Firstly, it’s important to read through the entire document as by taking lessons with us, it’s assumed you have read and agreed to all points. 

 

In Primary Schools

 

Lessons take place during normal school times, unless otherwise stated. Paired and group tuition is the preferred way of learning. Groups are reviewed regularly to ensure students are in an appropriate one based on level, age and syllabus.

 

Working in groups and pairs provides huge benefits compared with the isolated experience of learning alone. Children are more motivated as they keep pace with others, usually pushing ahead of where they would normally be. They can share their music, and that’s what music should always, ultimately, be about. 

 

In Secondary Schools

Lessons usually take place during normal school times, although they may be slightly before or after school. Lessons are taught 1:1 generally, although we do take group and ensemble lessons too. 

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Lessons often start at 20-minutes in length, then increase to 30 as the student progresses. 

 

Skype Lessons

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Some lessons are possible via Skype, and some make-up lessons may be offered as such. 

 

Lessons need to take place in an appropriate space and students need to be appropriately dressed, e.g. in the main sitting room and not in pyjamas. If the student is a child, a parent must be present in the room at all times. 

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Instruments need to be ready and tuned, and books need to be at hand. Lessons will start and finish at the scheduled time unless the delay is the teacher's fault, in which case the full time will be taught from when the teacher first logs in.  

 

 

Prices and Payment:

 

Primary Schools:

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Paired and group lessons cost from £38.50 per month and are 30 minutes long.

 

One-to-one lessons vary depending on instrument are the same price but 20 minutes long.

 

Prices are worked out based on 35 lessons per year in schools following the standard county term dates, making group lessons £13.20 each.

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This is different for private schools. 

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Secondary Schools:

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20-minute lessons are at £15 each, 30-minute lessons at £19. This equates to monthly payments of £44 and £55.50 based on the target of delivering 35 lessons per academic year.

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Different lesson durations may be available on a case-by-case basis.

 

Payment is made via monthly direct debit with GoCardless.

 

*Please note that payments are every month as the cost for the lessons is spread over the year making them easier to budget for and more affordable. You are not being charged extra for times that lessons do not take place over term breaks.*

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If lessons are cancelled then any deficit will be charged, based upon the individual lesson price.

 

Any fees incurred due to school policies such as charging for room use will be passed onto the customer as and when incurred.  

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When stopping lessons, Goffen Music Schools will endeavour to cancel payments, however the customer holds full responsibility for stopping the direct debit with their bank and Goffen Music Schools will not be held accountable if the customer forgets to do so. 

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If payments are not made, we reserve the right to not teach the lessons until the payment is made. These lesson slots will still be billable. If we have to chase up payments a number of times, we may also need to charge a £15 administration fee for each case of non-payment. 

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Continual non-payment will result in a final bill and the cancelling of further lessons. 

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Frequency of Lessons:

 

Our lessons run weekly as this provides continuity and leads to better motivation and learning. There are a total of 35 lessons per year in schools that follow the standard Wiltshire Council calendar of 195 attended days per year. 

 

Photographs, Video and Audio Recording

 

At times photographs and recordings of video or audio may be taken. No images will be taken without specific permission from a parent or adult learner. Audio recordings will be taken and used only for learning and training purposes. For further information, please see the appropriate policies below. 

 

You can opt out of audio recordings at any time, otherwise we’ll assume they are acceptable as they make up part of the lessons. 

 

Lesson Materials:

 

Students need to have their own materials and instruments. Although we can supply some during lessons if requested with at least a week’s notice period, you will need access to an instrument and books for regular practice at home. 

 

We suggest purchasing books prior to lessons commencing and will recommend an appropriate one at the time. 

 

If an instrument, book or other necessary items such as drum sticks are not brought to lessons, and a spare guitar not requested, we reserve the right to not teach that lesson, but it will still be billed. 

 

Suplimentary Materials:

 

If a student is deemed to be doing very well in lessons, supplementary materials may be allocated by the teachers. These may be in the format of sheets, videos or downloads. 

 

Timetabling:

 

Lessons are weekly in schools and we try our best to make sure children don’t miss their favourite classes. However, this cannot always be guaranteed. Lessons are generally at the same time weekly in Primary Schools, as this makes it more likely that children, parents and teachers will remember when they are and that instruments and materials will be brought in. In Secondary Schools, we try to avoid the same lessons being missed each week by varying the timetable. 

 

Tutor Allocation:

 

We reserve the right for different tutors to take the lessons when needed. This may be a permanent change or just to cover tutor absence. We may also, from time to time, have another tutor sit in either for monitoring or training purposes. 

 

 

Attendance:

 

If taking lessons in school, the student / parent is responsible for letting class teachers know when they are and for coming on time. We do our best to liaise with schools and to make sure you remember when lessons are by providing a calendar and even lesson reminder texts, but ultimately getting to the lesson is the student’s responsibility. If late, we reserve the right to teach only the remaining time of the lesson.

