A surf school website that explains the lesson before the booking
People booking a first surf lesson are nervous about the same things: am I fit enough, do I need to swim well, what do I bring, and when does it start. A surf school website should settle those, then make booking simple. Private lessons fit Anticode's slot booking; group lessons with several places need a request form or a dedicated booking tool.
Lesson types, side by side
Most surf schools sell a small, stable menu. Lay it out so a visitor can find their level in seconds:
| Lesson | Who it's for | What to state |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner group | First-timers, families | Group size, coach ratio, minimum age, duration in the water |
| Improver | Can stand, wants to turn and catch unbroken waves | What they should already be able to do |
| Private or semi-private | Nervous beginners, couples, faster progress | One-to-one or two-to-one, and how it differs |
| Kids' club or holiday course | Children over several days | Ages, days, parental presence |
| Surf camp or week package | Travellers | Accommodation, meals, transfers, lesson count |
Keep each lesson in a CMS collection with consistent fields, so each has its own page and the prices sit in one place for the season.
Times that move with the tide
Many breaks work best at particular stages of the tide, so lesson times change day to day. Say so up front: "Lessons run twice a day at times set by the tide; we confirm your start time the evening before." A generic site with fixed 10am and 2pm slots creates angry customers when the instructor moves them. If your times are fixed because the beach works on all tides, say that instead, because it's a selling point.
Booking: privates on the calendar, groups by request
Anticode's booking calendar takes one booking per service per day and time slot. That suits private lessons: set "Private lesson" as a service, and once someone books 09:00 on Saturday, that slot is gone. The calendar offers six fixed times a day (Mondays skipped), not your tide times, so treat each booking as a request and confirm the real start time. The form asks for the service, day, time, name, phone and email.
It doesn't suit a group lesson with eight places. The calendar would close the slot after the first booking. For groups, use one of these instead:
- A request form with date, number of people, ages, ability and contact details; you confirm and send a payment link.
- A dedicated booking tool that counts places, linked from each group lesson page.
- For camps and week courses sold by the week, your payment link pointed at the weeks listed at your provider, with the request form as the backup when one sells out.
A custom form tied to a formula can show an estimated total on its thank-you page from the number of people and lessons, and refuse a request for a child under your minimum age with a polite message. The calculation runs when the form is sent; nothing updates live on the page.
What's included, and what to bring
- Included
- Board, wetsuit in a range of sizes, and whether boots, gloves or rash vests are provided in colder months.
- Bring
- Swimwear, towel, sun cream, water, a snack, and a change of clothes.
- Facilities
- Changing area, showers, lockers or somewhere to leave keys, toilets nearby.
- Photos
- If you sell lesson photos, how and when they're delivered.
Conditions and safety
This page reassures parents and nervous adults, so write it carefully. Cover swimming ability needed, coach qualifications and first-aid training, the ratio of coaches to students, lifeguard cover on the beach, and what happens when conditions are unsuitable: who decides, when, and whether lessons are moved or refunded. State medical conditions people should tell you about, and ask for that information in person or by email rather than in a long online form. The school owns its safety and insurance wording; the site should report it accurately.
On the beach, on a phone
Students check the meeting point from the car park. Put a clear address, parking advice and a photo of your hut or van on its own page, linked from every confirmation. Anticode sites can be installed on a phone and open with an offline fallback, which helps on beaches with weak signal. Organic (Figtree) or Playful (Fredoka) with a teal or orange action colour fits most surf brands. Related: swim schools and boat charters.
Where Anticode falls short for surf schools
- No place counting for group lessons; pair it with a booking tool or take requests.
- No tide or surf forecast feed, and no embedded webcams.
- No deposits or card payments on the booking form; payment links instead.
- No recurring bookings for weekly clubs.
Questions people ask
Can people book surf lessons online with Anticode?
Private lessons, yes, one booking per slot. Group lessons with several places need a request form or a separate booking tool linked from the page.
How do I show lesson times that depend on the tide?
Explain the rule on the lessons page and confirm exact start times by message the day before, rather than listing fixed times you'll have to change.
Can I sell surf camp weeks?
Yes, through your payment link, with the weeks or packages listed at your payment provider, and a form for questions and group requests.