Make music that matters
WITH CHRISTOPHER ATKINSON
WITH CHRISTOPHER ATKINSON
Terms and conditions
Last updated: 19/02/2026
Introduction
Thank you for choosing Buzzard Music Tuition. We hope that you will find our tuition programmes fun, engaging and rewarding. Learning a musical instrument is one of the most complex skills to master and whether you are an adult beginner, advanced student or young person starting out on their musical journey, we endeavour to tailor our tuition to suit your needs and musical tastes in a fun and safe learning environment.
Please read the terms and conditions below before applying for music lessons with Buzzard Music Tuition.
The terms and conditions below act as the agreement between the learner, fee payer and tutor. They must be read, understood and agreed to at the commencement and during the continuation of tuition. They are subject to annual review with any changes being sent to the fee payer nominated on the application form no later than one month prior to the changes coming into effect. The terms and conditions are written in plain English as far as possible in the interests of clarity and transparency. If you have any questions about any of the points below or require them in a different format (e.g. large print or audio file) please contact buzzardmusictuition@gmail.com.
1. 33 lessons will be taught over the course of an academic year (from September to the following July). Lessons will be taught in three blocks called "Tuition Periods". Extra tuition during holiday periods is available at the discretion of the tutor and in agreement with the fee payer. Duration of lessons are 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 60 minutes (depending on ability level).
2. Tuition fees for 2025-2026 are £20.00 per 30 minute lesson; £30.00 per 45 minute lesson; £40.00 per 60 minute lesson*. This is subject to annual review and change. Price changes will be notified to the fee payer one month in advance of the Tuition Period 1 invoice (July). See "2b" point below for details.
2a. Tuition fees are payable in advance via bank transfer to the account details on your invoice. Charges on the invoice will be itemised to include the number of lessons to be undertaken and any additional charges such as exam fees, resources, basic instrument repair** etc. Invoices must be paid by the fee payer prior to the first lesson of the relevant Tuition Period or within 30 days, which ever is soonest. No lessons will take place until an invoice has been paid in full.
2b. Invoices will be sent out approximately one month prior to the first lesson of each Tuition Period outlined below***:
3. Notice to discontinue tuition must be given in writing and sent to buzzardmusictuition@gmail.com. Lessons can only be discontinued at the end of a Tuition Period and notice must be given at the point of receipt of an invoice or no later than immediately prior to the first lesson for that Tuition Period. For example, if lessons are to cease in December (end of Tuition Period 1), notice must be given in writing at the point of receiving the August invoice or prior to the first lesson in September. Verbal notice is not considered sufficient for stopping music lessons.
4. Music tuition takes place at the tutor's home/studio or online in agreement with the parent/guardian/learner. Only in exceptional circumstances will the tutor travel to a learner's home to give tuition. For example, if a learner has accessibility needs which cannot be met at the tutor's home/studio. In this instance, an additional charge for travel expenses may be applied depending on distance travelled.
5. Lessons will not be rescheduled if a learner is unexpectedly absent (including illness) or late for their lesson. Any planned absences (such as medical appointments, family events, holidays, religious observances etc.) must be notified to the tutor no later than 48 hours in advance. Lessons missed due to tutor absence will be made up at a later date. Failing which, the amount will be deducted from the Tuition Period 3 invoice, the final invoice in the event of learner ceasing their lessons or a credit being issued back to the fee payer if no other options are available.
5a. In the event of a national lockdown preventing the ability to meet face-to-face, lessons will revert to a suitable online platform in order for the lessons to continue. Please speak to your tutor if you do not have internet access so that alternative arrangements can be made.
6. Attendance and progress are monitored closely by the tutor. Feedback will be given by the tutor via an annual written report in Tuition Period 3 and sent to the fee payer. In addition, weekly notes via a Practice Notebook (paper form or digital) will be used to monitor week by week practice and set targets for further development. The tutor and learner will agree an appropriate quota of practice time expected to be maintained during the course of tuition. If either the learners' progress or level of commitment is felt to be unacceptable, the fee payer will be notified. If there is insufficient improvement, lessons may be withdrawn.
