To say no to buying a violin for my DC?

[NoInstrument]

DC is 9, Year 5.

School told us on Friday that we have to supply a violin for our DC to play in music. The school do not have any to lend out, it’s either we provide one or DC can’t take part in music lessons this year.

The cheapest one I can find that will arrive by tomorrow (lesson is on Tuesday) is £65.

I cannot afford £65. I’ve just spent £200 on uniform for DC as they’d completely wrecked everything else. And even if I did have £65 to burn on a violin we have nowhere to practise, I live in an upstairs flat and theres limits in our tenancy to what can be done when, instruments are not allowed after 5pm (DC is in ASC until 4.45pm everyday).

There is no second hand sale at school as the Year 5s last year played a different instrument.

I’m a single parent, DC is on FSM but school don’t use it for this sort of thing, they use it for the Year 6 residential and an individual subscription to 2 homework apps (everyone else has to pay I think £5 a year)

AIBU? And what will happen to DC if they’re the only one without a violin (which is likely as its happened before with trips, DC has been the only one not going on none compulsory trips when I couldn’t afford it)

I'd be tempted to write a letter about Christian values vs a child being denied the opportunities given to others due to lack of funds. It's disgraceful. If I was told that I had to buy an instrument for my child to attend a lesson during school hours, I would refuse in principal. If all can't do it, no one should.

Is it an individual music lesson or whole class group? If individual, did DC choose the violin? You'll need one in that case. If whole class, school should provide.

Please please don't buy a £65 new violin, it'll be beyond awful. You could get one second hand that's miles better for cheaper. BUT you'll need the teacher to tell you what size.

It's not necessary and expensive isn't it! Why can't they do recorder or something.

I'm irked too. Just been looking at gcse books for niece and the whole set she needs for options plus English and maths comes to £78 bought directly from school. I said I can buy half now and she will have to wait for the other half. Her mum is in the same situation as you Re FSM and schools allocations.

Are you really really sure DC hasn't got it wrong? I've never heard of a class doing violin lessons - recorder yes or even brass but not violin. They'd all need different sizes and it needs close tuition to learn the technique

@Setyoufree Group lessons, the whole year is being taught in classes (30-32 per class, 3 classes per year) the other classes will be doing either PE or Computing while one class is having music.

@Setyoufree Yes letter sent from school.

Of all the instruments... bloody ridiculous one. You can definitely get one for free/cheap, on FB marketplace, gumtree,freecycle. But YANBU.
Violin is notoriously difficult, but also ear-splitting to practice.

The school need to be very careful here. They can’t exclude your child from a national curriculum subject due to expensive equipment.

Ok wow. I guess all I can say then is either speak to school about how bonkers it is, and/or get a second hand one. Or rent one from a string shop - they'll be able to tell you what size as well if you did that.

I'm a huge fan of children learning instruments at school but whole class violin lessons and asking parents to provide the violin is absolutely crackers

Sounds bonkers quite apart from the expense. My daughter did a year of whole class ukulele lessons (instruments provided by the music service just for use in lessons - presume the long suffering teacher visited several classes) and that was ear splittingly awful. 30 beginner violins ??? Why not pick something they might have a fighting chance of getting a tune out of?

I'd try to get one second hand and then speak to the school about a practice space due to your conditions of tenancy. See if ds can use a classroom for a bit aftershock or first thing in the morning alongside breakfast club.

Seems like a big ask on the schools part tbh.

If they told people on Friday that they need a violin on Tuesday, I think a lot of people will be without. 90 people all looking for the same instrument in one weekend - Facebook marketplace won't be that much help!

Was there any advice on size?

I wonder whether the teacher is assuming that the school is providing the instruments, not the parents. If I were teaching whole-class violin (I'm trying to imagine how anyone could persuade me to), I'd at least want to be able to get at the instruments before the start of the lesson.

If there are three classes, could your child share with someone in another class?

Music learning (musicianship) via Kodaly methodology is MUCH more sensible. Voice as first instrument and singing/ clapping games to practise pitching, steady beat and rhythm, before progressing to an actual instrument.

plus no initial outlay like this.

But sadly only pockets in the U.K. teach music this way.

Sounds very cheap. Last year my year 5 did trumpet, I rented it. What a funking con, cost me about 120 quid could have got a cheap one off ebay for that.
Try a wanted post on your local nextdoor and freecycle.

Have you ever heard a child playing a violin badly? It's beyond ear splitting, it really is. When dd learned (or tried to) years ago, everyone in the house ran for cover. Discreetly, of course.

Just found the relevant DfE guidance for you, OP. They cannot do this.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/706830/Charging_for_school_activities.pdf

i’m a violinist.
school is totally unreasonable. Parents are ours complained when we were all
requested to pay £10 towards a recorders.

our council loans instruments for around £20 per term which is very reasonable but should not be compulsory.

They certainly can't do this! If this is a school music lesson within school hours your child can't be excluded if they don't pay. Challenge this immediately with the head teacher

My DS has just completed a year of class violin lessons. They were all taught in the hall with another class who were learning the cello. So all class lessons do happen. The school leant out violins to all participants and we were given websites where we could rent or buy one if we chose.

I thought you meant you signed her up for individual lessons where they get pulled out of class, in which case you provide or rent from the visiting / peripatetic teacher.
If you mean whole class violin lessons this seems unlikely as beginners will be awful! And no school or teacher will have 30 violins available at once, it is not a whole lesson type of instrument like a recorder or ukulele!

You can get a child's violin for £32 on Amazon.

As a violinist, the only one losing out if if you choose not to, is your DC.

I got free lessons at school, didn't have much opportunity to practice at home. Whilst the lack of practice can be limiting, it doesn't mean they will not be able to play, as children pick things up much quicker than adults. DC may also choose to play over breaks and lunch, as I did. I found it a healthy and wonderful emotional release and escape, during difficult times. My parents scrimped for the violin (I gave it away free to another child wanting to learn, when I outgrew it), even back then childrens violins (new) were cheap. You could also resell it easily if it's kept in nice condition, if DC decides after a while that it's not for them.

I still play now, as a result of those lessons.

If you cannot afford it just now, you cannot afford it. But if DC wants to learn, it's a wonderful opportunity. Perhaps you could tell school you can't get DC one just now, but will when you can and then dc can rejoin lessons? Sooner the better though, obvs, joining a class where most are ahead of you is not pleasant. Also, I struggle to imagine anyone would genuinely have a problem with 20-30 mins of practice at 5pm. Rather that than 7am.

The amount of folk I've met who say they wish their parents encouraged them to learn an instrument when they were younger, or put them through lessons, gave them the opportunity to learn, is a shame, if I'm honest.

Same here, I am horrified that they are asking you to provide one at such short notice! Surely other people are in the same boat of not being able to conjure one up with less than a weeks notice?

Mine was £25 on Facebook!

A second hand one is far better than a cheap new one.

I meant to say though, I've no idea why you had so much short notice. I would definitely be speaking to the school about that.