Lessons are usually organised on a rota timetable system-the idea being that the children do not miss the same part of a curriculum lesson every week. The music timetables are available on the Google Classrooms for children and parents to access at home. Copies can be found in their classrooms and outside the main music room. They are also provided as a hard copy for the children to take and keep at home, if required.

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It is essential that your child remembers to bring their instrument, green music communication book and music to every lesson.

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After two or three years of learning an instrument in school, and if their tutor considers them to be ready, children have the opportunity to participate in school ensembles and/or undertake formal grading. This is coordinated withthe examination board ABRSM. Exams take place annually within school, usually during the second half of the spring term.

Learning an instrument is really hard work! Once the children have got to a certain point through lessons(with lots of practise in between!) they often begin to really enjoy what they are doing and it becomes less hard work. We try to provide extra support for children whose interest is waning but it is essential you keep us informed of how they are feeling so we can help.  If we have done all we can and the child is showing us they are really trying to make the most out of their instrument, then there is the possibility we will be able to swap them to something else, usually at the beginning of a school year.If you decide that your child should stop taking lessons with us, it is important you let us know in writing to Miss Campbell with at least a full half term’s notice before the lessons and payment owed will cease. This provides us with enough admin time to manage the situation, including seeing if we can try to reignite their interest.

Lessons are usually organised on a rota timetable system. The music timetables are available on the Google Classrooms, in children’s classrooms and outside the main music room. Any last-minute changes will be communicated via GoogleClassrooms and/or class teachers. It is ultimately the child’s responsibility to get themselves to their music lesson on time, however it is particularly helpful if you can look at the timetable together at home before a lesson.

No: with almost 300 children receiving instrumental lessons, timetabling arrangements are incredibly complex. As stated in your contract, we agree to provide 30 lessons per academic year, averaging 10 per term. If your child does not receive their quota of lessons, then you will be reimbursed accordingly at the end of the summer term.

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Occasionally we are able to re-schedule lessons when we are aware of school trips and visits which coincide. (Please note this is not possible with continued alternative commitments ie, sporting opportunities).

Firstly, the chances are that it’s somewhere very sensible! As soon as you realise, check around your home and child’s classroom to see if they missed it when looking. With almost 300 instruments around the school, many that look similar, we provide a key ring for each child to be attached to the case as a way of marking your child’s case non-permanently. Please regularly ensure that your child’s name is always visible on this tag or on/inside the music.

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Another child may have accidently taken it and a clear name will help them notice and return it. If it’s still not anywhere obvious, leave a note in the school office for us to investigate further.

No. Once again, please leave a note in the office so we can decide the best way forward in terms of repairing the damage - usually by sending the instrument to one of our preferred repairers. However, as stated in your contract, you may be invoiced to cover the costs. We do recommend that you have your borrowed DHJS instrument put onto your home contents insurance, particularly important for the more expensive instruments.

We hold Associated Board (ABRSM) music exams only once a year, in April. This is exclusively for pupils who learn with us at school. Music exams are one way of assessing pupil progress and for some children they prove to be a focus and structured way of developing their musical ability. However, for others it is not a route that they are interested in. Music Tutors will invite pupils to take an exam when they are ready, but we will not insist that any child take an exam who doesn’t want to. It usually takes children 2/3 years of learning an instrument at DHJS before they are entered for an exam; it is incredibly rare for a Year 3 child to take one. It is not possible for our tutors to prepare children for exams at other times of the year and request that you don’t enter your child externally for an instrument they learn at school.

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Learning an instrument is really hard work! Once the children have got to a certain point through lessons (with lots of practise in between!) they often begin to really enjoy what they are doing and it becomes less hard work. We try to provide extra support for children whose interest is waning but it is essential you keep us informed of how they are feeling so we can help.  If we have done all we can and the child is showing us they are really trying to make the most out of their instrument, then there is the possibility we will be able to swap them to something else, usually at the beginning of a school year. If you decide that your child should stop taking lessons with us, it is important you let us know in writing with at least a half term’s notice before the lessons and payment owed will cease. This provides us with enough admin time to manage the situation, including seeing if we can try to reignite their interest.