What types of lessons DO YOU offer?
In-Person Lessons
Ideal for those looking to develop good posture, basic techniques, as well as finer details and nuanced playing. Duets with the teacher and a sense of routine and discipline are big pluses. The teacher can help with the setting up, tuning, maintenance and minor repairs of instruments. For most beginners and/or very young students, In-Person works best.
Online Lessons
These work well for those who may otherwise have to travel a considerable distance to get to a centre, are still shielding, need a little flexibility and are self-motivated and have some experience. It’s easy to share resources and recordings immediately.
In the right circumstances, Online Lessons are an efficient and effective way of accessing music tuition.
Flexi Lessons
With this unique package, the student comes to a Music School centre once every few weeks to get an arranged In-Person lesson with their teacher but the rest of the weekly lessons are Online.
Some students have a clash of activities on a particular night, so having the In-Person lesson infrequently only causes minor interruption of this routine, but it does mean that they still get the specialist help they need. Students get the best of both worlds, being able to work on different things in different settings.
If you are interested in lessons, we have a limited number of vacancies for certain instruments. Please contact us to enquire further.
Lessons are provided over 35 weeks, between September and July. These are not always on consecutive weeks due the music school closure periods – the detailed teaching weeks and closure periods.
Instrumental/ vocal lessons are currently offered for all ages and abilities in piano, keyboard, accordion, singing and vocal (popular and classical styles), flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, drums, orchestral percussion, french horn, trumpet, cornet, tenor horn, trombone, baritone, euphonium, tuba, classical guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, cello and steel pans.
If you are interested in having one to one lessons on an instrument not listed above please contact us on 0121 366 9950 to register your interest or to join our waiting list.
We also offer group lessons in Music Theory including ABRSM Grade 5.
Customers are required to pay for general consumables such as replacement strings, rosin, reeds and cork grease (woodwind instruments), valve oil and slide cream (brass instruments) and adapters (keyboards).
Customers may be required to purchase music books/scores and any relevant accessories as required to support their learning. As individual learning requirements are different please speak to your music teacher about any additional support materials that you may need.
Customers are expected to pay any examination fees and to make arrangements for accompanist, as appropriate.
Our Music Schools offer 35 lessons between September and July in accordance with the calendar of weeks and Music School closure periods. Please see Lesson & Pricing page for further details.
If a lesson has been offered and you/your child does not attend you will still be charged. We regret we are unable to offer an alternative for lessons missed due to holidays, sickness, school trips, exams and dental/medical appointments.
Yes. Payments are designed to be evenly spread across a 12-month period, as most of our pupils continue for at least that of time. The number of lessons vary per month. There could be 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 or (in the case of August) 0. Regardless of the number of lessons, the monthly charge remains the same.
We currently have two Music Schools. Our North Area music school is at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield. Our South Area music school is at Bournville School. See Location & Timings for maps and further details.
Our educational ethos is to maintain the long-term consistency of teachers and students where possible. Services For Education reserves the right to change teachers for reasonable reasons such as retirement, maternity, long-term absence etc. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our provision please contact the Head of the Music School, paul.douglas@servicesforeducation.co.uk
Where there is a genuine need to change teachers and we can accommodate your request, we will endeavour to do so.
When you book your lesson you secure the date, time and teacher for the year (35 lessons). Should you wish to cancel lessons you can do so at any time, in the year, in writing giving four lessons notice.
Our teachers are highly qualified employees of Services For Education, subject to our rigorous safeguarding and right to work checks. They are monitored for quality and undertake annual professional development. All staff are subject to enhanced disclosure and barring checks.
If you/your child started lessons and the instrument they had chosen to learn was unsuitable, the teacher would advise you of an appropriate alternative. Where there is a genuine need to change instrument and we can accommodate your request, we will endeavour to do so.
Services For Education offer the *free loan of a standard student model instrument for the first year of learning. An extension of the loan may be possible subject to availability and/or hire cost. *Terms and Conditions apply.
