General Chat

My grandson passed his music test and was told he could take up the Coronet then gets a letter home to say it`s £12.50/ MONTH then if you want to buy it --£325 ! M y daughter is a single Mum at university and she`s angry that they were not told before his test . The wee lad is upset now too, Ros

My son goes to a performing arts school (his local secondry school specialises in this ) Extra music tuition/club on a Saturday is extra cash and doesnt come cheap for the term (cant remember how much but I think its about the same as yours.) But it was explained on the letter given to us, what the initial cost would be, however it said nothing regarding the buying of instruments although I feel this would be pretty obvious you would want to buy his own instrument if he is taking exams or tests in that field. Elaine x

It must have all changed as my daughter played the viola and didn`t have to buy --school gave her one, Ros

should have been told before really...i would expect the school to inform me before handxx hope your grandson is okxx

maybe our schools are different here. My daughter plays an instument and pays monthly, however there was a part of the form where you could get a reduction for being a low income family or special circumstances. Might be worth her asking about it.

Hi Rosalyn Ive re read your opening post and as you say 'if you want to buy it --£325 ' I would take it as an optional 'IF' It may be the case that your grandson can borrow one from the school to use at the lessons with the aim that later on you may want to buy his own. Best ring the school and see where they stand on this. elaine x

Two points---he has to buy to continue with instument playing --no choice, there wasn`t anything on form for low income families. Daughter phoned instrument supplies and they just laughed at her complaining about cost. She hasn`t spoken to school yet, Ros

Thanks, Kate --it `s my grandson!!! I know I don`t look that old!!! Ros

Ask those who have met me!!!! Ros xx

Our LEA Music Service has a stock of instruments that you loan from them - no charge, but you sign a form to say that you have adequate insurance to replace/repair it if necessary. We are quite lucky, our school charges £35 per term for the first year's tuition (year 3), then for years 4/5/6 they pay for it from the Gifted and Talented provision. Charlotte plays the trumpet and Jamie the clarinet - I'm a single parent too and couldn't afford it if we had to buy. Trumpet is about £270, clarinet nearly £400 !!! Although if we did want to buy, we could do it through the Music Service and get the VAT taken off. Maz. XX

When my son was young he wanted to go to a gym club and as a single parent, I could not afford the cost, also he started having keyboard lessons and again it was a struggle to find the money. I asked at the gym club if they had any help for people like me, and the woman said she had been talking to someone who was a trustee of a charity which helped young people with extra curricular things and uniforms and school trips etc, and they had mentioned no one ever asked for help to go to her gym club. Well I got in touch with the Charity and found out that many many years ago, some kind person put up some money for disadvantaged youngsters and because the investment had done so well, there was still money in the kitty for those who were eligible, ie. single parents, and families on low incomes. I had a lot of help through my son's school years with all kinds of things, and I was glad to hear about it. Maybe there is a charity like this in your area, it would be worth asking at the Library or somewhere. Hope you can get the help so your grandson can carry on with his music. Liz

Well done your grandson for passing.My daughter played the coronet and was in a brass band and also played the piano.At the time i had 3 school children and was broke.Someone gave us a old piano and i went to a music shop and bought her a coronet on hp.She is now 30 and we had to pay then just got the lessons free.All my family are musical and as my dad says you can never be lonely if you can play a instrument Annie

HI Ros My son plays the flute. In his school if the children want to play an instrument they have to buy their own and pay for all the lessons. He also belongs to a Youth Orchestra which has asked him to learn the Saxaphone as it is similar to the flute. To help him they have lent him a saxaphone but if he wanted lessons he would have to pay for these so he has taught himself. Jane

Head teacher didn`t know that kids got letter about costs! Ros

Have you thought of having a good sort out of books, clothes, cds, videos, toys etc etc and selling them on ebay, to raise the funds? Plus youd be clearing out stuff you dont need ready for Christmas. Im always selling on there!

I just wanted to add that my son plays the Cornet. He has his lessons and instrument loan for free from the local brass band. All I had to do was pay for his lesson book £10 and band fees for the year £20. He is playing in his first concert on Saturday. He has a one to one lesson for about an hour every Friday and goes to a beginners group on a Sunday for about an hour and this is all free. Maybe it is something your daughter could look into?

My daughter plays violin and was given a loan instrument from school for the first year and we then had to buy her own when she continued. Her lessons are £38 a term but we get a discount if we pay for the year now -£90 for year. Children who qualify for free school meals can have their lessons free. Our local music shops do schemes where you can have an instrument on a kind of HP agreement, you pay an agreed amount a month until it is paid off or if they decide not to continue, then payments stop and the instrument is returned. It is worth enquiring.

Different LEAs have different systems, but as a general rule schools do not supply the lessons - they have peripatetic teachers who go in to give instrumental tuition. Many LEAs are able to offer loan instruments for the first year of study, but after that time you are encouraged to rent or buy. For families on low incomes (eg in receipt of income support, housing benefit, free school meals, or Child tax credit with a household income below £15400) it is usual to be able to apply for a bursary towards the cost of lessons and continued use of an instrument, but that will depend on which authority and how much they have left in the coffers. As someone else mentioned shops that sell instruments will often have a rental scheme, and they may give you the option to purchase the instrument at a discounted price after so many terms of rental - kind of like a loyalty bonus. You need to contact the Education Authority for your area to find out exact details of tuition costs and bursaries available - the schools themselves often don't have a clue as they are not the ones dealing with the finances (they just provide teaching space for the peri teachers to teach in) I personally think its great that instrument tuition is so widely available now - I went to school at just the time when the Conservatives withdrew all funding for music in schools so wasn't ever given the opportunity to learn an instrument. My daughter, however, is lucky enough to be learning the cello and I am having to save up to be able to buy one of her own (not easy when I have to pay to rent one as well!) Ask at your local instrument shop - they may have details of second hand instruments for sale in the local area. Hope you get it sorted :o)

I have a daughter that took violin lessons from the school and she was doing great......until there was no teacher to teach! She left after 12 months! (teacher not my child) They were still charging my bank umpteen pounds a month even though it wasn't happening! The outcome is that although she's still keen.....and I had to buy the violin within three months.... and.there is still no teacher to teach her! So lets just say that she lost interest.....and I'm now left with a violin that cost me a lot of money. I wouldn't complain if she lost interest.....as they do!......but it was the lack of tuition that I was paying for and she never received. I did get some money back but it was way to late. xx

UPDATE--he`s getting it free as he gets school meals free! Ros