7. Parents/Guardians and learners are responsible for their own personal belongings when receiving music tuition. This includes musical instruments and other valuables. The tutor accepts no responsibility for the loss or damage of any possessions.
8. No extra tuition from other teachers on the choices of study nominated on the application form should be undertaken by the learner. This is in the interests of avoiding confusion and conflicts of method.
9. With the prior consent of the fee payer, tutors will advise of and purchase any necessary resources required for the lessons. The cost of these items will then be added to the subsequent invoice accordingly. This does not include the purchase/hire of instruments which should be arranged separately by the parent/guardian/learner in consultation with the tutor.
10. Safeguarding: Tutors have DBS clearance and appropriate safeguarding training in the interests of protecting the welfare of young and vulnerable people. Tutors are required by law to disclose any concerns they may have for the safety and well-being of a learner to the appropriate authority or, in extreme circumstances, to the police. Additionally, tutors have the right to work in an environment which is safe and free from abuse. Any abuse suffered by a tutor (verbal, emotional or physical) will be reported to the appropriate authorities and lessons will be withdrawn without notice or refund.
11. Parents/Guardians/Fee payers are welcome to observe any lesson on the understanding that their presence will not impact or otherwise influence the delivery of the lesson. It is courteous to ask permission in advance of the lesson taking place, however discretion will be used by the tutor for any "walk up" requests to observe lessons.
*This is the advised hourly rate as determined by the Musicians' Union. See link for more details: Rates of Pay for Self-Employed Music Teachers | The MU (musiciansunion.org.uk)
** The tutor may be able to carry out basic repairs on instruments for which a nominal fee will be charged. For any repairs which require professional work (such as servicing), the tutor will advise where to take the instrument for appropriate repairs to be carried out, the costs of which will be met directly with the instrument repairer.
***For lessons starting during any given Tuition Period, fee payers will be issued with a bespoke invoice to reflect the agreed number of lessons due to take place in that period. This must be paid in full prior to the first lesson. Subsequent invoices will follow the Tuition Period schedule.
Introduction
Thank you for choosing Buzzard Music Tuition. We hope that you will find our tuition programmes fun, engaging and rewarding. Learning a musical instrument is one of the most complex skills to master and whether you are an adult beginner, advanced student or young person starting out on their musical journey, we endeavour to tailor our tuition to suit your needs and musical tastes in a fun and safe learning environment.
Please read the terms and conditions below before applying for music lessons with Buzzard Music Tuition.
The terms and conditions below act as the agreement between the learner, fee payer and tutor. They must be read, understood and agreed to at the commencement and during the continuation of tuition. They are subject to annual review with any changes being sent to the fee payer nominated on the application form no later than one month prior to the changes coming into effect. The terms and conditions are written in plain English as far as possible in the interests of clarity and transparency. If you have any questions about any of the points below or require them in a different format (e.g. large print or audio file) please contact buzzardmusictuition@gmail.com.
1. 33 lessons will be taught over the course of an academic year (from September to the following July). Lessons will be taught in three blocks called "Tuition Periods". Extra tuition during holiday periods is available at the discretion of the tutor and in agreement with the fee payer. Duration of lessons are 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 60 minutes (depending on ability level).
2. Tuition fees for 2025-2026 are £20.00 per 30 minute lesson; £30.00 per 45 minute lesson; £40.00 per 60 minute lesson*. This is subject to annual review and change. Price changes will be notified to the fee payer one month in advance of the Tuition Period 1 invoice (July). See "2b" point below for details.
2a. Tuition fees are payable in advance via bank transfer to the account details on your invoice. Charges on the invoice will be itemised to include the number of lessons to be undertaken and any additional charges such as exam fees, resources, basic instrument repair** etc. Invoices must be paid by the fee payer prior to the first lesson of the relevant Tuition Period or within 30 days, which ever is soonest. No lessons will take place until an invoice has been paid in full.
