Apply and pay for children's music lessons

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Apply for music lessons

You can now apply online for music lessons taking place in a school setting either during or after school, a music centre or online. If you wish to apply for online music lessons, please see our guidelines on how to setup online music lessons.

Apply and pay for music lessons

If you cannot apply online, please contact us.

Before you apply please see the following webpages:

When applying please state your preferred instrument and preferred location were you would like your lessons to take place.

To find out more about what instruments we offer music lessons for and which schools and music centre's we offer music lessons at, please contact us.

  • If we do not currently teach that instrument at that location, we will contact you to discuss other available options and identify the nearest location.
  • If we do teach in that preferred location and there is currently no availability, you will be put on a waiting list until the next available space and we will contact you to let them know when a space has become available.

Confirmation of your booking

Music lessons for each term will be on the following dates:

  • Autumn term: 12 weeks: week commencing 12 September to week commencing 5 December 2022
  • Spring term: 10 weeks: week commencing 9 January to week commencing 20 March 2023
  • Summer term 11 weeks: week commencing 17 April to week commencing 3 July 2023 (Monday 10 July week 11)

Please check your booking confirmation for your start date on the Surrey Arts student portal.

You will receive your booking confirmation by email or letter. We will then contact you to discuss availability and the most appropriate place and time for lessons.

Invoices will be sent out at the beginning of each term.

If a pupil joins a lesson part way through the term, you will receive verbal confirmation followed by the booking confirmation letter or email.

If you are continuing your lessons

Any pupil currently having lessons with us will automatically be re-enrolled next term, unless they have already given notice not to continue or are finishing year 6 and moving onto secondary school.

Students who have requested lessons and are moving up to secondary school will be contacted by email.

Lessons will continue for students who already have lessons externally to their primary school and are moving up to year 7.

How much do music lessons cost?

Fees are paid per term and based on the number of weeks taught for all instruments and children at school:

  • £8.60 (Group of three or four, 30 minutes) per lesson
  • £12.60 (Group of two, 30 minutes) per lesson
  • £15.30 (Individual, 20 minutes) per lesson
  • £21.90 (Individual, 30 minutes) per lesson
  • £5.70 (Group of five, 30 minutes) per lesson

Please note that piano group lessons are only available at Woking Youth Arts Centre.

Concessions

We may offer (subject to availability) a discount on one set of lessons per term of £12.60 per lesson towards individual or group lessons, free instrument hire and free ensemble membership to families who are in receipt of:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit or if their annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue exceeds £16,190 in the current tax year)
  • Working Tax Credit run on – paid for 4 weeks after Working Tax credit entitlement finishes
  • Universal Credit – if applied for on or after 1 April 2018 household income must be lesson than £7,400 (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
  • Registered Surrey Young Carers

Looked After Children can receive free 20 minute lessons, free instrument hire and free ensemble membership.

When we are arranging lessons let us know that you would like to claim a concession, and we will ask you to send proof of your entitlement to any of these benefits.

Please also see below for organisations that offer financial support for young musicians.

Pay for your music lessons

Once your music lessons have been confirmed, you will receive a booking confirmation. You can pay for your music lessons once you have received your invoice. If you have booked before the start of the term, invoices will be sent prior to music lessons starting.

It is important that you pay this invoice in full within two weeks of receiving it.

You can pay online using a debit or credit card, by logging into your student portal.

Apply and pay for music lessons

Please note, you should not send any other correspondence to this address.

Waiting lists

If your preferred instrument and location is not available, you have the option to be put on a waiting list.

Instruments such as guitar, piano and drums are particularly oversubscribed and it may take longer for lessons to be started.

When a suitable lesson is available Surrey Arts will contact you by email, with the lesson details and terms and conditions after which lessons can be set up and confirmation will be sent by email.

You can find out where you are on the waiting list by contacting Surrey Arts by email: surreyartsmusic@surreycc.gov.uk

Financial support for young musicians

Learning to play a musical instrument can be costly, but there organisations that can offer you financial to continue to do so:

  • Cheryl King Trust offer financial bursaries to enable you to have or continue with individual or group instrument lessons, if you would not otherwise be able to do so. The bursary is open to children and young people under 18 in Surrey, who are learning musical instruments and have been nominated by their instrument teacher.
  • Awards for Young Musicians believes that all talented young people deserve the chance to progress in their music making. If you are an expectational young instrumentalist, you can apply for an award of up £2,000.