Terms & Conditions

This web document sets out the terms and conditions for tuition by Tees Valley Music Service.

Please read these terms carefully and contact us if you have any queries.

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1. LESSONS (In-person)​

1. All pupils must be registered with TVMS to receive tuition (with or without instrument hire), or membership of a band, orchestra or choir. This ensures that appropriate safety and safeguarding measures are in place and that our service is fair to all. 

2. Any change of address or contact information must be updated on your Speedadmin account, for which you will have received a secure login. This information is vital if your child is part of a band, orchestra or choir or out of school activity as this will provide contact details in the event of any emergency. 

3. The 38-week academic year is September to July. We aim to offer a minimum of 30 lessons per academic year. Lesson numbers are reduced pro rata if a registration is received part way through the academic year. 

4. A lesson will not be offered every week as some weeks are dedicated to workshops and staff ensembles in schools, training for TVMS staff/teachers and instrumental/vocal examinations. In general, this may work out as an average of 2-3 lessons a month, meaning some months there may be less lessons than others over the full 38 week academic year. 

5. TVMS will provide a progress report to pupils receiving tuition during the academic year. 

6. Lessons are subject to change depending on group size and pupils’ length of learning.

7. Lessons offered during the school day will usually involve pupils being withdrawn from their normal school classes. Times and dates for lessons in schools are arranged to fit in with both the school and TVMS teacher’s timetable. 

8. A rota may be put in place to avoid pupils missing the same core school lesson each week. In this event, details of times/days will be displayed on the school notice board. It is the Pupil’s responsibility to check this. 

9. TVMS Staff are not responsible for escorting pupils to and from lessons, and are only responsible for pupils during their actual tuition time. 

10. Taster tuition will be offered for a minimum of 5 weeks. If your child does not attend all 5 lessons there is no refund of fees. 

11. Taster tuition will automatically transfer to Beginner Tuition in line with our standard Charging, Cancellation and Refund Policy and Standard Terms and Conditions will apply. If you do not wish to continue tuition after the taster 5 weeks it is your responsibility to cancel the tuition with TVMS (not with the school or teacher) before the 5 weeks conclude to avoid future charges. 

12. Tuition may be withdrawn in the event of disruptive or anti-social behaviour by either the pupil or parent/carer or poor attendance of the pupil. No credit will be available in these circumstances. 

13. Lessons will continue term-on-term and year-on-year, even when a child transfers to secondary school, until written notice is received at TVMS office to advise us of your decision to cancel lessons. Our teachers are not office-based so we will notify the teacher the earliest possible opportunity. Please email tvms@tvms.org.uk to receive an acknowledgement of your cancellation request. Alternatively send a letter to TVMS, Frederick Nattrass Centre, Swale Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS20 1BY. Account payers will have to continue pay instalments until the end of the term in which we received your written cancellation. If you cancel tuition and the target number of lessons have been offered you will have to pay instalments to the end of the academic year, even if your child does not attend.

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2. LESSONS (via Zoom)​

1. Zoom Individual tuition is delivered online via Zoom only and will be delivered at the pre-agreed time/date, which could be day or evening time. 

2. Zoom Individual lesson timings may be altered but only with agreement of both account holder and teacher. 

3. There is no applicable discount of fees for students learning under the Zoom Individual course, including any instrument hire. 

4. Zoom Individual students under 18 years will require a parental signed Zoom Consent to be completed and returned to TVMS. This will be emailed to the registered email account when the registration is received and processed by TVMS. Tuition cannot start without this signed consent form due to Safeguarding Policy.

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3. MEMBERSHIPS

1. Membership of Premier Ensembles involves a commitment for the whole year. Membership and benefits may be withdrawn at any time if a student defaults on attendance at rehearsals and concerts/events. 

2. Memberships of all ensembles/bands/choirs will continue term-on-term and year-on-year, even when a child transfers to secondary school, until written notice is received at TVMS office of your decision to cancel membership. Our teachers are not office-based so we will tell the teacher of your decision at the earliest possible opportunity. Please email tvms@tvms.org.uk to receive an acknowledgement of your cancellation request. Alternatively send a letter to TVMS, Frederick Nattrass Centre, Swale Road, Stockton-on- Tees, TS20 1BY. Account payers will have to continue to pay instalments until the end of the term in which we received your written cancellation. No refund will be given for ensemble fees. 

