When Students accept an offer of a place for tuition, they (or their Parent/Guardian/Carer, if they are under 18) enter into an agreement to that effect and confirm that they will adhere to the terms and conditions of that agreement, which are set out below.

  1. Lessons
    • KEBMusicTuition (“the Studio”) will arrange planned tuition for the Student during the three published terms of the academic year (term dates will be as specified in accordance with Condition 3).
    • Lessons will be delivered by a suitably qualified Teacher appointed by the Studio at the time and location confirmed on registration. The Studio will reserve this lesson time for the Student unless the Student (or the Student’s parent or carer) cancels the lesson via their MyMusicStaff portal in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
    • Students registering for lessons on an ad hoc basis will not have a regular lesson slot reserved but may book available lessons via MyMusicStaff, subject to Teacher availability.
  2. Payment of fees
    • For students with a regular lesson slot
      • Fees for the academic year 2026–2027 are £42.00 per hour (charged pro rata according to lesson length).
      • The Student (or the Student’s parent or carer) will select one of the following payment plans on enrolment, and on re-enrolment ahead of each academic year:
        1. Annual payment – a single payment for the full academic year, payable no later than 1st September, attracting a 10% discount.
        2. Termly payment – each school term is invoiced in advance and payable in full by cash, credit or debit card, BACS, or Direct Debit (processed through GoCardless).
        3. Equal monthly Direct Debit – the annual tuition fees are divided into equal monthly instalments, collected by Direct Debit (processed through GoCardless).
        4. Variable monthly AutoPay – monthly payments are calculated according to the exact number of scheduled lessons within each billing period and collected automatically by credit or debit card via Stripe through MyMusicStaff.
    • For students booking lessons on an ad hoc basis
      • Fees for the academic year 2026–2027 are £47.50 per hour (charged pro rata according to lesson length).
      • Payment is due in full on or before the day of each lesson and may be made by cash, credit or debit card, or BACS.
    • The Student (or the Student’s parent or carer) is responsible for ensuring that any Direct Debit, AutoPay or other payment method remains valid throughout the period of tuition, and that sufficient funds are available when payments are due. The Studio reserves the right to recover any reasonable charges incurred as a result of failed or rejected payments.
    • Where payment remains outstanding, the Studio reserves the right to collect any overdue fees using a payment method previously authorised and securely stored through MyMusicStaff or its payment providers, in accordance with the payment authority granted by the Student (or the Student’s parent or carer) and the applicable payment provider’s terms.
  3. Lesson timetable
    • Lessons for Students with a regular lesson slot will be planned and pre-scheduled during the three published terms of the academic year.
    • The dates and times of all term-time lessons for the academic year will be published on MyMusicStaff before 1st September.
    • Attendance is expected at all scheduled term-time lessons unless a lesson is cancelled in accordance with Condition 4.
    • School holiday periods will also be published on MyMusicStaff before 1st September.
    • Teacher availability during school holiday periods will vary. Holiday availability will be published periodically throughout the year.
    • Students may also book additional lessons during term time or school holidays, subject to Teacher availability, room availability (where applicable), and payment of the applicable lesson fee, or by redeeming any catch-up lesson credits issued under Condition 4.
    • Two weeks during each academic year will be designated as planned catch-up weeks. During these weeks, Students holding catch-up lesson credits may be provisionally allocated catch-up lessons, usually at or close to their usual lesson time where practicable, to assist them in using accumulated credits before they expire.
    • Students who do not wish to attend a provisionally allocated catch-up lesson may decline it by cancelling the lesson via their MyMusicStaff portal. Any unused catch-up lesson credits will remain subject to the expiry provisions set out in Condition 4(e).
    • Attendance during planned catch-up weeks is optional and applies only where a catch-up lesson has been provisionally allocated or separately booked.
  4. Missed lessons
    • (a) If a Teacher is unable to attend a lesson
      • Wherever possible, the Studio will arrange suitable cover with another qualified and experienced member of the teaching team. Students are encouraged to attend covered lessons, as maintaining continuity of learning is generally more beneficial than missing a week’s tuition. Teachers will ensure continuity through appropriate planning and communication.
      • If suitable cover has been arranged and the Student chooses not to attend through personal preference, the lesson will be treated in accordance with Conditions 4(b), 4(c) or 4(d), as applicable.
      • If suitable cover cannot be arranged, the Studio will issue a catch-up lesson credit via MyMusicStaff so that a replacement lesson may be booked.
    • (b) Lessons cancelled by the Student or Parent with sufficient notice
      • Lessons cancelled via the MyMusicStaff portal with at least one week’s notice will automatically receive a catch-up lesson credit. For the purposes of this Agreement, one week’s notice means at least 160 hours before the scheduled lesson start time.
      • Catch-up lesson credits issued following Student cancellations are limited to a maximum of 8 credits per Student during each academic year.
      • Catch-up lesson credits issued because a lesson is cancelled by the Studio or Teacher do not count towards this limit.
    • (c) Lessons cancelled by the Student or Parent with insufficient notice
      • Lessons cancelled with less than the required notice will be forfeited. Lesson fees remain payable in full because the Teacher’s time has been reserved for the Student.
      • We recognise that late cancellations are sometimes unavoidable. However, for fairness and consistency, the same cancellation deadline applies regardless of the reason for cancellation.
      • Students are encouraged to request an online lesson rather than cancelling wherever this is practical; for example, in cases of minor illness, transport difficulties or other circumstances where attending in person is difficult but participating online remains possible.
      • Where appropriate, the Teacher may, at their discretion, provide lesson notes, learning materials, worksheets, video resources or other educational support in place of the missed lesson to assist the Student’s continued progress. The nature, format and timing of any such support remains entirely at the Teacher’s discretion.
      • If a late-cancelled lesson is subsequently filled by another Student, the Teacher may, entirely at their discretion, issue a catch-up lesson credit. Such credits are exceptional and do not create any expectation that credits will be issued in similar circumstances in future.
      • Families are asked not to request discretionary catch-up lesson credits following late cancellations, as any such decision can only be made by the Teacher after the lesson has passed.
    • (d) Failure to attend (“No-Shows”)
      • A lesson will be treated as a no-show where the Student fails to attend without cancelling before the lesson start time via their MyMusicStaff portal.
      • No lesson credit, replacement lesson, refund or alternative learning materials will be provided in respect of a no-show.
      • Repeated no-shows may result in the Studio reviewing the Student’s continuing place for lessons.
    • (e) Catch-up Lesson Credits
      • Catch-up lesson credits may normally only be redeemed against lessons with the same Teacher unless otherwise agreed by the Studio.
      • Availability of catch-up lessons cannot be guaranteed and will depend upon Teacher availability, room availability (where applicable), and the timing of the original cancellation.
      • Catch-up lesson credits must be used by 31st August of the academic year in which they are issued unless the Studio agrees otherwise in exceptional circumstances.
      • Catch-up lesson credits have no cash value and cannot normally be exchanged for a refund. Refunds will only be considered at the Principal’s discretion in exceptional circumstances.
      • Catch-up lesson credits are intended solely to replace missed tuition and may not be transferred to another Student or exchanged for any other service offered by the Studio.
  5. Examinations, competitions and public performances
    • The Student will not be entered for any examination, competition or public performance without the prior agreement of both the Teacher and the Student (and the Student’s parent or carer, where appropriate).
  6. Termination of tuition
    • (a) Either party may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice via email to the other party. Unless otherwise agreed, the notice period will be four scheduled lessons, and the Student will remain entitled to attend all lessons paid for during that notice period.
    • (b) Where fees remain unpaid after the due date, the Studio reserves the right to suspend lessons and/or terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to the Student (or the Student’s parent or carer). This right is without prejudice to any other rights or remedies available to the Studio.
    • (c) Failure to give notice
      • Where the Student (or the Student’s parent or carer) does not give the required notice in accordance with Condition 6(a), fees for the four scheduled lessons comprising the notice period remain payable, whether or not those lessons are attended.
      • Where the Studio terminates this Agreement without giving the notice required under Condition 6(a), the Studio will refund any fees already paid in respect of lessons that will no longer take place, unless Condition 7 applies.
    • (d) Any fees outstanding at the date of termination shall remain payable in full.
  7. Conduct
    • If, in the reasonable opinion of the Studio, the behaviour of the Student or anyone connected with the Student is unreasonable, abusive, threatening, unsafe or otherwise prevents tuition from continuing, the Studio reserves the right to terminate this Agreement with immediate effect. In such circumstances, any fees already paid in respect of outstanding lessons will not normally be refundable.
  8. Online Safeguarding
    • For Students under the age of 16 attending an online lesson, a parent or other responsible adult must remain either in the same room or elsewhere within hearing distance for the duration of the lesson.
    • Online lessons should take place in a suitable environment, free from unnecessary interruptions wherever reasonably practicable.
  9. Changes
    • (a) Any variation to this Agreement must be made in writing and agreed by both the Studio and the Student (or the Student’s parent or carer).
    • (b) If the Studio chooses, at its discretion, to waive any right or remedy under this Agreement (for example, by waiving fees or issuing a discretionary catch-up lesson credit), this shall not prevent the Studio from exercising the same or any other right or remedy in future, unless otherwise agreed in writing in accordance with Condition 9(a).
  10. Communication between the parties
    • For the purposes of this Agreement, any notice to terminate tuition must be given by email.
    • Individual lesson cancellations must be submitted via the Student’s MyMusicStaff portal wherever possible. Messages sent by SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, social media or email are not monitored as a means of cancelling lessons and should not be relied upon for that purpose.
  11. Data Protection
    • The Studio will collect, store and process personal information only for the purposes of administering lessons and operating the Studio, in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation. Further information is available in the Studio’s Privacy Notice.
  12. Governing law and jurisdiction
    • This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the lessons take place. The parties agree that any dispute arising from this Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of that jurisdiction.

