Fees and payment

Tuition, Ensembles & Instrument Hire

Last update: 20/08/2024

These terms and conditions form the basis of the contract between Kingston Music Service (KMS), a service within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and customers (referred to as ‘you’). KMS reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time and without notice.

1. Enrolment

1.1 As soon as applications are received via SpeedAdmin they are placed on a waiting list. Subject to availability, confirmation of tuition will be communicated via email. 

1.2 We may not be able to accommodate all applications straight away, in which case students will remain on the waiting list. Waiting lists are regularly reviewed, and new places offered as soon as they become available.

2 Lessons

2.1 KMS plan to deliver 30 lessons over the year, usually 10 per term, either in person or via online delivery.

2.2 The number of lessons per term may vary due to term and holiday dates.

2.3 Paired/ group lessons can only be offered when there is a suitable pairing or group available. Where a suitable pairing or group does not exist, KMS will try to offer an alternative lesson type.

2.4 If you are offered a group lesson and in time a member leaves the group, you will be offered a new lesson type with an alternative rate, at which point you can choose whether to continue.
KMS do not offer trials for lessons or STARter groups.

3 Ensembles

3.1 Generally, there are 30 ensemble sessions per year. This excludes concerts which are generally held at the end of each term.

3.2 Ensemble membership will begin as soon as possible following receipt of a completed application.

3.3 KMS offers a trial lesson to students who are unsure about starting an ensemble.

3.4 An audition may be necessary for more advanced ensembles.

4 Term Dates

4.1 KMS term dates are published on the KMS website.

5 Fees

5.1 Fees are payable 3 times a year, before the start of a new term, normally during week 8 of the previous term, and in advance of tuition.

5.2 Invoices are required to be paid 14 days after receipt. After the 14 day period lessons are liable to be discontinued.

5.3 The minimum commitment and charge for both lessons and ensemble membership is until the end of the term in which attendance begins.

5.4 Pupils are automatically re-enrolled and invoiced for the same activities every term unless appropriate notice has been given (see DISCONTINUATION below)

5.5 Where payment has not been made in advance, we reserve the right to discontinue service until full payment has been received. Continued non-payment of fees will result in your place being withdrawn.

5.6 Fees will not be refundable for any absence or short term illness. In cases of long term health problems, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss. A medical certificate may be required.

5.7 Fees are reviewed annually and published on the KMS website.

6 Financial Assistance

6.1 If you are experiencing any financial difficulty then please contact KMS to discuss alternative payment arrangements. All information will be dealt in the strictest confidence.

6.2 Remissions may be available for students who receive free school meals. Please see the help with fees section of the KMS website.

7 Student Absence - catch-ups, credits and refunds

7.1 KMS do not offer credits or refunds for lessons missed by pupils, for any reason. This includes school trips, sickness, exams, dental/medical appointments or forgetting to attend a lesson. 

7.2 KMS tutors are not required to collect students for lessons. If students do not attend lessons, neither catch-ups or credits will be given. For safeguarding purposes, tutors will contact the school office to report the absence.

7.3 As a courtesy, parents/guardians/adult learners should give tutors at least 24 hours’ notice if missing a scheduled lesson.

7.4 Parents/guardians are responsible for notifying KMS if their child is unable to make a lesson due to a planned whole school closure e.g. INSET or sports day. KMS will make these lessons up if given at least three weeks’ notice. 

7.5 In the event of an emergency or closure of a school (full or partial) or a music centre due to an event outside KMS’s control (e.g. force majeure, a pandemic, severe weather, industrial action, war, famine or similar or), no credit or reduction in fees will be due. 

8 Tutor absence - catch-ups, credits and refunds

8.1 The same KMS tutor will be provided as consistently as possible, however KMS reserves the right to vary activities and teaching staff when absences occur.

8.2 On the rare occasion that the regular KMS tutor is absent from a music centre, KMS will endeavour to replace them with a suitable deputy tutor.
       If a deputy is unable to be found:

8.2.1 School lessons: The tutor will offer to reschedule the lesson at a time convenient to the school. This is likely to be in week 11 of the current term or week 0 of the next term (before the KMS term starts)

8.2.2 Music Centre lessons:The tutor will offer to reschedule the lesson online at a time convenient to both parties.

8.3 Where it is not possible to arrange a deputy tutor or catch-up lesson, KMS may offer a credit for the lesson or a refund. Credits and refunds will normally be considered at the end of the year when it is clear how many lessons have been completed.

8.4 Credits or refunds will not be given if an agreed catch-up lesson is missed by the student.

9 Discontinuation

9.1 Lessons and ensemble/group memberships automatically continue term on term and year on year until appropriate notice of discontinuation is received.

