Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Don't know if anyone else is aware, but there are planned changes to the way music lessons are charged from next September. I need to write to someone about my concerns - but who? (i.e. not the head, nor the music department) - where is the decision-making based, does anyone think?

Maybe you should contact the Bursar. I'm sure someone at the school could give you name, contact details etc.

What sort of changes are being made? Perhaps you could tell us how it works at the moment.

When I was at C.H. I played the trombone, and tuition was free from start to finish.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think that this was the same for everyone who played in the band.

Piano lessons had to be paid for. Not sure about strings, though......

Music lessons are indeed about to change, but the details of how are as yet unknown. Currently you don't pay if;

you do GSCE/AS/A2 Music . You may study two instruments free at GSCE, and three at the AS/A2 level.

you have reached Grade V or above in your instrument.

I don't know about means tested fee paying at the moment, of whether or not that happens. We also have to pay for repairs to all instruments not owned by the school, and we pay for music exams (£70 for Grade VIII).

How many grades do most people have to go through?

As brass or wind players, we only did grades 6 and 8.

Well , speaking from experience- none! My younger daughter keeps being told that she will be doing grades exams on both her instruments - 3 years on , still nothing . Perhaps it`s because she`s not a "serious" music student (i.e only does it because she enjoys it ). She`s not the most talented musician, but there seems to be little encouragement. unless you are a "real" musician.

As for fees - we have paid for lessons that she has not had due to teacher absence - but no-one seems able to address the issue that we should be entitled to a refund - or money off the next term`s lessons. If she were to miss one or 2 lessons there would be a letter home saying lessons would be stopped. All a bit one-sided I think.

Any member of the Music School staff use the forum????

Just out of interest, what are her instruments?

Violin and French horn - and a friend of hers is teaching her the flute!

I used to get my lessons free ... back in the mists of time. Mind you, bassoon was hardly a popular instrument!

I think we got them free for the first 2 years (so we could see if we wanted to carry on), then if we were in the band/orchestra etc we got them free.

I took grades 4,5 and 8. Proudly failed the aural tests in all of them, but still got distinction I was taking an exam in bassoon, not singing!

That seems about right. I got my lessons for free because I played an intrstument that meant I'd play in the bugle band and susequently the main band.

Seem to remember having to pay seperately for piano lessons though (which I hated and gave up after one term).

I'd suggest writing to the headmaster and the council of almoners for starters, if the system is changing and you believe it to be unfair. I'd wait and see what the proposed changes are before becoming 'indignant of woking' though.

Mrs C. wrote:Well , speaking from experience- none! My younger daughter keeps being told that she will be doing grades exams on both her instruments - 3 years on , still nothing . Perhaps it`s because she`s not a "serious" music student (i.e only does it because she enjoys it ). She`s not the most talented musician, but there seems to be little encouragement. unless you are a "real" musician.

As for fees - we have paid for lessons that she has not had due to teacher absence - but no-one seems able to address the issue that we should be entitled to a refund - or money off the next term`s lessons. If she were to miss one or 2 lessons there would be a letter home saying lessons would be stopped. All a bit one-sided I think.

Any member of the Music School staff use the forum????

Sounds like a job for 'Rumpole of the Bailey' !!

Obtaining money under false pretenc......... ???

darthmaul wrote:Music lessons are indeed about to change, but the details of how are as yet unknown. Currently you don't pay if;

you do GSCE/AS/A2 Music . You may study two instruments free at GSCE, and three at the AS/A2 level.

you have reached Grade V or above in your instrument.

I don't know about means tested fee paying at the moment, of whether or not that happens. We also have to pay for repairs to all instruments not owned by the school, and we pay for music exams (£70 for Grade VIII).

I'm afraid to say that this information is well out of date, and does not reflect the current situation, let alone the situation from next September. The details are in fact known, as a letter was sent out from the Head over the summer.

The present situation is that which pertained about 2 years ago, then there was another change to the present which as I understand it is:-
1 free for GCSE
2 free for A2/As
free for grade VI and above
All exams to be paid for
other lessons are either at full cost or "means tested", by which they mean full fees if parental income is above £16,000

The September 06 changes as I understand them are
Grades now make no difference whatsoever
1st free for GCSE
subsequent "means tested" - full fees if parental income £16,000
all other lessons charged at full fees (around £550 per 30 lessons (i.e. a year) per instrument.

This is proving particularly difficult to take for people like ourselves whose daughter is musical. The music fees could in some cases be larger than the CH fees.

The requirements of uni for music courses are minimum 2 instruments at Grade 8, plus keyboard. We simply could not afford a 2nd instrument's tuition

stpandp wrote: ....all other lessons charged at full fees (around £550 per lesson)

Seems a little steep!!

Does this mean that ther is no longer free tuition for those musicians likely to be in the band?

How the hell are they going to manage to run it without a steady flow of band members feeding in?

BTaylor wrote:Does this mean that ther is no longer free tuition for those musicians likely to be in the band?

How the hell are they going to manage to run it without a steady flow of band members feeding in?

My daughter joined the Band this term after a year or more in the Training Wind Band - no free tuition at all. Certainly no free tuition for aspiring Band Members - only as mentioned in a previous post.

If you have music/singing lessons it would seem that you are more or less obliged to attend Band/ Orchestra/ Choir once you reach a certain level.

I got free singing lessons because I was in choir...

and free flute lessons (I think) because I was in band...