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Welcome to another exciting year at Music & Life Academy! We are thrilled to continue our musical journey with your family. This handbook outlines our studio policies for the 2025-26 year, designed to ensure a smooth, supportive, and professional environment for everyone. Our goal is to work in partnership with you to provide the best possible music education for our students. By enrolling, you agree to these guidelines, which help our community thrive.
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More Than Just Lessons: Our Commitment to Your Child's Growth​
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We believe that music education extends beyond the weekly lesson. That's why we arrange amazing opportunities for students to perform in concerts and participate in enriching workshops and group sessions. These events are a core part of the Music & Life experience, and we strongly encourage all students to participate fully to build their confidence and skills.
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1. Fees & Payment Terms for 2025-26

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* Please note: Lesson fees are subject to change. We reserve the right to adjust tuition, and we will notify families of any changes in advance.

To continue investing in our expert tutors and studio resources, our fees for the upcoming year are as follows. Payments are structured by the school term, and we are pleased to offer a 5% discount for families who pay for the whole term in advance.
Lesson Rates:​

• Individual 30-min lesson: £35 per session

• Individual 45-min lesson: £52.50 per session

• Individual 60-min lesson: £70 per session

• Group 60-min lesson: £25 per session​

 
Joining Mid-Term: You are welcome to join at any point during the year. Your term fee will be calculated based on the number of lessons remaining (e.g., if you join in week 3 of a 12-week term, you will pay for 10 lessons).
 
Suzuki Violin Package: This package includes 5 bi-weekly one-hour group lessons each term.
Term £520 (after 5% discount: Autumn & Summer term: £494, Spring term: £452.85)
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Payment Methods:

• Lessons cannot begin until payment for the term has been made.

• We accept bank transfer or cash payments. Please ensure payment is made on time to avoid disruption to your lessons.

• Convenient Monthly Plan: For families who prefer to spread the cost, we offer a monthly direct debit plan. This plan spreads the cost of 35 lessons over 11 months (Sept-July). Please note, the 5% discount does not apply to this plan. For example, a 30-minute lesson would be £111.36 per month. Please speak with us to arrange this.

 
2. Lesson Scheduling & Cancellation Policy
We understand that life can be busy. Our policy is designed to be fair to both our families and our instructors.

• 24-Hour Cancellation Notice: Please provide at least 24 hours' notice via email or phone to cancel or reschedule a lesson. This applies to all reasons for cancellation, including illness.

• Cancellations with 24+ Hours' Notice: You will receive a make-up credit, which can be used to reschedule the lesson.

• Cancellations with Less Than 24 Hours' Notice: The teacher is not obligated to reschedule. However, we want to ensure you still get value from your lesson, so we offer several flexible options:

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• Swap with another student: You may be able to swap your time with another student. Please ask your teacher for possibilities.​

• Send a video: You can send a video of your practice to your teacher, who will review it and provide feedback and guidance for your next steps.

• Switch to an online lesson: Where feasible, you can opt to have your lesson online instead.

• Missed Lessons (No Notice): If a lesson is missed without any prior notice, it will be forfeited, and no refund or credit will be issued.

 
3. Make-Up Lessons & Teacher Absences

• Student Make-Up Lessons: Make-up lessons are offered when a cancellation is made with at least 24 hours' notice. Make-up credits are valid for 30 days from the date of the original lesson, unless your teacher agrees to an extension. While we do our best to find an alternative time for unavoidable circumstances, make-up lessons are not guaranteed and are subject to schedule availability.

• Teacher Cancellations: If a teacher must cancel a lesson, they are obligated to either reschedule at a mutually convenient time or issue a make-up credit. A replacement teacher may be arranged if necessary.

 
4. General Studio Policies

• Punctuality: Please arrive on time for your lesson. Late arrivals will still finish at the scheduled time to respect the student following you. If a teacher is late, you will receive your full lesson time.

• Serious Illness: We understand that serious or long-term illness can interfere with attendance. In such cases, please speak directly with your teacher to discuss special arrangements.

• Discontinuing Lessons: Should your circumstances change and you need to discontinue lessons, we kindly request 4 weeks' notice before the end of the term to allow us to adjust our schedules.

• Our Positive Environment: We are committed to a safe, positive, and respectful environment for all students, parents, and teachers. We do not tolerate disrespectful or aggressive behaviour and reserve the right to terminate lessons at any time. In the rare event of termination, any unused lesson credits will be refunded.

• Communication: We encourage open communication! Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about lessons, policies, or your child's progress.

 
5. Safety & Security (CCTV)
For the safety and security of our community, CCTV cameras may be in operation during lessons. This helps ensure safety, monitor teaching standards, and protect property.

• All footage is handled in accordance with data protection laws and is accessed only by authorised personnel.

• Recordings are securely stored for a limited period (typically 7 days) and then deleted, unless required for specific purposes.

• By participating in lessons, families acknowledge the presence of CCTV. Signage will be in place to indicate areas under surveillance.

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6. Lesson Term Dates 2025-26 (35 Lessons Total)
Autumn Term 2025 (12 lessons)

• Term Dates: Monday 15th September – Saturday 13th December

• (Half-Term Break: 27th Oct - 1st Nov)

• Suzuki Violin Group Dates: 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 8 Nov, 22 Nov, 6 Dec

Spring Term 2026 (11 lessons)

• Term Dates: Monday 5th January – Saturday 28th March

• (Half-Term Break: 16th Feb - 21st Feb)

• Suzuki Violin Group Dates: 17 Jan, 31 Jan, 14 Feb, 7 Mar, 21 Mar

Summer Term 2026 (12 lessons)

• Term Dates: Monday 13th April – Saturday 11th July

• (Half-Term Break: 25th May - 30th May)

• Please note: Lessons scheduled for the bank holiday on Monday 4th May will be moved to Monday 13th July.

• Suzuki Violin Group Dates: 25 Apr, 9 May, 23 May, 13 Jun, 27 Jun