2b. Invoices will be sent out approximately one month prior to the first lesson of each Tuition Period outlined below***:
- Tuition Period 1: August invoice for lessons between September-December (11 lessons)
- Tuition Period 2: December invoice for lessons between January-March (11 lessons)
- Tuition Period 3: March invoice for lessons between April-July (11 lessons)
3. Notice to discontinue tuition must be given in writing and sent to buzzardmusictuition@gmail.com. Lessons can only be discontinued at the end of a Tuition Period and notice must be given at the point of receipt of an invoice or no later than immediately prior to the first lesson for that Tuition Period. For example, if lessons are to cease in December (end of Tuition Period 1), notice must be given in writing at the point of receiving the August invoice or prior to the first lesson in September. Verbal notice is not considered sufficient for stopping music lessons.
4. Music tuition takes place at the tutor's home/studio or online in agreement with the parent/guardian/learner. Only in exceptional circumstances will the tutor travel to a learner's home to give tuition. For example, if a learner has accessibility needs which cannot be met at the tutor's home/studio. In this instance, an additional charge for travel expenses may be applied depending on distance travelled.
5. Lessons will not be rescheduled if a learner is unexpectedly absent (including illness) or late for their lesson. Any planned absences (such as medical appointments, family events, holidays, religious observances etc.) must be notified to the tutor no later than 48 hours in advance. Lessons missed due to tutor absence will be made up at a later date. Failing which, the amount will be deducted from the Tuition Period 3 invoice, the final invoice in the event of learner ceasing their lessons or a credit being issued back to the fee payer if no other options are available.
5a. In the event of a national lockdown preventing the ability to meet face-to-face, lessons will revert to a suitable online platform in order for the lessons to continue. Please speak to your tutor if you do not have internet access so that alternative arrangements can be made.
6. Attendance and progress are monitored closely by the tutor. Feedback will be given by the tutor via an annual written report in Tuition Period 3 and sent to the fee payer. In addition, weekly notes via a Practice Notebook (paper form or digital) will be used to monitor week by week practice and set targets for further development. The tutor and learner will agree an appropriate quota of practice time expected to be maintained during the course of tuition. If either the learners' progress or level of commitment is felt to be unacceptable, the fee payer will be notified. If there is insufficient improvement, lessons may be withdrawn.
7. Parents/Guardians and learners are responsible for their own personal belongings when receiving music tuition. This includes musical instruments and other valuables. The tutor accepts no responsibility for the loss or damage of any possessions.
8. No extra tuition from other teachers on the choices of study nominated on the application form should be undertaken by the learner. This is in the interests of avoiding confusion and conflicts of method.
9. With the prior consent of the fee payer, tutors will advise of and purchase any necessary resources required for the lessons. The cost of these items will then be added to the subsequent invoice accordingly. This does not include the purchase/hire of instruments which should be arranged separately by the parent/guardian/learner in consultation with the tutor.
10. Safeguarding: Tutors have DBS clearance and appropriate safeguarding training in the interests of protecting the welfare of young and vulnerable people. Tutors are required by law to disclose any concerns they may have for the safety and well-being of a learner to the appropriate authority or, in extreme circumstances, to the police. Additionally, tutors have the right to work in an environment which is safe and free from abuse. Any abuse suffered by a tutor (verbal, emotional or physical) will be reported to the appropriate authorities and lessons will be withdrawn without notice or refund.
11. Parents/Guardians/Fee payers are welcome to observe any lesson on the understanding that their presence will not impact or otherwise influence the delivery of the lesson. It is courteous to ask permission in advance of the lesson taking place, however discretion will be used by the tutor for any "walk up" requests to observe lessons.
*This is the advised hourly rate as determined by the Musicians' Union. See link for more details: Rates of Pay for Self-Employed Music Teachers | The MU (musiciansunion.org.uk)
** The tutor may be able to carry out basic repairs on instruments for which a nominal fee will be charged. For any repairs which require professional work (such as servicing), the tutor will advise where to take the instrument for appropriate repairs to be carried out, the costs of which will be met directly with the instrument repairer.
***For lessons starting during any given Tuition Period, fee payers will be issued with a bespoke invoice to reflect the agreed number of lessons due to take place in that period. This must be paid in full prior to the first lesson. Subsequent invoices will follow the Tuition Period schedule.