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)

Best outcome all round then!!

Do they follow the national curriculum? If so they legally have to provide a music education as part of this and should be making provisions to ensure all children have access to that education. My year 5 class are learning the violins this year but the school have rented them from the music company that runs the lessons and we are not asking any parents to pay towards this.

Most music shops hire instruments out for reasonable price. You can find out if your son gets into playing or not before buying.

The one we hired from sold out to us at a reduced rate after we had hired it for a year.

But also because the child may very well already play another instrument, why spend on something they're not going to use again?
Great outcome OP!

3 classes a year in a class size of 32. The kids will learn nothing. Don't waste your money on an instrument.

When we were at the grammar school in Liverpool in th 1950s, it was like a Public school. We could choose any instrument (s) to learn, elocution lessons and deportment classes all for no fee at all. How times have changed.

I think I would put in writing a question to the school to clarify - are they advising you that they intend to exclude your child from music lessons, the curriculum for all other children, because you don't own a violin? Be clear that if that's the case then you don't think it's a comfortable or fair position to put children and their families in and perhaps the school should opt for an instrument for their curriculum lessons which they are able to provide. Take it up with the board of governors and advise that you'll be escalating it above them if they support this decision because it is discrimination and shouldn't be accepted,endorsed or in this case created!

Presumably one that issues ear plugs to all staff!!

Recorder is bad enough at early stages but violin is something else again

OP is it for actual violin lessons or just mai stream music lessons? I.could understand if.the first was an issue but the second is crazy.

Just email back and say it’s discriminatory to ask for families to provide a violin and that you will be making a formal complaint if they don’t find a way to accommodate your son. Find your inner Karen.

@NoInstrument have you seen the question @Vermin has asked you?

Have you got any cash converter type shops near you, I bought a good bass guitar in our local one for dd about 10 years ago she still plays it, they had loads of violins too all at reasonable prices, I had a good look around the shop while she was trying a few out.
I was going to buy myself a saxophone from there too.