Missing school lessons for music lessons

[redskybynight]

DS learns an instrument at school. The way the music lesson timetable works it is that they have a rotating 4 week timetable so that a child will miss (part of) 4 different school lessons, so any given lesson only every 4 weeks.

Unfortunately DS's timetable actually has him missing different lessons of the same subject (English) for 3 of his 4 lessons, so he's missing some of an English lesson practically every week. He is taught by a teacher who is also a music teacher at the school (i.e. not a peri teacher primarily) so we suspect (as he only gives instrumental lessons to 3 children, timetabled as 3 music lessons in a single school lesson of an hour) that there is nowhere else to move DS's music lesson to.

So I am wondering how "bad" it is to be missing school lessons for music? Both in DS's scenario (where he's missing a single subject a lot) and in general (however it was timetabled he would miss something). DS is struggling already with missing class, as both of his lessons so far he missed finding out the homework as he wasn't there and he's not yet organised enough to have managed to find out the homework from a classmate. We potentially have a option to move him to lessons after school, which will be logistically more complicated but wondering if it is worth it ...

DS has just moved into Y7 so this is new to us ...

English is a really important subject I think you are right to be concerned.
Is there another pupil with a different academic timetable learning the same instrument that your DS could swap with? If that won't work then after school will be better than the current situation.

Missing classes in rotation is pretty standard for secondary school music lessons - but usually enough pupils take the same instrument that they don't miss the same lesson every week. I would move it to after school.

Dc do similar but can fix a time further up the school. If there are so few pupils presumably the teacher is only there for a few hours. Could one lesson fall in break or before/after school?

I would be concerned too.

This is also why neither of my DDs have learned instruments at school.

Move to after school. Clearly missing lots of the same subject is not desirable. Mine loved playing at school and joined orchestra and ensembles. Missing the odd lesson never hurt them but the rotation was effective in our case. Many people find in school lessons cheaper but we had to do piano out of school which ended up a logistical nightmare!

Any chance of doing some lessons during lunch time?

Thanks for answers, I think we will definitely explore the possibility of moving his lesson and see what options there are. It's a really odd setup as an external company organises the music lessons but they use primarily teachers that also teach at the school. They organise both lessons in school time (which are obviously only for DC at the school) and limited ones after school (which anyone can come to). I have an idea there is a different cost and terms and conditions for the ones after school but really need to find out properly (the information we were sent was just plain confusing - it actually said DS's instrument couldn't be taught in school time so we were a bit bemused when it was timetabled then anyway!)

I'm confused, is he missing a whole English lesson?

DD is in yr9; her violin in-school lesson is only about 20minutes so she misses max. half of a regular lesson.

I would move to after school, I think music offered in school is great, but much better to study with the full focus out of school or after school- my music teacher would take my lessons at lunch when I was in GCSE year and didn't want to miss time out of class.

No he has a 20 minute lesson, so he misses about 25 minutes by the time he's got himself out of the lesson, walked across school, sorted himself out etc.

Can you ask the school/music lesson company to review his timetable?

Music lessons in school usually means half a lesson missed. Your timetabling seems unfortunate. This is why my children do after school. However, I have to drive them to lessons etc. which means 3 hours of my time a week. Half hour drive both ways, half hour lesson for 2 children. A bloody bore.

Yes that's the payoff woodlands. If we go for an after school lesson it will take up more time as the need for travel (and potentially my time as well as DS's depending on when the lesson is!) which obviously then eats into more things.

DS1 had cello lessons in school on rotation. With hindsight it was a really bad idea. Not only did he miss other lessons, and was never organised enough to catch up with the work properly, if he was off sick or doing something else out of school we still had to pay for the lesson and it was difficult to rearrange. DS3 has his music lessons out of school and I have firmly resisted any attempts for them to take place within school time.

I remember this problem and everyone with concerned parents fought over the lunch time and break lessons. It's a problem that reoccured every term and in the end I gave up and my son had private, after school lessons.

That turned out for the best as although they were an extra £5 they were 1 to 1, 40 minutes long and the school lessons were shared 20 minute lessons.

Ime half a lesson. They'll cope.

It really shouldn't be a problem in Y7 OP. Schools do try to rotate the lessons times so students don't miss the same lesson but in your case the timetable doesn't really permit this.
The schools try to make sure that pupils in Y10 and 11 have priority for break and lunchtime lessons as missing GCSE wok could be more significant.
Perhaps you need to make sure that the English teacher is aware of this situation so they can provide advice on how to make sure he doesn't miss homework notices etc.
We had this for 3 years and because dd played a rare instrument lessons outside school weren't an option.
The only difficulty we had was when instrumental lessons clashed with PE and she wasn't sure whether to go to lessons in PE kit or not!

My DD's music teacher is very flexible about changing or avoiding times, so ask! DD has just started GCSEs so compulsory to catch up on any missed work, but asking friends is a great help as well as checking homework on the school's website. DD has just gone into Year 10 and is not finding instrument music lessons a problem in this important year.

They have a lot to think and worry about in the first few weeks in Year 7, but it does settle down - things that are worried about in Year 7, no one would give a second thought to in Year 8.

IMO, learning a musical instrument at school is a real pain and we've stopped doing it.

Firstly even if they miss a different lesson each time, it still means missed work and they have to catch up not only with the classwork but also get any homework set. Some secondary schools work at a fast pace and they could miss valuable teaching time.

Secondly in my experience, communication with school music teachers is terrible. Even if they give a termly or yearly report, you miss out on that quick chat before or after the lesson.

My dd have both requested their music lessons out of school and that's what we've done. Yes it's harder logistically but it's worth it.

I would definitely find a private teacher. Some come to you which makes life easier.

I missed physics for two years of O level ... then failed. Mine have always done it out of school until 6th form when they could have lessons in free periods.

I think its crazy to do music lessons during the school day and children have even been know to be "accidentally" late for their lessons. Have music lessons after school/at home instead-especially since most teachers will come to your home without extra charge. DD has lessons at home after school and her teacher charges exactly the same he charges his school pupils.I just can't see the point in missing other lessons and it puts unnecessary pressure on your DC.

In Y9, DS1's piano teacher only worked at the school on one morning a week. This meant that DS1 always missed part of either double Latin or double German. He is not a natural linguist at the best of times, and after only a term he was significantly behind in both subjects.

It's actually amazing that schools being so hot on attendance will happily allow pupils to miss lessons on a regular basis!

I agree its bizarre schools seem to think its OK to miss academic lessons (which probably cost parents at private schools £20 each). At the same time many heads of music don't seem interested in how individual music pupils progress i.e. they seem solely interested in showing off the school orchestra to parents. Some schools even refuse to consider pianists/guitarists etc for their music scholarships as they do not play an orchestral instrument. In other words music is all about the school rather than the pupil.

I think it all depends on circumstances. My DD is very passionate about playing a musical instrument and will happily work around having to catch up.

If you're going to study GCSE music it's compulsory you're having music lessons (obviously personal choice whether in or outside school) and do school music clubs. DD has been scheduled this term to miss a few school music classes while having her music lessons - her music teacher is brilliant and writes up everything she needs to know and makes sure she gets it. Her friends are great at helping eachother and providing information and notes on lessons missed for any reason.

Dancergirl, I have to say my DD's music teacher is fantastic at giving us updates. My DD gets written comments every time on what she should work on, as well as things teacher wants us to know. If I don't respond that week, she'll email me and I get about two phone calls a year to discuss how to move forward.