Going rate for piano lessons in school?

[BreakingBadger]

My DD wants to learn piano, it's £15 for a 30 min lesson weekly, she's in Y7. Seems a lot, I could pay the same for private lessons at home! Is this the going rate? The teacher is apparently excellent, but it's pricey for us and we need to pay for a term upfront, so if she decides she doesn't like it it's a bit annoying.

[redskyatnight]

DC's school charge £90 a term for a 20 minute lesson and £120 for a 30 minute lesson. I think a "term" is normally 12 weeks so that would be £10 for a 30 minute lesson.

Can she have a group lesson? My DC started that way and it helps to keep the price down while they/you are working out if they will continue.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Round here school lessons are £21 per half hour, private lesson where you attend the teachers home are £15 per half hour.
Quality and attitude of teacher are really important. Get references.

[missimperfect]

We pay £12.50 for private half hour lessons. And I get to talk to the teacher from time to time and she will change lesson times if we are away etc - so more flexible.

We found the school system to be unhelpful - similar price but as you say if they miss a lesson due to school trip etc then you miss out and also they take them out of class for the lessons so they miss things going on at school. Also I found the teachers weren't so good and tended to change/not turn up etc. The terms were only 10 weeks so even when there was a 14 week term, it would still only be 10 weeks and if we missed one or 2 for school trips etc it was even less. There was also no means of communicating with the teacher except a termly written report thing. Can you tell I wasn't keen on our particular school lessons!!!!

[mumblecrumble]

Personally, go for pricate if you can. Similar price but you will have more input, be able to see/hear what is happening in lessons, be involved and have more control over times and what hapens when either party is sick etc.

I organise in school lessons as school teacher and it does seem hard to get a room, teacher, pupil all in the same place..... Wonder if you school just doesnlt offer group piano.

But I also teach piano out of school and I love the family being part of it. They get MUCH more time and effort because its much easier.

Though do you have a piano at home?

[7to25]

We pay £13.50 for lessons at school. The downside is lack of feedback but the teacher has been kind enough to phone me with the occasional update.
The upside is that my son thinks it is "official" and that practice= homework!

[pigsinmud]

Not sure about the teachers not being as good...dh used to work for county music service and he's a very good teacher ....they just don't get paid that much! Music service will take a big chunk of the amount you pay.
Dd 1 has clarinet lessons at school and we pay £18.70 for 30 mins individual.

[jennycoast]

DD1's school £20 per 30 minute lesson booked direct with the teacher, but with school acting as "facilitator" and charging the teacher for use of the room (!)

DD2's school £19 per 30 minute lesson, through the local music trust. Same teacher does both.

[Bonsoir]

My DD does a half - hour private piano lesson at her teacher's home and an hour's music theory in a group with the same teacher, every week during term time. The combination makes for good progress and the group effect of music theory is encouraging.

[pigsinmud]

jennycoast - some schools set the price of lessons and some let the teacher set the price. it's a nightmare as every school seems to have a different way of doing things. Dh mainly teaches in private schools and he has to pay a room charge at most of them. Something to do with proving to the inland revenue that the teachers are self employed.
One school had just changed the music staff from employed to self employed. The parents will notice a drop in the price of music lessons as the school was absolutely fleecing the parents, taking a big cut for themselves and then paying the teachers. So even though dh is now earning more there, the parents are paying less than they were!! Crazy!

[BreakingBadger]

Thanks for replies, seems like it is the going rate so I might just have to pay this term and see how it goes. This teacher also teaches privately but I think she charges more for lessons at her house. I will find out if they do group lessons, but I don't really see how that would work very well for piano - she enjoys the school class music lessons where she does keyboard but she wants the individual lessons now.

[lljkk]

Maybe a bit cheaper than I'd expect, but enormously convenient if at school. DD paid £5 for 20 minute group lessons & learnt a fair bit from them.

[campion]

Don't do group lessons if you want her to learn anything worthwhile.It could actually put her off, as could a not very good teacher.

Dh is an examiner for the ABRSM and the number of times he'll come back and comment on having a clutch of examinees from one teacher and how mediocre they all were, all making similar errors and sometimes not even having the instruments tuned before the test .On the other hand there are some fantastic candidates who have obviously been well taught and express their musicality.

You don't need to take grade exams but you do need a good teacher who suits that child.And, yes, you
should expect to pay for it.She's less likely to get bored with an inspiring teacher.

[crazymum53]

Piano lessons are more expensive at dds school than other instruments as this is one to one rather than a group.
But they also offer keyboard lessons at a much lower rate. This may be a good alternative option for a beginner!