Paying upfront for classes

[Gramaphone]

I have been going to an art class for about a year. There are some weeks when I’ve not been able to go, so I don’t pay. There are 5-6 people in the class and there’s often at least one person missing.
the art teacher has now said she would like paying for 5 classes upfront and if you miss a week, tough. It’s her livelihood so I kind of get it.
but if I know I’m not going to be able to make say, the 4th week, and tell her now, surely I can get credit for that one as I’ve given plenty of notice??
another class I go to operates in that way - you only pay when you attend.
each class is about £10-15.
would you be happy to pay up front and possibly lose out occasionally or would you prefer pay as you go?

It’s all very well saying you’ll give her notice, but she’s unlikely to be able to get a random someone to fill that place, isn’t she?

TBH I can see her point - she’s got her living to make.
When I used to go to classes I paid upfront for the term, and dh does the same for the two he attends.

Most classes you pay upfront for.

It's the same for many children's groups too you pay for your slot for the half term as you can't get randoms to fill in the ad-hoc spaces.

Realistically, her costs remain the same (or drop a tiny amount) if there's one less person in the class.

Not only that, but it's possible the amount of work she has to do actually increases (as she needs to teach some of what you missed a second time so that you can understand the next lesson)

So I think it's perfectly reasonable for her to price classes by the block.

It’s extremely unusual to only pay for the whatever classes in a block you actually attend.
If you can’t commit to 5 classes, maybe wait until you actually can before joining up?

If you don't like her terms, which are perfectly acceptable, then don't go.
I'm also not sure what you mean by 'get credit for that one'.

I have three kids and spend a crazy amount on their hobbies. All are paid in advance. None are refundable unless the instructor is sick or on holiday. It surprises me that people think you should only pay when you attend.

The only reason most of these classes are on is because the teacher has it as a job. If she doesn’t get paid there would be no class. If there is always at least one person missing she is losing 1/5 of her income from the class each year.

If she can only take 5 people and it’s an ongoing class how would she fill the slot on an ad hoc basis? Maybe you could ask if you can pass the slot to one of your friends on the days you can’t make it (and your friend pays you)?

I remember my friend being told ‘jimmy cannot attend piano lessons next Friday as we have already paid for football training and we don’t need to pay for piano if we give you 7 days notice’. The friend changed her terms and conditions to a month in advance. People prioritise if they lose money.

It depends if she can easily fill your slot if given enough notice. If it's a course with progression, then she's unlikely to be able to find someone who wants just one session, so you should pay every week even if you can't go.

I pay for my Spanish classes upfront whether I can attend every session or not.

I mean, I would prefer to pay as I go, but if I was running such a class, I'd prefer people paid up front. Realistically, she can't fill the space if people just miss random ones. I would accept that paying and not being able to attend is the price I pay, literally, for holding my space in the class in an ongoing way.

Very few classes run as a drop in, pay as you go service. It would be madness for the organiser to agree to it. Everything I've ever gone to has been payment upfront for the whole course.

The amount of notice you give is irrelevant.

Can she say to the centre that someone didn't come tonight so she'd like the room for less?
Can she say to someone that they can only come for one week now and then when someone doesn't turn up.
I'm a tutor. I'm reasonably flexible with my cancellation policy with long standing clients. But i don't rent a room for a class, I work at home. I'm starting to think that going forward from September that I might ask for upfront payment. Some do anyway as it suits them

If the classes are private the teacher can set their own terms. Paying in blocks upfront is normal, most of their costs for venue, materials, time are fixed and it must be frustrating if people come and go and don't pay. Whether they allow credit for absences notified in advance is up to them, but the additional admin may outweigh the benefit.

There is no right or wrong here. Lots and lots of classes are PAYG - most exercise classes, for example. Lots offer a discount if you pay for a block, accepting that you might not actually attend all.

Other classes are by term or month - eg most of my DC's activities.

She has every right to ask for this. You have every right to say it doesn't work for you and will in fact be more expensive as you only usually attend 4 lessons. If you really like her, ask if she'll agree to a block booking discount - my yoga teacher does this. If you pay for the term, you get a big discount. Pay for a month, you get a small discount. PAYG = no discount.

I attend a weekly yoga class. I pay every half term. If I cannot make it, its my loss; the class still runs. The hall still needs to paid for etc.

The only time where I've paid as you go would be where its my first time at something.

I think it's fair enough to pay for a whole term at a time
(and I say this even though I once paid for a whole term of baby signing up front, did the first class and couldn't go again because DD just VERY LOUDLY repeated/ learned the word they we re supposed to sign rather than do the sign, and the tutor kept telling us off)

I think its fair to ask for pay up front especially if the class leader has outgoings before you even consider them taking a 'wage' from the funds.
It would be pretty hard to budget otherwise and could potentially lead to them being out of pocket.

Going the other way and if the class leader decided doing a "there's 10 spaces on a first come first serve basis" people would be pretty miffed if they rocked up and it was a wasted journey because they were number 11 in the queue.

I do the same with my classes. Payment upfront so if YOU can't make it, you lose money rather than I lose out. Simple

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the replies