3. Any pupil returning to TVMS activities after leaving school will have to register for our Alumni. This ensures members receive regular updates and information regarding their membership. Membership fee is detailed in our Charging Policy. Registration must take place through your SpeedAdmin account.

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5. CHARGING POLICY

1. ‘Beginner’ Tuition applies only for tuition up to one year in small groups (4+) 20 minute lessons (including vocal lessons) – 11 monthly instalments of £18.59.

2. Pupils new to music tuition are given ‘taster’ time with their chosen instrument/vocal tutor. This is subject to group viability and instruments available. During this taster time (minimum 5 lessons in two months) account holders can ‘opt out’ of the taster time and cancel any future lessons. Account holders wanting to cancel MUST write/email directly to TVMS Support (tvms@tvms.org.uk) to avoid future charges being applied as per the cancellation policy. Taster tuition (and instrument hire if needed) requires TWO fee instalments. ‘Beginner Tuition’ automatically follows on from the Taster time unless cancelled by account holders. See Cancellation Policy for further information.

3. ‘Continuing’ Tuition for pupils from the second year onwards only (including vocal) small groups 30 minute lessons – 11 monthly instalments of £25.85. This automatically follows on from the Beginner Tuition unless cancelled by account holders. See Cancellation Policy for further information. 

4. ‘Individual’ Tuition 30 (instrumental or vocal) only as an individual lesson (subject to availability) 30 minute lessons - 11 monthly instalments of £47.96. This lesson is delivered face to face when possible. 

5. ‘Individual’ Tuition 20 (instrumental or vocal) only as an individual lesson (subject to availability) 20 minute lessons - 11 monthly instalments of £39.05. This lesson is delivered face to face when possible. 

6. ‘Paired’ Tuition only (instrumental or vocal) as a duo (subject to availability and teacher discretion) 30 minute lessons – 11 monthly instalments of £35.75. This lesson is delivered face to face where possible. 

7. ‘Adult’ Tuition only (instrument or vocal) age 18+ (subject to availability) - 11 monthly instalments of £53.90. Students (HE and FE) aged 18 to 25 may continue on student rates at discretion of management and subject to the lesson being logistically viable.  This lesson is delivered face to face where possible. 

8. Zoom Individual tuition only (instrumental or vocal) as an individual lesson (subject to availability) 20 or 30 minutes lessons – 11 monthly instalments of £47.85. Digital lesson delivered remotely via Zoom or equivalent. 

9. Instrument hire monthly flat rate to be added to tuition rates (if hire required) - 11 monthly instalments of £9.90. 

10. Booster lessons may be offered through school holiday time, subject to staff availability. Those eligible will be emailed individually with an offer of tuition and information regarding fees, dates and teaching staff.
    
    Membership of all TVMS bands, orchestras and choirs is currently included in the above tuition fees. 
     

11. Area band, orchestra and choir membership only - 11 monthly instalments of £9.90 

12. Premier ensemble membership only - 11 monthly instalments of £18.70 (no discounts)

13. It is not possible to hire a TVMS instrument for ensemble only membership, regardless of level. 

14. Pupils eligible for Income Based Discount are entitled to a 50% discount to the above fees, including instrument hire and area ‘ensemble only’ membership. Remission discount does not apply to Premier ensemble only membership. 

15. If you are entitled to Income Based Discount of fees you must include proof of current evidence of entitlement. Full fees will be due until valid evidence is received. Claims cannot be backdated. Evidence of claims can be uploaded via your secure login when registering on SpeedAdmin https://ukteesvalley.speedadmin.dk/

16. A sibling discount of 25% will be applied to tuition fees if you have more than one child registered with TVMS. There is no discount on instrument hire or ensemble only fees for second and subsequent children. There is also a discount of 25% offered for second instrument tuition only. There will be no discount available for subsequent instrument/vocal tuition after this. Sibling and activity discount will be applied to the least valued charge. For example - Individual tuition will be at full cost, discount will be applied to beginner tuition, regardless of which activity registered first. There is no discount for Zoom Individual lessons or instrument hire. 

