Music School Policy - 2024/2025

STUDENT COMMITMENT

Private Lessons - Piano, Violin, Viola, Voice: Lessons are organised into ‘terms’ that roughly follow the State School terms dates (usually 11-13 weeks depending on the time of year). Students commit to lessons termly and are invoiced for the amount of weeks in a given school term. Pro rata rates apply if students join our school in the middle of a term.

Music Time and Music Foundation Classes: These classes are also organised into ‘terms’ that roughly follow the State School terms dates (usually 11-13 weeks depending on the time of year). Students commit to lessons termly and are invoiced for the amount of weeks in a given school term. Pro rata rates apply if students join our school in the middle of a term.

Cantabile Strings: Commitment to Cantabile Strings is annual - 10 sessions each term for three terms. Students commit to these rehearsal sessions for the entire academic year. Attendance is mandatory and students are expected to juggle their other commitments around these rehearsals.

FEES

Private Lessons: £56 per hour, times the weeks in a term. (£42 - 45 minute lesson / £28 - 30 minute lesson)

Music Time: £9 per session, times the weeks in a term

Music Fondations: £18 per session, times the weeks in a term.

Cantabile Strings: £600 per year

ADDITIONAL FEES

Material Fee- There is a £20 material fee at the start of the year per child. (This does not include children in Music Time or Music Foundation Classes)

Books: New books will probably be needed throughout the year. We will either ask you to order these directly or we will buy them and apply them to your next term’s invoice.

OTHER FEES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

In some instances throughout the year there might be other additional fees. Such fees might include: exam registration, additional exam music books, instrument hire, music festival registration, masterclass/workshop sign up fees etc. We will always have a discussion with you about these fees to decide together if you would like to take part in such activities.

LESSON CANCELLATION

If a student needs to cancel their lesson for any reason, you can simply message to say they won't be able to attend that particular lesson. It is important that students commit to and prioritise their lesson time. If cancellations become frequent we will suggest that students discontinue lessons and their space will be offered to the waitlist.

We are unable to offer refunds or credits for cancelled lessons

We are unable to reschedule missed lessons

Missed Lessons do not roll over to the following term

If we have to cancel a lesson for any reason we will always do one of the following:

  • Provide a substitute teacher

  • Offer a make-up lesson

  • Apply a credit to the next term's invoice

LATE ARRIVAL

If you arrive late to your lesson, we might not be able to go over time and give you a full lesson. We will try to be flexible with this but please try to arrive promptly for the start of your lesson.

PRACTICE

We understand that building healthy practice habits takes patience and time. We create a lot of activities, projects and challenges to help students develop these skills. Parents agree to work with children to build good practice routines and help children meet goals and challenges. Without parental commitment in this area, student progress will be slow and frustrating. Please chat with us if practice becomes a struggle and we can work together to help make this easier.

RECITALS

Surrey Hills Music School organises several opportunities for performance throughout the year and these performances are an integral part of the curriculum. There are recitals in December and throughout the summer term. Students are carefully prepared for these performances over several weeks and months, so that they feel confident and prepared.

Please Note: Recitals are Compulsory for all school-age students in private lessons

After a student has studied with us for more than a term they are required to participate in BOTH the December recital and another one in the summer term. If there is ever a concern about an upcoming performance please chat with us and we will work together to make this easier.

If students habitually opt out of recitals we will suggest that they discontinue lessons and their space will be offered to the waitlist.

MUSIC CLUB

Throughout each term there are Music Club sessions. These informal class sessions are free to attend for all current students in private lessons and they are asked to sign up to as many as they want. These session are creative, fun and social, and help develop performance confidence. Students who regularly attend these sessions find recitals much less daunting.

Please Note: Students must sign up to at least Two Music Club sessions each year.

EXAMS

All students who study with Surrey Hills Music School are taught at a high international level. Their training will allow them to choose any musical path they desire. Sitting performance and theory exams are not necessary for this process and sometimes even get in the way of it, for this reason exams are NOT compulsory.

If a student ever wants to sit an exam we are happy to discuss this and will help them to prepare. At certain stages throughout their studies exams might be useful and might help them prepare them for musical studies within the British school system. However, we might suggest that the time is not right for an exam and ask them to wait.

Expectations before committing to an exam:

  • Students are required to have spent at least 1-2 years in weekly lessons before considering sitting any exam.

  • Students are required to be in a comfortable routine of daily practice.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

We consider it a privilege to work with each student. We strive to provide excellent music instruction patiently and kindly. We will always communicate with you and be available to discuss any questions or concerns. We will always work together with you to create the best learning experience possible.