9.2 Written notice for discontinuation should be made via email to musicservice@kingston.gov.uk with DISCONTINUATION in the subject of the email, listing the student, teacher, instrument and location of lessons directly to Kingston Music Service (not to your school or tutor). 

9.3 Written notice for discontinuation should be sent by the following deadlines;

• Before the start of the Autumn half term to discontinue at the end of the Autumn term
• Before the start of the Spring half term to discontinue at the end of the Spring term
• Before the start of the Summer half term to discontinue at the end of the Summer term

9.4 Once lessons have started in any term, the full term’s payment is due in lieu of notice for that term.

9.5 If a pupil withdraws part way through a term, the term’s charges remain payable in full.

10 Timetabling of lessons in schools

10.1 In primary schools we collaborate to schedule lessons on the basis of room availability and school logistics to their individual requirements. Generally, this time will remain fixed throughout the term. Once the lesson offer has been accepted by the parent/guardian, we cannot guarantee to make any changes.

10.2 In secondary schools, the timetables are either generated by the tutors or the schools. Timetables are displayed either physically or digitally for students to view. 

10.3 All secondary school lessons are rotated on a weekly basis to aim to ensure that students do not miss the same lesson each week. SpeedAdmin will only ever show the date of the first lesson, not the timetabled lessons thereafter.

10.4 Students are responsible for ensuring that they know when their lessons are each week. KMS cannot refund or reschedule lessons that have not been attended without prior agreement. 

10.5 Music tutors are not responsible for escorting students to and from lessons.

11 Timetabling of Music Centre lessons

11.1 Music Centre lessons take place on set dates. Times of lessons are agreed during enrolment and remain the same until agreed by KMS and the parent/carer. Times can be found on SpeedAdmin. 

12 Timetabling of Online lessons

12.1 Your allocated tutor will contact you to organise a mutually convenient time for lessons and confirm this via email. The parent/guardian or adult learner is responsible for creating a Google account to be used with Google Meets and for the use of the correct equipment and settings. The guidance will be provided on request. (Please ignore the time and date on SpeedAdmin as this is just a standard entry for online lessons where dates and times have not yet been specified.)

13 Ensemble Membership

13.1 Regular attendance at rehearsals is vital in order to ensure that ensembles develop and perform together properly. They rely on teamwork and commitment from every single member.

13.2 All ensemble members are expected to:

• Give their full commitment and have regular and punctual attendance at all regular rehearsals, courses, workshops and performance.
• Arrive at least 10 minutes before the start time (unless coming from another KMS lesson)
• Download the relevant music for their instrument(s) if relevant
• Practice and learn the music thoroughly before the rehearsals
• Take music to their instrumental/vocal lessons and go through parts with their teacher
• Follow rehearsal etiquette by turning off mobile phones and paying full attention to the conductor
• Bring their own stand to all rehearsals, unless told this is unnecessary by the ensemble leader
• Assist in the setup and pack down of rehearsals (including stacking own chair and stand, cleaning any rubbish away and ensuring all instruments are returned to storage as appropriate)

14 Ensemble absence

14.1 If an absence is unavoidable, notification should be given by email to the ensemble leader at the earliest opportunity.

14.2 Attendance at rehearsals and concerts is carefully monitored. Failure to attend rehearsals without permission may necessitate musicians not being able to perform at concerts and result in your place in the ensemble being withdrawn or offered to another musician.

15 Medical & Special Educational Needs & Disabilities 

15.1 KMS wants to support all students to fulfil their musical potential and enjoy their music-making.

15.2 Parents/ Carers must inform KMS of any additional needs either via the Speed Admin portal or in writing via email.

15.3 Parents/ carers must also inform us of relevant changes to the student’s medical conditions or educational needs.

16 Behaviour 

16.1 KMS has an excellent reputation for positive behaviour and a strong work ethic which we wish to preserve and develop.

16.2 Pupils and visitors are expected to behave in a responsible and courteous manner at all times; to respect the environment, resources and personnel; to attend lessons regularly and to practise between lessons.

16.3 Offensive or illegal items and substances must never be taken to KMS activities. No pupil should access offensive or illegal content from any electronic device whilst engaged in KMS activities.

16.4 Poor attendance, failure to practise or disruptive or anti-social behaviour by either the pupil or by the parent/carer, may result in tuition being withdrawn and any paid or outstanding fees would be retained or remain payable. No credits will be given in such circumstances.