The ISM say:
“The acceptance of a student is a business contract. Teachers should therefore ensure through use of a written agreement, preferably the ISM agreement for private music tuition, that the terms of the contract are clearly understood by the student before lessons commence. If the student is a minor, a parent or guardian must clearly understand the arrangements and agree to them.”

The contract terms above are based on those provided by the ISM, adjusted for the particulars of the KEBMusicTuition studio. It ensures, that our livelihood as teachers, and that the viability of the business as a whole, is protected by way of notice periods and conditions relating to cancellation of lessons. It protects our reputation by stating that examinations or public performances should not be undertaken without our consent.

It also protects you, as a student, by ensuring that we will not abandon lessons unexpectedly (we are subject to the same notice period that students are), that we will catch up any prepaid lessons that we have to cancel ourselves, and that we will provide a quality service to you as a customer.

As an ISM Fellow, I am bound by their codes of ethics and practice, and am answerable to them. In turn, they are available to assist me in matters of dispute, for example by recovering payments on my behalf if notice has not been served, or in cases of breach of contract.

In general, we always do our best to be as reasonable and accommodating as we can be regarding contractual issues, however with a written agreement in place all parties should be aware of their obligations and meet them to the best of their ability.

You may wish to print this page for your records.

Last updated: 04/07/2026