Overall, we encourage independent participation, as it creates the best learning environment for everyone. But we entirely understand there are times you want to see What’s going on. Viewing does depend on the venue. At Hoddesdon HQ, we’ve plenty of space in our reception area for you. At Goffs in Cheshunt, there’s space to have a quick look in but not to stay and wait during class. At Sheredes Primary, you can only view from the outside corridor. If you’ve a particular need, let us know and we can arrange something. We will usually invite you in to see parts of the class at the end of term.

Bring your athlete and collect them as on time as you can manage. Make sure they are dressed for the activity (soft clothing they can move in, all jewellery removed, bare feet for gym and parkour) and have a water bottle with them and have been to the toilet. Then relax! You do not need to stay during class unless we’ve advised otherwise.

Firstly, don’t worry. We will ALWAYS keep your child with us and safe until you get here. We will call you if you are more than 10 min late, to check all is well and when we can expect you. Do not worry if you can’t get hold of us on the phone at this time – during evening classes there isn’t always someone in the office so whilst we appreciate a call, do not worry if we are not able to answer. Concentrate on getting to us when you can.

Firstly, all are welcome here. We’re passionate about making everyone welcome, coaching to each person’s individual needs, and we’re well experienced in what this means. That being said, the majority of our classes are in an inclusive setting and the group dynamics are important for everyone’s best interests. Please raise with us anything that can help us better cater for your athletes needs. If we, or you, deem additional help is needed for your athlete to participate successfully, we may ask a parent/guardian to assist this in class. If we’re experiencing behavioural issues we can’t resolve ourselves in class, we’ll raise with you for your guidance. In the event of behaviour that endangers the class in anyway, we reserve the right to remove that athlete from class and recommend alternative, more suitable environments.

Yes we do. All our coaches are safeguarding trained and we have an external welfare officer you can raise any queries with. Contact Kat Smith on kat@marriottsgymnastics.com or call 07976 756646

No, you don’t have to, but we would appreciate an email just letting us know that everything is ok. 

In the past, we operated with three groups, with each group practising on three different apparatus during a session. However, with our bigger gym space now available, we have transitioned to a four-group system. This change will allow gymnasts to work on just two pieces of apparatus per session. You might wonder why this is beneficial. Focusing on two apparatuses instead of three allows our gymnasts to spend more quality time refining their techniques and improving their skill sets. For instance, if a gymnast is learning a complex move like a handspring on the vault, this focused approach provides more dedicated time to break down each component of the move, ensuring a deeper understanding and mastery of the skill. Additionally, with more time on fewer apparatuses, our coaches can offer individualised feedback and corrections, tailoring each session to the unique needs and strengths of every gymnast. On certain occasions, we might decide to incorporate all four apparatuses in a single session. This might happen if a class is particularly quiet, ensuring that each gymnast still gets ample time to practice and perfect their skills on every piece of equipment or on a skill check week when coaches need to see gymnasts on every piece of apparatus. This change has meant that not all gymnasts have been able to go on the Bars or Beam each week, which we know to be a favorite for many. So after speaking to some of our gymnasts, parents and coaches, we have come up with a way to include either Bars or Beam into every session. This will begin after October half term.

We believe this revised structure will significantly enhance the learning experience for our gymnasts and pave the way for their continued success. We are committed to ensuring that every gymnast at Affinity Academy receives the best possible training, and we are confident that these changes are a step in the right direction.