17 Instrument Hire

17.1 The Music Service has a range of instruments for hire. 
17.2 The current hire cost of instrument hire can be found on the KMS website. 
17.3 Parents/guardians/adult learners are required to collect the instrument from the KMS office by appointment only.
17.4 The instrument will remain at all times the property of Kingston Music Service, a service of the Royal Borough of Kingston.
17.5 The hirer will continue to be invoiced, and liable to pay hire charges until such time that instrument is returned to the KMS office. 
17.6 KMS aims to issue the instruments in good condition, complete with accessories (i.e. bow, mouthpiece and case where appropriate). and expect them to be looked after and returned in the same condition with all accessories. 
17.7 Any defects (i.e. tarnishing, cracks, etc.) will be recorded on the hire agreement form overleaf and acknowledged by the Hirer and KMS. Photographs will be taken upon hiring so that a comparison can be made upon return. Any fault or defects not recorded overleaf and noted on return will be repaired and the full cost will be charged to the Hirer.
17.8 The equivalent of one term’s hire fee is required as a deposit at the start of the rental period. This will be refunded in full on return of the instrument, provided it is undamaged and in working condition. We reserve the right to withhold the deposit to pay for any repairs needed or if the customer has any outstanding KMS fees due.
17.9 Damage/loss: We accept that some minor wear and tear is inevitable. In cases of serious damage, theft or loss, a payment up to the full cost of the instrument towards repairs/ replacement will be required.
17.10 In the unlikely event of failure to return an instrument, appropriate action will be taken to recover the item of property.
17.11 The Hirer is responsible for all general maintenance costs whilst the instrument is in their care. This includes peripherals such as strings, rosin, reeds, cork grease, pull-throughs, slide cream and valve oil. It is the hirer’s responsibility for purchasing consumables such as reeds, strings and oil.
17.12 Repairs: Please do not attempt to repair instruments yourself. Please contact your tutor in the first instance, and if not possible to rectify please contact the KMS Instrument and Support Officer via musicservice@kingston.gov.uk - please use the subject “Instrument repair FAO IMSO”.
17.13 Insurance: It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that appropriate insurance is in place to cover the full replacement value of the instrument (Please check with your home insurance as this may already be covered). The value of the instrument can be found in our replacement costs document.
17.14 Ending the hire: When the hirer no longer requires the instrument, it should be returned to the KMS office. To return an instrument, please make an appointment by emailing musicservice@kingston.gov.uk
17.15 Any instrument hired under this agreement must not be returned to a school. In the event that an instrument is returned to the borrower’s school, the contact and/or borrower named in this agreement will continue to be charged for hire until the instrument is returned to the KMS office.
17.16 Instruments must be returned by the end of a term or payment for the next term will be charged.
17.17 Requesting a different instrument: When the hirer requires a larger size instrument, hirers should email musicservice@kingston.gov.uk to request the next size up (this is generally string instruments only)
Please note, KMS are not able to book same day appointments and appointments must be booked in advance to avoid being turned away.

18 Liability

18.1 KMS does not accept liability for loss or damage to pupil’s instruments or personal possessions. You should arrange appropriate insurance for these items

19 Personal Data & Privacy

19.1 KMS collect and keep personal information for the delivery of music tuition and hire of instruments. This information will be stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy

20 Acceptance of these terms and conditions

20.1 You are agreeing to these terms and conditions by doing any of the following:

• Accepting KMS tuition
• Attending KMS tuition
• Paying for KMS tuition
• Signing a KMS instrument hire contract
• Paying for a KMS instrument hire

Safeguarding Statement

KMS is committed to providing Kingston Schools with a high quality tutor workforce. Every tutor holds a valid, enhanced DBS and where possible, asks tutors to subscribe to the update service. KMS holds details of all tutors' DBS on file and ensures that all tutors have their certificate renewed in a timely manner to ensure continuity of service. Additionally, tutors hold Level 2 LSCB or equivalent Safeguarding certificate (renewed every three years) and attend the KMS annual update training session (which reflects KCSIE updates.) KMS monitors this to ensure that all tutors are compliant.

Furthermore, as a service of Royal Borough of Kingston, KMS operates within the Safer Recruitment practices and ensures that candidates provide good references for a minimum of five years continuous employment.
Safeguarding Guidance & Policy

Tutors

All instrumental and vocal tutors are highly qualified and all appropriate checks are made. The Service monitors quality and provides professional development for tutors.

We reserve the right to alter tutor delivering the lessons but will endeavour to tell you if this is necessary. If we are unable to find a replacement tutor then we will refund or credit the relevant fee as appropriate. All tuition depends on the availability of tutors.

How to pay

All fees must be paid in advance, within 14 days of the date indicated on your invoice. 

Parent/guardians will be sent an invoice via our SpeedAdmin website (where you first applied for lessons). All payments must be made online via the SpeedAdmin website.

Other important information

Parents and guardians and adult learners are expected to provide instruments, accessories, music and equipment necessary for online lessons. KMS does not accept liability for loss or damage to any personal possessions or personal injury, however caused.

Refer to our Online Code of Conduct for online tuition.