17. All discounts are capped at 50% subsidy for account holders of pupils 18 or under and in education who are entitled to Income Based Discount of fees. There is no discount of fees for adult or Zoom lessons and their associated instrument hire (if applicable). 

18. All tuition, instrument hire and ensemble-only registrations are charged at 11 monthly instalments per academic year. 

19. Alumni Membership for past members and family. Membership is charged at £5.00 per annum, which is automatically renewed annually each September regardless of the month you registered initially. 

20. TVMS reserves the right to change Terms and Conditions at any time. You will be notified at least 1 month in advance of any changes to monthly instalments. If the size of your child’s group lesson reduces to one or two pupils, the respective charging rates will apply one month from the TVMS office being informed of this change. 

21. Once pupils enter Year 12, Year 13 and /or Year 14 tuition at sixth form/college, our music and vocal tuition will be delivered as individual 30 minute sessions to pupils. 

22. This TVMS Charging Policy applies to all instrumental and vocal tuition, instrument hire and ensemble memberships provided by the service. 

23. Please note that any weeks where tuition is suspended due to failure to pay monthly instalments by the due date, weekly lesson numbers will continue to be counted as part of the annual total as our teaching staff have been timetabled to deliver tuition at this time. 

24. You will be notified of the increase in tuition fees after your child has received their first year of beginner tuition. A new payment schedule will be issued at this point. 

25. A monthly invoice will be sent detailing your next instalment due. If there is a debt on your account, collection by Direct Debit will NOT be possible until the account is brought up to date and no outstanding fees remain. (Please note this applies only to existing DD accounts at July 2024 as we are moving to a new payments system and will not be offering payment by Direct Debit. The option to set up continuous monthly card payments will be available instead – estimated by Easter 2025).

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6. REGISTRATION & PAYMENTS

1. Your annual music fee is paid in 11 monthly instalments from September to July each year for delivery of 30 lessons over the full academic year. 

2. Instalments are due by the 1st working day of each month. By registering for tuition/ensemble membership you are agreeing to pay by the first working day of each month.

3. Initial registration can be made by registering online via our website www.tvms.org.uk/register for which you will need the teacher information. If you are joining part way through the academic year your fees will be reduced pro rata. 

4. Once registration is complete you will be issued with an email confirming your account has been set up and login information, sent to the email account given on registration. If the email address is not disputed all future correspondence and financial information will be sent to this email address. 

5. You can check your scheduled lesson booking via this online account and make future payments. Payment is not due until lessons are scheduled. 

6. You will be required to pay for the number of months you are registered in the remainder of that academic year. Instalments are paid over the remaining months up to and including July. 

7. Instalments can be made by debit or credit card online available 24 hours a day by logging into your secure account on Speedadmin https://ukteesvalley.speedadmin.dk/

8. We do not offer payments by phone but our support staff are able to help vulnerable or non-digitally enabled people to process payment in this way.

9. Our teaching staff will not take payment from you as they are not office based. 

10. If instalments are not paid by the due date, your child’s lessons will be discontinued until payment is made to bring your account up to date. Once this has happened you will be asked to register via your online account to enable lessons to restart. 

11. Fees not paid will be actively recovered and referred to Stockton Council’s Legal Services. If legal proceedings are taken this may result in legal costs and expenses being added to the amount due. Should we obtain a court judgement against you this may affect your ability to obtain credit in the future.

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7. REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS

1. To cancel lessons without penalty, written notice must be received at TVMS office by the following dates:
   -  Autumn term - 30th November
   -  Spring term - 31st March
   -  Summer term - 30th June
   Payment will be due until the end of the term in which notice is received. 

2. Refunds for undelivered lessons will be made at the end of the academic year, not on a term-by-term basis. 

3. Lessons offered are recorded by teachers on an attendance list. If, at the end of the full year period September-July, we have not offered 30 lessons (pro rata if lessons commenced part way through year), we will credit your account with the number of lessons missed. Account will be credited after the end of the academic year as our teaching staff may still be able to deliver the full quota of lessons. 

