Terms and Conditions
The following terms & conditions are required to be read by parents/carers who have children receiving instrumental/vocal tuition from Rotherham Music and/or hire a musical instrument from Rotherham Music. A PDF copy of the same Terms & Conditions can be downloaded by clicking the link below.
Instrumental/Vocal Tuition
1. Rotherham Music makes provision, in suitable circumstances and at appropriate stages, for instruction in the playing of certain musical instruments and/or vocal lessons (normally within school hours).
2. A charge is made to the school for tuition. This charge may be passed on by the school to you. Any queries regarding charges for lessons should be directed to the school where your child is receiving the instrumental lessons, not to Rotherham Music.
3. A guaranteed minimum of 33 lessons over the year will be provided. We have 35 teaching weeks but lessons may not take place for all of these weeks due to school or Rotherham Music INSET days, school trips, etc. The aim is to provide 11 lessons per term but this may vary due to external circumstances beyond our control, for example disproportionate term lengths due to the date on which Easter falls.
4. Group lesson length will normally be 20 minutes. Group sizes will not normally exceed 4 pupils. Where there is a beginner who we cannot group with another student the lesson length may be 15 minutes until we can form a suitable group.
5. Lessons will take place during the school day. Every effort is made to fit in with school timetabling requirements and to ensure that there is minimum disruption to lessons in school. Tuition in most Secondary schools is on a rotating timetable.
6. All Rotherham Music instrumental teaching staff have an Enhanced DBS disclosure.
7. The progress of each pupil is reviewed periodically and parents are notified through a termly report.
8. If a student wishes to discontinue lessons, parents must give notice in writing to the school and Rotherham Music at least three weeks before the end of that particular term of tuition. Where a student discontinues lessons during a term, the full term will be charged for.
9. When a pupil transfers to another school every effort will be made to maintain continuity of teaching, but this cannot be guaranteed.
10. Proficiency in playing is achieved only by regular practice. Parents/Carers should therefore be prepared to provide support and encouragement so that children practise regularly and with concentration.
11. Children are encouraged to enter for local or national examinations upon the advice of their tutor.
Hire of Instruments
Rotherham Music has a limited number of instruments available to hire to students receiving lessons with a Rotherham Music teacher. The offer of instrument hire will normally be given to any student starting lessons on that instrument, subject to availability. Instrument hire is free of charge for the first year of tuition, after which a £10 per year hire fee will apply.
The instrument remains the property of Rotherham Music and may be held on hire for the sole use of that student and for no other person until it is returned to Rotherham Music.
The instrument may be exchanged for a different size or make during the course of study, on the advice of you child’s instrumental teacher.
The instrument must be returned to Rotherham Music if lessons are discontinued.
The conditions on which this hire is granted are that:
1. You will be responsible for the care and maintenance of the musical instrument, its case and accessories in the condition in which they are received.
2. You will ensure that reasonable care is taken by your child in the use, storage, and transportation of the instrument and that the instructions on the use, care and maintenance of musical instruments are carried out.
3. In the event of damage to or a defect occurring in the instrument while on hire to you as parent/carer of the student you will be responsible for reporting such damage or defect to your child’s instrumental teacher or to Rotherham Music . Where such damage has been caused by negligence on the part of your child or any person using or handling the instrument while on hire to you, you will pay to Rotherham Music the cost of making good the damage. We strongly advise parents/carers to check that their household policy includes cover for the instrument and if necessary add it specifically to the policy in case or loss or damage.
4. In the event of the instrument being stolen, you report the incident to the Police and inform Rotherham Music of the theft and the crime reference number as soon as possible, and replace the instrument.
5. Parents are expected to pay for incidentals such as replacement strings and rosin (string instruments), reeds and cork grease (woodwind instruments), valve oil and slide cream (brass instruments).