Terms and Conditions

We will assume that non-payment is an indication that you wish to withdraw your child from Guitar Clubs and we will be unable to include your child in guitar classes. Once any arrears are rectified however, and settlement for further lessons is made in advance, your child will of course be welcome to continue guitar classes.

Guitar Clubs provide group guitar classes in three different ways: daytime lessons, lunchtime clubs, after-school clubs and school holiday workshops. In each case, responsibility for ensuring your child attends their class is jointly shared by Guitar Clubs, you the parent and the School itself. Guitar Clubs send regular reminders to parents and Schools, detailing lessons dates and other information.

We ask that, as a parent, you ensure your child’s normal Class Teacher and School Office Staff are aware that your child is taking part in Guitar Clubs. We also ask that you remind your child about their guitar lesson each week and ensure they bring their guitar and tuition book to School. We particularly ask for parental assistance in managing children’s attendance at lunchtime clubs.

Where a child fails to attend their lesson and the Guitar Clubs teacher has taken reasonable action to determine their whereabouts, no refund for the missed lesson will be due. If a child refuses to attend their lesson, again no refund will be due, but parents will be alerted in order to agree a course of action for further lessons.

Every Guitar Clubs class begins with Registration. If a child is absent at Registration, their Guitar Clubs Teacher will do everything they can to determine the child’s safe whereabouts, and ensure they are included in the lesson.

Absence from a lesson is not deemed as grounds for refund. On the first occurrence of a child not attending their class, being disruptive in class, or forgetting their equipment, Guitar Clubs will manage the situation on the assumption this is a one-off event. Parents will not automatically be informed. On the second occurrence however, concurrently or otherwise, parent’s will be contacted and the best way forward will be agreed. Please also bear in mind that a Guitar Clubs Teacher will not normally be able to leave their group unsupervised in order to search for an absentee. In some cases, the Guitar Clubs Teacher may be unable to confirm a child’s whereabouts with School staff until the lesson has concluded.

A child may be absent for a number of reasons, however Guitar Clubs will never force a child to join in a guitar class against their will. Where a child clearly does not wish to attend their lesson, the Guitar Clubs Teacher will ensure the child is accounted for and left safely under the supervision of School staff; parents will be informed at the first practical opportunity.

Once the Practice Chart at the front of a child’s tuition book has been completed the child will receive a Practice Diary. The Guitar Clubs teacher will write in it each week what it is the child needs to practice between lessons. The Practice Diary must be brought into each lesson. If a Practice Diary is lost or completed, a new one should be ordered through the website to ensure continuity of learning.

You can stop lessons anytime. All we ask is a month’s notice in writing (email is acceptable). On receipt of your written notice, we will review your account and the balance of any payment exceeding the period of notice will be refunded.

Where a child is absent from their lesson through illness, this will be recorded on our register. We regret that we are unable to refund the value of lessons other than in cases of anticipated long-term illness (four or more weeks), for which we require reasonable notice.

Where non-attendance is anticipated owing to a family holiday, we require a minimum of 14 days notice . In the first instance the value of the missed lesson(s) will be credited, or a replacement lesson appointment will be offered. Any credit at the end of term can be deducted from the following term’s fees, or refunded if no further lessons are timetabled (eg. at the end of the academic year). Where advance notice of the holiday is not forthcoming, no refund will be due.

Responsibility for informing Guitar Clubs of anticipated non-attendance owing to a School Trip is the responsibility of the child’s parents and again we require a minimum 14 days notice. Unfortunately we cannot rely on the School Office to warn us of each school trip. Where notice is received 14 days or more in advance, the lesson will be rolled-over to a later date, or the lesson value will be credited, or a refund will be offered if no further dates are available (eg. at the end of the academic year).

If a child forgets their instrument and/or equipment, they should still come to the Guitar Clubs class. As this is also a music lesson, they will be included in the lesson and will still benefit from musical education. We cannot lend instruments , however often there will be spare guitars available in the school music room that a child can use.

If a child is disruptive during their guitar class, on the first occasion their Guitar Clubs Teacher will manage the situation and include the child in activities as far as is reasonably possible. Parents will not automatically be informed, as Guitar Clubs exercises benefit of doubt and will assume this is a one-off occurrence. If a child is disruptive a second time however, concurrently or otherwise, parents will be informed and a way forward will be jointly agreed.

Should the management of disruptive behaviour in class warrant partial exclusion from activities, no refund will be due. If the only reasonable course of action is to exclude a child from the class, no refund will be due, however parents will be informed at the first available opportunity and a way forward will be jointly agreed.

Guitar Clubs has a policy of inclusion where a child has a special learning need, special medical need, disability, allergy or any other special learning criteria (eg. language, religion). However, we do ask parents to inform us in advance as a School cannot be relied upon to pass this information to us. The child’s particular needs will of course be held in the strictest confidence and the best way to foster their learning development will be discussed with their parents. If it is agreed that Guitar Clubs is not equipped to provide the necessary duty of care, it may not be possible to offer musical instruction.

We would ask parents to ensure that children are collected on time. If parents arrive early, they are welcome to listen in to the last few minutes of the lesson. If parents anticipate any delay in collecting their child, we would appreciate a call to School/Guitar Clubs. Where there is repeated lateness, we will speak to the parent concerned to agree the best way forward. If lateness of collection continues, we will be forced to charge for our teacher’s time at £25.00 per hour.