must be eaten in the waiting room. If a dancer is chewing gum, they will be asked to place it in the bin before class begins.
Students may not bring phones into the studio as they pose a distraction. Phones should be set to silent and left in dancers' bags.
Choreography and music adaptations remain the property of En Pointe Theatre Arts and must not be used or shared for any purpose outside the studio — including school and holiday talent shows, competitions and social media — without written consent. When a student transfers to another school, choreography remains our property unless a parent has purchased it from the school.

Examinations & Productions

Additional examination rehearsals are mandatory in the lead-up to an examination. Non-attendance without good reason (illness, bereavement, etc.) will result in withdrawal from the examination without a refund.
Attendance in regular classes is monitored in the run-up to exams; if it falls below 90% without good reason, a student may be withdrawn from their examination without a refund.
Readiness for examination is determined by our Principal, Danielle Emms, and the student's class teacher — based on technical and artistic ability, completed minimum study hours and the minimum ages set by the regulatory bodies, which are listed on our Exams page.
At RAD Pre-Primary in Dance and Primary in Dance, students can potentially take their examination on one class a week. From Grades 1–3, students should attend classes at least twice a week to take the exam within a year (three times a week for Grade 4 and above); on one class a week, dancers are likely to be in the class for approximately 2–2.5 years.
Examination fees are paid through the school directly to the examination board. If examination fees are not paid by the date of entry, students will not be entered and will have to wait for the next examination session.
No refund is given if a student withdraws from an examination for holidays, general illness, school trips and similar, except where evidence is provided, such as bereavement or illness with a medical letter.
Examination entry is optional; however, we highly recommend it as it documents each dancer's technical and artistic progress.
Participation in studio productions, shows and community performances is completely optional. Production fees are non-refundable. Payment plans are offered to our dance families, allowing production and costume costs to be split over a few months.
Costume purchases are non-refundable and are payable once a show has been committed to. Purchased costumes are handed to dancers after the production and become the property of the dancer and their parents; hired costumes remain the sole property of En Pointe Theatre Arts.
Rehearsals and practice sessions for productions are mandatory, and students who do not attend may be excluded from participating.

Photography, Safeguarding & Medical

Audio recording is strictly prohibited. Video recording is only permitted with approval from the Principal, Danielle Emms.
Upon registration, parents can opt in or out of photographs and videos of their dancer — these are typically shared in our parents' WhatsApp group to show dancers' progress. There is a separate consent for photos used on social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube), our website and print marketing.
Students can also say no to photos or videos being taken during class, even where their parents have said yes. If a student does not want to be filmed at a certain time, we respect their wishes.
Where we do not have photo or video permission for a student, they will not be included in photographs or videos taken by organisers at community events. We also ask parents to refrain from filming other children at community performances without the consent of those students' parents.
Parents, guardians and dancers are responsible for reporting any injuries or illnesses to the class teacher, whether they occur before or during the lesson. Where a dancer presents with an injury, adaptations may be made to ensure safe training. Injured dancers who cannot participate are welcome to observe the lesson and make notes so they do not miss important information.
Our teachers are registered first aiders and, unless otherwise notified, will administer appropriate first aid should an injury or illness occur during class.
Please inform the school of any pre-existing injuries, medical conditions or additional needs at the time of registration, and keep us up to date if anything changes. We cannot be held responsible for incidents arising from conditions we were not made aware of.
Due to the physical nature of dance, physical contact by teaching staff may be necessary to aid students' technical development and ensure safe dance practice by correcting posture and alignment. Our Safe Touch policy is available to download below — please contact us if you have any concerns.

Data Protection & GDPR

En Pointe Theatre Arts is committed to high standards of data protection and compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We also conform to the Children's Code.
We use personal information only where we have a lawful basis to do so, and we do not share information outside En Pointe Theatre Arts without your consent.
When students are entered for examinations with external examination organisations such as the Royal Academy of Dance and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, we must provide the dancer's full name, date of birth and any additional needs the dancer may have.
Customers have the right to request that their data be removed from our systems at any time, or to update any data we hold on them.
Customers must acknowledge acceptance of the terms and conditions upon registration. Enrolment cannot be accepted until the terms and conditions have been accepted.
Our full Privacy Notice, Data Protection policy and Safeguarding & Child Protection policy can be downloaded in the Policy Documents section below.

Belongings, Lost Property & Communication

Students and families are responsible for their personal belongings; En Pointe Theatre Arts accepts no responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items.
Lost and found items are kept for one month and then donated to charity. If you know you or your dancer has lost something, please notify us as soon as possible — if we find it, we will keep it and hand it to the dancer at their next class.
En Pointe Theatre Arts communicates via email and our school WhatsApp group; it is your responsibility to check for communication regularly. You can contact us by email at danielle@enpointetheatrearts.co.uk or by phone / WhatsApp on 07858 572884.
Whilst we endeavour to respond to all enquiries and messages as soon as possible, please allow up to 48 hours for a response.
All communication in relation to students, teachers, classes, events or scheduling must remain private and confidential.