manchester piano tutor in-studio & online;
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terms, holidays and punctuality

expecting to see you at least 36 times a year.

lessons continue throughout the year, so only your holidays or sick days, my holidays or bank holidays should keep you away!  

lessons run from the time arranged, rather than from the time you appear or arrive, so other students won't have a delayed start.  

the diary is not like the hairdresser's - you cannot book for Xmas in June! You can only book at the end of the week when we know who is booked in for the following week. Things change here all the time, new students sign up, other students leave or have a break. It's impossible to know the vacancies in three weeks time. 

TIP: It's best not to take your first lesson just before having a break, or you may have to repeat the lesson when you return, or the session you want may not be available by then. We operate a first-come, first-served policy here. 

Booking unpaid lessons more than a week in advance doesn't seem to work for me, as it involves turning new students away and possibly finding you've changed your mind by then and cancel, or worse still, don't turn up. Of course, you wouldn't do this but I only know it because it has happened many times! 

cancellations and 'no shows'

last-minute cancellations have to be paid for. 

no shows: more serious! It's time for your lesson and I'm pacing the room. Thirty minutes later, I'm still pacing. I could have put someone else in here; or ordered catfood online. The cats have no dinner and I have nothing to pay for it with. And if I haven't heard from you within the next 24 hours with a reasonable explanation, I have to say 'no' to future lessons. After three weeks absence with no contact or cancellation, your chances of reaching Grade 8 before you're 50 and learning with a top piano teacher have gone.

lessons can be re-arranged if I have to cancel them.  

business stuff

if you decide to go ahead with lessons, I will give you a copy of my Online Teaching Contract. This includes your chosen lesson days and times. You will be asked to sign, date and keep a copy and return one copy of the signed document to me by email.

An initial invoice will be emailed to you, telling you how to pay by bank transfer. Payment is in advance only. After that, you will be trusted to continue paying in advance of your lesson without invoices, unless the fees change.

you will also be sent a copy of the Social Media, the Teaching Policy re Safeguarding or Offline Terms & Conditions. These include parental consent information for minors; dressing appropriately for lessons (no pyjamas please!); recordings; and legal issues such as libel and copyright laws.

TIP: It's important to read through these documents, (not all at once if it's too much for you to take in) so that you're aware of any restrictions that apply before they take place - too late to complain later! I'm aware a lot of students don't bother reading them but that will leave you with problems when you disregard the terms you sign for. Terms and conditions are an antidote to possible chaos and all good studios have them.