Studio Policy

Fiona Barnett PGCE BMus(Hons) DipABRSM

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees must be paid monthly, at a set rate depending on the length of the lesson (i.e. 30, 45 or 60 minutes). The 2015 rate is £30 per hour. At this price, the student is guaranteed that I will be prepared and present to teach 38 weeks per year, please see the 2015 timetable for dates of lessons. If lessons are required during school holidays, they will be charged and paid for separately at the normal rate.

Tuition must be paid in 12 monthly instalments and can be paid online (preferred) or by cheque. This makes it easier for the parent/adult student to have a steady outgoing and the teacher to have a steady income.

Missed Lessons

Because specific times are set aside for specific students, a student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. I will then use that time or other times to plan for the student's progress, locate materials, etc. Please be assured that your tuition pays for far more than the time spent with your child (see Where Does My Tuition Go?). There are no refunds, discounts or make-ups (rearranged lessons) given unless I am unable to teach the promised number of lessons.

Performance classes can be viewed as a form of "make-up" lessons (I offer these one to two times a year right before a concert). In addition, families of private students may trade their lesson time with another student ("lesson swap") to help avoid absences. Use these rules to make sure swaps go smoothly:

• I must be informed prior to and after arranging a swap.
• No make-up lessons will be given if any confusion from this arises.
• Should two people arrive at once, I will teach the one whose lesson is normally at that time.
• Please inform me if you do not wish to have your name included on the swap list.
• Phone or "Skype" lessons during the student's regular lesson time are also an option for those that are mildly sick or for inclement weather.

Illness

Students who are ill should not come to piano or flute lessons. The extra performance class offered can be considered make-ups for absences due to illness. I reserve the right to send a student home if they arrive sick. If students are only mildly ill, please email me and we will do a phone or Skype lesson.

Skype/Telephone

Skype and telephone lessons are becoming a very useful tool for teaching students who cannot make it to a lesson due to illness, weather, etc. If you have a computer with a camera close to your piano or laptop that you can move close to the piano, please create a free Skype account and add my name to your contacts. This will allow me to call you and have a lesson with you over the internet if need be. My Skype user name is Fiona Barnett.

Practicing

You are expected to practice/encourage your child to practice at least 20 minutes a day, it is better to do little and often rather than one session of 2 hours. The minimum recommended practice schedule is 20 minutes, 5 times a week and 10 minutes on the other days, if followed, this will ensure good progress.

Repertoire

You are expected to buy your own books for the lessons, though if you have difficulty, you can order any books through me and I will add the cost to your fees.