How does the Monthly Membership Plan work?

With the monthly membership plan, you can sign up to Sparks film classes for as long as you like, and operate your billing on a monthly basis. This means that you're able to spread the cost of a term's membership over 4 months, or a year's membership over 12 months.

Please be aware that the monthly plan works as an average amount, spread over a period of months. We don't bill for classes in advance.

Monthly membership plans apply set monthly payments each month as a subscription, including throughout holiday periods:

• January - April: 4 Payments relating to the Spring Term

• May - August: 4 Payments relating to the Summer Term

• September - December: 4 Payments relating to the Autumn Term

What are the Benefits of the Monthly Membership Plan?

• The monthly plan spreads the cost of course fees over a longer period of time, for more manageable billing or better affordability

• Set course membership fees each month - you pay the same amount on a nominated day each month

• Save 10% on each term's fees as a monthly plan member - this is because the administration is much less for monthly membership plans when compared with termly membership, so we pass this saving on

• Automatic renewals each term, you don't need to do anything and your place is guaranteed

What Do I Need to Be Aware Of with the Monthly Membership Plan?

• There is an initial deposit that is charged at the beginning of your membership. This is returned to you once you leave, as long as your membership account is up to date

• The monthly payment applies throughout the year, including holiday periods (the charges in April, July, August and December contribute towards the class fees from the previous term)

• Charges accrue in relation to the classes that take place. Classes are not charged for in advance. This can sometimes mean that you're left with a closing balance depending on how much notice you provide when you choose to move on from Sparks

• You must provide at least one month's notice when planning to leave. Please see the information below for more details.

• Any outstanding charges at the end of your membership must be settled in full. Please be aware that we may take action to recover any unpaid fees if these are not settled at the closing of your membership.

How is the Initial Payment Calculated?

The initial payment is made up of 2 elements:

• Fees covering the period from the date of your first/next lesson to your chosen monthly payment date

• A full month held in deposit

PLEASE NOTE: The full month in deposit does NOT constitute the next scheduled payment. The month in deposit is held until you give the required 30-days’ notice to leave Sparks, at which point it will be applied as credit to the your Sparks account to cover any balance owed. Any left-over credit will then be refunded.

How Long Am I Committed to Monthly Payments For?

The Monthly Plan is offered with no minimum contract term, you can stay for as long or as little as you like.

The notice period for cancellation is 30 days and you can cancel online at any time.

Please be aware that you will be billed for any classes during the course of your membership, or during your notice period. These will be reflected in your final balance.

Please be aware that the deadline for giving notice for September is 1st August each year.

How Do I Change the Card Attached to my Monthly Plan

You can attach a different card to each Sparks membership plan - here's how you change it.

• Log in to your Sparks account

• Select My Classes

• For the plan you wish to edit, click View

• If you have another card already saved to your account it can be selected from the drop-down Card list

• Click Update

Adding a New Card

• Click Add New Card

• Enter the Name on Card

• Enter the long Card Number

• Enter the card Expiry Date

• Enter the CVC number

• Enter the Billing Postcode

Please Note: This is the post code of the address that the card is registered to. If the card is rejected it may mean that it is different to your home address

Please Note: If you already have active monthly plans on your account, you will get an option asking whether you would like to set this new card as the payment source for ALL of these plans.

A Note on Card Storage

Your card is stored on your online account to make it easier for you to make payments. However, your full card details are not stored on our system. They are encrypted by our payment provider, Stripe, who then send back an encrypted token to our system. All we see is the last 4 digits which help us identify the correct card if you wish to pay over the phone.

Monthly Plan - Leaving Sparks

How do I cancel my monthly plan if I wish to leave Sparks?

• Log in to your Sparks account

• Select My Classes

• On the Plan you wish to cancel, click View

• Check the details and click Leave Sparks

• From the drop-down list, select the last lesson you will be attending. The date you select adjusts the figures lower down the page.

Please Note: The charges next to the dates are what you would have to pay to take part in the remaining classes up to your chosen leaving date.

Take care to read the information provided in the "Leaving Sparks Summary" box

• If you are satisfied with the figures presented move down the page.

• Select the reason you are leaving from the "Before You Leave" list

• If you have a moment please leave us some feedback, good, bad or both, under "Anything We Should Know?"

• Click Cancel Monthly Plan to complete the process

What Happens Now?

All of this happens immediately:

• Any original deposit fees will be credited to your Sparks account. These can be offset against any closing balance, or returned to you if your balance has been settled

• Charges making up the 30 days notice will be added to your Sparks account, unless you choose to leave on a specified date in the future, in which case charges relating to those classes will apply

• The student will be removed from classes after the "Last Lesson Date" you selected

• The student's renewal into future classes will be cancelled

• You will be emailed a confirmation

What happens if I am left with a balance to pay?

If you are left with a balance to pay you can pay it via your Sparks account. We'd be grateful if all outstanding balances can be settled promptly.

Please be aware that we may take action to recover any unpaid fees and you will not be permitted to rejoin any Sparks classes until the balance has been paid.

If you are experiencing difficulty making payment, please talk to us so that we can help and find a suitable arrangement.

What happens if I am left with a balance in credit?

If you are left with a balance in credit, contact your local Sparks office to request a refund. We will then refund the balance to your payment card.

How Do I Switch to Monthly Payments from Termly Membership?