 

Missed lessons:

 

Any missed lesson is billable and will be paid for unless missed by prior agreement with at least 7 days’ notice given. If the lesson is cancelled by us, then it will be rescheduled where possible or refunded. 

 

For any missed lessons due to school events, eg school trips, end of year performances etc, 2 weeks’ notice is required to allow us time to reorganise the entire day with the permission of other schools. If this notice is not provided, lessons will be billed as usual.

 

Where lessons are missed due to unforeseen events such as school closure, e.g. snow days, half the cost of the day's lesson will be refunded on request. 

 

Teacher Strikes in Schools:

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Lessons that are missed due to teacher strikes in schools will be made up where possible as we always have a couple of weeks at the end of the year to make up for missed lessons. However, we do not accept responsibility for these missed lessons and if it is not possible to make them up will not refund money for the missed lesson. 

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As teachers who are striking do not have to tell the schools they are doing so, and as we often receive no notice whatsoever of the impact on schools and if we can actually come in and teach, we have no way of effectively planning around these events. As such, do not accept responsibility for them. 

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Luckily, strikes are not commonplace and hopefully will not affect anyone past our ability to make up lessons at the end of the year as mentioned above. 

 

Practice:

 

All students are expected to practise. If practice does not take place regularly, a student will simply not improve at a satisfactory rate. While we help as much as possible and include lesson notes after each lesson, including what should be practised that week, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to make sure the practice is done.

 

Whilst we do our best to ensure progress, it is only the student who really determines how fast they learn.

 

If it is clear practice is not taking place and students are not progressing, we reserve the right to give notice to that student and others on the waiting list will be given the opportunity to learn.  

 

 

Grades:

 

Many students decide to take grades once they have achieved the appropriate level. The grade books generally costs around £12-£18 and you’ll be informed which to get at the time. 

 

Grades do involve lots of work, and we expect students to practise regularly. We will always help you to set up a successful practice routine, but the student needs to stick to it. 

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Our pass rate is incredibly high, with most students this year receiving Merits and above.

 

Ear Defenders:

 

All drum students should have their own ear defenders when playing on acoustic kits. It is the parents’ / carers’ / students’ responsibility to bring them to each lesson. Another option is to have noise cancelling headphones as these can then also be used when paying along to backing tracks.

 

Taster Sessions:

 

Free taster sessions can be organised. Please contact us for further information. 

 

Stopping Lessons: 

 

If you wish to stop taking lessons, then a notice period is required. This needs to be a full term, for which you’ll be billed. If notice is not given, the term period will still be billed. 

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As mentioned above, at this time any deficit due to payments being monthly will also be charged at this point.  You should also cancel your direct debit at this time to coincide with the notice period. It is your responsibility to do this and not Goffen Music Schools and, although we do try our best to do this for you, we can not be held accountable for over-payments if you forget. 

 

 

Late or Non-Payment: 

 

Using GoCardless direct debit payments, neither yourself nor ourselves should have to worry about missed or late payments. However, lessons will not take place until a direct debit is set up.

 

Any cancelation of payment will result in immediate cessation of lessons and if notice hasn’t been given, we will bill for the notice period, and if this isn’t paid will pursue payment through the Musicians Union legal department. This has been a policy we’ve unfortunately been forced to adopt due to a number of non-payments. 

 

 

Private Lessons - Guitar

 

Prices:

 

Cost £100 per month for under 16s and £150 per month for adults for weekly lessons. Lessons are 45 minutes long.

 

Fortnightly lessons are possible and will be charged at £60 for under 16s and £80 for those over.

 

Private lessons are not available for those under 12. 

 

Ad-hoc lessons are not available.

 

Private lessons are based around your needs and requirements, but following a grade course helps provide a feeling of progression and motivation, which is extremely important. 

 

Location:

 

Lessons take place in a  home studio, where you’ll have access to professional quality gear and recording equipment – just bring your guitar and material.

 

My Promise:

 

I will personally make sure you get where you want to be with your playing, you just need to stick to the practice routine. 

 

 

 

Other Policies

 

Data Protection Policy:

Click here

 

Audio: 

Click here

 

Recording Policy

Click here

 

Children Safeguarding Policy:

Click here

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Complaints Procedure:

Click here

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Covid Policy

Click here.

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Further General:

 

No copies of any resource created and distributed by Goffen Music Schools may be made.

 

Goffen Music Schools must be informed of any medical condition prior to teaching any student in order to allow us to provide proper safeguarding and care for all students.

 

All exam entry fees, materials, and fees extra to monthly payments are the responsibility of the student / parent / carer and will not be borne by Goffen Music Schools.

 

Whether in lessons outside of school, term break sessions or any sessions where a student is reliant on transport, this is to be provided by the student / parent / carer and is to be timely and prompt. 

 

Goffen Music Schools has Public Liability Insurance and subscribes to the DBS update service. All tutors also have their own Public Liability Insurance and are DBS checked.