4. There is no refund for band, orchestra or choir fees. 

5. If you decide to stop tuition / band attendance within the year, you should contact the TVMS office via email to ensure we update your account accordingly. You will continue to have to pay instalments until the end of the term in which we receive written notification from you. 

6. Please email TVMS office to notify us of your decision to cancel tuition and ensemble membership by the above dates. You will receive an email acknowledging your request and this acknowledgement should be kept for future reference. It is vitally important that you notify TVMS office as our teachers are not office-based. If you inform teaching staff we may not receive your cancellation instruction in time to action your account and you will continue to have to pay for the full cost of lessons/memberships/instrument hire until the end of the subsequent term in which we are informed in writing. We will contact our teacher and let them know about your decision. Please email tvms@tvms.org.uk. Alternatively, you can post a letter confirming the cancellation to TVMS, Frederick Nattrass Centre, Swale Road, Stockton on Tees, TS20 1BY. 

7. If you cancel lessons, and the target number of lessons have been offered, you will be required to pay your 11 instalments to the end of the academic year. 

8. Lessons and memberships continue term-on-term and year-on-year until written notice is received at TVMS office. 

9. Complaints regarding service, instruments or fees can only be considered if they are received within a six months time frame from the perceived incident.

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8. ABSENCES

1. If a lesson is not attended without giving at least 48 hours prior notice, or the absence is outside the control of TVMS, including suspended tuition, it will be included in the lesson count.

2. Pre arranged absence requests must be send in writing to tvms@tvms.org.uk at least 48 hours in advance. An acknowledgement will be sent the next working day to say we have received this information an we will let our teacher know. If our teaching staff are informed directly without confirmation coming directly to the TVMS office this will not be marked as pre arranged absence as teaching staff do not have the facility to mark this on attendance records. This is to ensure account holders authorise any student absences. 

3. Pre arranged absences are capped at six per academic year. If your child has a long term absence please contact tvms@tvms.org.uk or phone Support on 01642 603600. 

4. Lessons missed due to TVMS teacher absence will not be charged for. 

5. In the event of a long term absence of a TVMS teacher we will try our best to cover the absence with another specialist teacher. Please note that it can sometimes take up to a month to organise this cover because we are committed to the local authority safeguarding procedures and all teachers working for us have to undergo DBS clearance and pre-employment checks before they can start work with us. We will monitor lesson numbers closely and amend fees accordingly at the end of the academic year if necessary.

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9. INSTRUMENTS

1. You are strongly advised to insure any TVMS instrument on loan on an ‘all-risks’ basis. You are responsible for the full cost of damage to the instrument other than ‘fair wear and tear’. This responsibility also applies should the instrument be lost or stolen. TVMS is unable to provide recommendations for individual companies. 

2. Hired instruments are expected to be taken to/from school/home to ensure regular practice. 

3. TVMS is not responsible for instruments left in school once allocated to pupil. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure issued instruments are brought home for practice once issued. 

4. Please contact TVMS Support if your child hires a large instrument from TVMS (eg, double bass), as we may be able to supply a second hired instrument to enable one to be kept at home and one at school. 

5. TVMS does not accept liability for loss or damage to pupils’ instruments or personal possessions. 

6. Instrument hire is available to those pupils having lessons with TVMS only. It is not possible to hire or continue to hire instruments if you are registered for ensemble-only membership. 

7. The instrument must be kept in good order and maintained in the manner recommended by the instrumental teacher/Support Service Manager. All hired instruments can be brought in to TVMS free of charge on an annual basis for a maintenance check. Please contact TVMS to book this service. 

8. Repairs may only be arranged by TVMS and must not be attempted by any other person. 

9. It is your responsibility to purchase replacement strings, reeds and accessories. 

10. Any hired TVMS instrument remains your responsibility until cancellation is complete and confirmation of return of instrument is provided by TVMS. If an instrument is not returned to TVMS when tuition ceases, you will be invoiced for the full replacement value. 

11. Please note that if you decide to purchase your own instrument during the year, you need to contact TVMS office to ensure we update your account accordingly. You will have to pay instalments for TVMS instrument hire until the end of the term in which we receive written notification from you, in line with the Cancellation and Refund Policy dates below: 
    -   Autumn term - 30th November
    -   Spring term - 31st March
    -   Summer term - 30th June