• Log in to your online Sparks Account

• Select My Classes

• Find the class you want to switch to Monthly

• There are tabs showing Current and Upcoming classes

• Click the Switch button

This takes you to the Switch to Monthly page - it shows you the benefits of switching to monthly, your complimentary welcome pack and a breakdown of costs.

• Scroll down to Payments Due Today and check out the details

You will see that "Credit" is applied as part of the switching process. As the cost of lessons is lower when you pay monthly, we credit your account with the remaining lessons of the course at the higher "Pay in Advance" price before charging for them at the lower "Pay Monthly" price.

• Select the date each month you wish to make your monthly payment

• Select which payment card you would like to use for this monthly plan

• You can add another card if you wish, simply click 'Add'

• Carefully read the statement on our Terms & Conditions

Here there are some key facts related to the T&Cs for the Monthly Plan. Click on each header to see more details.

There is also a link to the full Terms & Conditions for your perusal.

• When you're ready, tick the box to agree to the Terms & Conditions

• Click Go Monthly

At this point your Initial payment will be paid from the card you selected and your monthly payments will be scheduled.

Please Note: If you have any credit on your account, including any credit applied as part of the switching process, this will NOT be used up by your initial payment. However, your subsequent monthly payments will be adjusted by the relevant amount until the credit is used up.

What if I Change My Mind?

Please Note: The following applies to weekly class membership only. For holiday camps or events, please see the Cancellation Policies within our Terms and Conditions.

As a new member, when you sign up to the Sparks Monthly Plan you still have 14 days to change your mind under our Money Back Guarantee period.

If you do change your mind please contact your local Sparks representative with the following information:

• Your Name

• Your Email

• The Student's Name

• State whether you:

  • Want to swap to a "Pay in Advance" payment scheme

  • Leave Sparks altogether

Please Note: The "Leave Sparks" function on your account MUST NOT be used if you change your mind within 14 days. Please get in touch with us as outlined above.

Do I still pay when classes are not running?

Yes, you do. Monthly payments are structured to cover your termly membership throughout the year, including any school holiday breaks.

The main benefit of monthly payments is to spread the cost of a year's membership to classes over 12 months, so we add up the cost of those classes and then divide the total by 12. This is also the same as paying for a term's membership over 4 months.

Please be aware that the monthly membership does not operate in advance, the payments are equivalent to a term's membership, averaged out throughout the year. This means that payments in April, July, August and December relate to classes taken the previous term.

How are Monthly Payments Worked Out?

Our monthly payment plan is designed to spread the cost of a year's membership to classes over 12 months*.

The monthly payment amount depends on:

• Class Type**

• Membership Cost

• Active Weeks Per Year, e.g. 3x Terms of 10x Classes = 30 Active Weeks Per Year

How does that work out per lesson?

The per class fee is calculated as a pro rata amount of the termly membership fee.

How are the monthly payments calculated?

The price of an individual class is multiplied by the number of classes in a year (Active Weeks). This is then divided by 12 months.

• (Lesson Fee x Active Weeks) / 12 Months

** Please be aware that not all classes, e.g. holiday camps, qualify for monthly payments. Membership to these courses must be paid in advance.

Monthly Plan - Credits for Classes Cancelled

How do I reclaim a credit when a class is cancelled by Sparks if I'm on the monthly plan?

The idea behind the Sparks Monthly Plan is that your account balance is always £0.00.

If we cancel a lesson and apply a credit to your account, your next monthly payment will use up that credit, so the amount you pay that month will be less.

For Example: If you pay £50.00 per month and have a Sparks balance of £25.00 credit on the day your monthly payment is taken, only £25.00 will be taken from your card.

What is the Month in Deposit?

As part of the monthly plan we require a full month in deposit as part of the initial payment.

When booking your lesson our system will advise you of the initial payment and monthly fee. Our policy is to hold one month as a deposit which will be returned to you less any amounts due upon cancellation of your Sparks Monthly Plan.

What Happens if my Card is Cancelled/Expired/Rejected?

If your card is cancelled, expired or rejected you will need to add your new card to your Sparks Monthly Plans as soon as you receive it.

Please Note: DO NOT make a manual payment if the payment is rejected. Once you have resolved the issue (added funds/assigned another card to the plan) our system will take the payment automatically.

You will receive an Email/SMS if:

• Your monthly payment cannot be taken from the assigned payment card

• Your payment card is due to expire within a month

If you receive one of these notifications please assign an alternative payment card as soon as possible.

Please Note: You will need to change the payment method for each active plan.

Once you've changed the payment card the system will automatically try to take the payment, so there's no need for you to make a manual payment.

Where Can I See the Details of My Monthly Plan?

You can check out the details of your plan/s at any time in your Sparks account.

• Log in to your Sparks Account

• Select My Classes

• Click View

Here you can view your monthly payments, change your payment card or leave Sparks by giving 30 days' notice.

Will My Monthly Payment Amount Change?

We aim to keep our class fees consistent, though from time to time we may need to adjust the fees in line with changes to our costs.

We tend to review fees annually, so you can be assured that your monthly membership plan will remain the same, and you'll always be given plenty of notice in the event of any changes.

If we find the need to vary class fees, your local Sparks office will notify you in advance. This will always be at least 30 days before any changes will be implemented.