Describe your actual experience
Tell the school whether you can swim confidently, whether you have surfed before and what you found difficult. Explain any access needs directly to the provider. Being new is useful information, not a problem to hide. Ask how the group is divided when participants have different experience.
Understand what the session includes
Check the meeting point, equipment, changing arrangements and how much time is expected in the water. Ask what happens if conditions are unsuitable and which cancellation rules apply. A clear answer before payment is more useful than discovering an exclusion when you arrive.
Look for instruction you can follow
A first session should make space for the board, the beach and the signals used by the instructor. Ask how students stay together and how feedback is given. Do not measure the lesson only by whether you stood up; learning to manage the board and return to a meeting point also matters.
Leave with one next step
After the lesson, ask what to practise next and which conditions remain outside your ability. Write down one useful observation while it is fresh. A focused next session often teaches more than changing beaches or equipment in search of an instant result.