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Original poster

Playing a musical instrument in secondary school

55 replies

nutcracker · 03/07/2007 21:20

Dd1 will be going into year 5 in Sept and has been told that she will be given the oppurtunity to play either the flute or clarinet. Now the cost is £75 a term which includes the hire of the instrument.

What I am wondering is, when she moves up into secondary school, do you still pay for the tuition ??

I really want her to have this oppurtunity, but am worried about the long term cost.

OP posts:
Califrau · 03/07/2007 21:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dayofftomorrow · 03/07/2007 21:23

ours pay more than that for tuition at secondary school so it will get more expensive but you do get extras of theory and school concerts etc that you don't always get with individual tuition

Original poster
nutcracker · 03/07/2007 21:24

Oh god really am gonna have to say no then, which is awful as I encouraged her to ask about it in the first place.

OP posts:
Original poster
nutcracker · 03/07/2007 21:25

We didn't pay at all when I was at school.

Am quite angry now tbh. Basically then she can only have this oppurtunity if her parents are well off.

OP posts:
Beetroot · 03/07/2007 21:25

yes I think so.

Beetroot · 03/07/2007 21:26

could you find cheaper lessons outside school

Beetroot · 03/07/2007 21:26

could you find cheaper lessons outside school

Original poster
nutcracker · 03/07/2007 21:27

Don't think so Beety. It works out at roughly £7 odd a week and private lessons around here are about £15 minimum.

OP posts:
Tamum · 03/07/2007 21:27

I think it depends on the local authority tbh. All school tuition here is free if your child is selected for it, but I think that's pretty unusual. What a shame Is it worth letting her do it for a year or two anyway though, so she gets the basics while she's still young?

Original poster
nutcracker · 03/07/2007 21:32

I could yeah, but tbh I can't really afford the £75 either, but thought that perhaps in secondary school you wouldn't have to pay and so paying the money now would be worth it.

Don't know why I thought you wouldn't have to pay in secondary school, should have realised before I put the idea in her head.

Just seems so unfair, as dd is so bright and so willing to learn new things, and take part in any oppotunity offered to her.

Oh well, will perhaps ask her dad to contribute, but i think I can quite confidently say that he will say no.

OP posts:
christywhisty · 03/07/2007 22:07

Just had the fees through for the secondary school ds starts in September
£154 for 30 min individual
£107 20 mins
£78.5 Shared 30 min
£53.50 group (3/4) 30 mins

£40 a term for the hire of the instrument.

Ds would like to learn the drums, however my main concern is that each week the lesson moves, so they don't miss the same subject every week. They have to look on the notice board everyweek to find out when there next lesson is. DS has some problems with time and I am not sure he could cope with this.

My flute lessons at seconadary school were free including the instrument.

amicissima · 03/07/2007 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

renaldo · 03/07/2007 22:27

in our school lessons are free for low income families - why ont you check with your head teacher?

PeachesMcLean · 03/07/2007 22:42

I wouldn't dismiss the cheaper shared lessons at secondary school (if you can stretch to that). I had shared lessons but the main thing was to take part in group things - is there a school band or orchestra? Maybe she won't progress as quickly in terms of pure technique, but who cares if she's learning an instrument and enjoying it? I realise it's still an expense though..

SueW · 03/07/2007 22:42

Maybe in the future you could apply for a Fame Academy Bursary

From the website:

"The Instrument and Equipment awards give away around 150 awards each year worth up to £1200 each (including VAT).

"The Awards were open to anyone aged 11 to 15, who needed a new musical instrument or some equipment.

"We were looking to help people who are enthusiastic about music right now. The scheme was open to players of all styles of music."

dayofftomorrow · 03/07/2007 22:52

our school also does free/cheaper lessons if you are on certain benefits (or in years 10 and 11 if doing gcse)

mumeeee · 03/07/2007 22:53

Yes you do have to pay for tiution in secondary school. But those feesseem very high. I pay £40 a term for my daughters violin lessons and that includes the hire of the instrument. She is in year ten.

duchesse · 03/07/2007 22:59

But...there are so many flute and clarinet players, she might have more fun trying something else.

I don't know if your county will have a hire service, but they tend to be quite cheap (it's £20 a year in Devon for state school children - not available at all to private school pupils). Ask if it has to be flute or clarinet. I know they are popular, but what about the bassoon or oboe or French Horn or viola or cello? They must surely offer those as well, no?

dayofftomorrow · 04/07/2007 08:43

some areas offer cheaper lessons for what they call endangered species (instruments that not many people play trombone is one not surprisingly) and quite often if you hire an instrument for long enough it becomes yours

southeastastra · 04/07/2007 09:00

instrument lessons were free when i was a secondary. it does annoy me that they're paid for now.

my son's secondary lets the child have about six weeks free taster sessions, then you have to pay if you decide to take the instrument up.

tortoiseSHELL · 04/07/2007 09:05

nutcracker, why don't you let her do it for 2 years and see how she gets on? After a couple of years, she may decide she doesn't want to do it, or she may decide that she wants to 'play in orchesta/wind band' but not have lessons. or she may be really loving it, and getting on really well, in which case she may want to do it in place of something else. Shared lessons may well be the way to go down to start with, as it is cheaper. They work well if the children are quite 'similar' in progress. They can be a pain if one child goes faster than the others. £7 a lesson including hire is very reasonable imo - I charge £11 for half an hour, which is still on the low side.

tortoiseSHELL · 04/07/2007 09:07

(I meant to add, the biggest thing that helps is regular practice, which is vital, so make sure your dd knows that!!! )

I don't know your circumstances, but I have a few pupils whose grandparents pay for their lessons, and I used to have some who did fortnightly lessons to reduce the cost. Maybe a grandparent/relative etc could pay for the lessons as a birthday present/christmas present? Or even a contribution?

CayKon · 04/07/2007 09:17

maybe you have a local brass band or marching band near you. They will teach your child to play an instrument for free or very low subs each week, in return she will just have to do some performances with them at the weekends. I did this and it was very rewarding.

duchesse · 04/07/2007 10:09

Excellent idea, CayKon. Quite a few brass band instruments are also used in classical orchestras or even jazz bands, so she could learn for free and do with it what she likes later.

Lilymaid · 04/07/2007 10:22

In my area half hour lessons cost about £120 per term and you have to supply your own instrument. I would recommend finding out about the "endangered" instruments because she will have a much greater chance of playing in orchestras or groups if she learns these. Alternatively, the brass band option would be great. One of the best things about playing instruments is the social aspect that comes from playing in groups and many children who only learn the more popular instruments don't get a chance to join groups.

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