Once initial payment has been received, you will be sent a welcome pack detailing confirmation of the dates, times and venue of your lesson as well as the name of your Music teacher.
Services For Education run an annual programme of external exams with ABRSM, Trinity, LCM and Rockschool. Your Music teacher will advise on the appropriate time and level of examination. Parents/carers are liable for examinations and accompanist fees.
If you or your child are unable to attend a lesson please contact your teacher as soon as possible (contact details will be provided as part of your welcome pack).
Each student will be issued with a weekly Practice Diary to record work between lessons with a space for teacher and student comments. An annual report will be completed in May/June.
If you have any questions regarding progress you can also email the teacher directly: first.surname@servicesforeducation.co.uk
If you/ your child are beginners why not come along to one of our taster events held across the city? Specialist teachers will be able to advise on instruments that suit you following a consultation and a try out on instruments available.
Please register your interest with our team 0121 366 9950 and we will notify you of our experience days when they are planned. Most instruments are suitable for all ages and in some cases there are smaller instrument sizes available.
At present, we only run the two venues in the city and do not have any immediate plans to open additional venues. If you live outside these areas but are interested in specialist one to one lessons please call our office on 0121 366 9950 to register your interest and/ or join our waiting list.
It is possible that additional days and times may become available throughout the year.
If we are unable to schedule a suitable lesson day/time we will add you to our waiting list. Please ask our team to do this by calling 0121 366 9950 or by sending an email to musicschool@servicesforeducation.co.uk
If we don’t currently offer lessons on the instrument of your choice please contact our office on 0121 366 9950 to register your interest. Where there is an identified need to offer another instrument we will try to meet your requirements.
You have the right to cancel at any time during the year by providing four lessons notice in writing to musicschool@servicesforeducation.co.uk A template for cancellation can be found in the Terms & Conditions issued with your welcome pack or on this website. If you cease to attend lessons without written notice you will be charged for absent lessons in addition to the four lessons notice period.
Lessons are offered to children and adults aged 5 and upwards.
Lessons are offered to children and adults aged 5 and upwards. We cater for all standards and abilities. If there are any additional needs, please contact us so that we can ensure our teachers are aware of this in advance.
If the Music School is closed or a teacher is unavailable the lesson will be rearranged at a later date as either a double lesson or in the catch-up weeks in the schedule of teaching weeks and closure periods. A refund will be issued if the tutor is unable to make up the lesson.
You can email the teacher first.surname@servicesforeducation.co.uk or contact the Services For Education office by phone on 0121 366 9950
Our main intake is in September at the start of each new academic year. However, where lesson space is available, pupils can start at any time. We will always recruit from our waiting list in the first instance.
Instruments will be issued during the first lesson at the Music School subject to completing our instrument loan form.
Your Music teacher will be able to give you further information about the ensembles we have on offer. One of the best ways for you/your child to improve their playing skills is to make music with others. Services For Education runs choirs and groups for every type of musical instrument taught in our music schools. Please see the ensembles page of our website for further details https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/ensembles/
Repair advice must be sought from your Music teacher. Repairs for general wear and tear will be assessed, paid for and undertaken by Services For Education. Services For Education will not be liable for unauthorised repairs undertaken without prior approval.
The instrument must be returned by you to the offices of Services For Education, Unit 3 Holt Court, Holt Street, Birmingham Science Park Aston, Birmingham, B7 4AX (please telephone to arrange a time) no more than two weeks after the end of the course of lessons. On no account should the instrument be returned to the teacher or left on Music School premises. You will be issued with a receipt to acknowledge its return. In the event that you fail to return the instrument in the agreed timescales Services For Education will claim the full market value of a replacement instrument from you.
Please contact Services For Education, as soon as possible, to report an instrument as lost or stolen. Parents/Guardians/Adults are liable to insure instruments on loan from us.
Yes, you can sign up for more than one individual 30 minute lesson at our music schools. It is recommended beginner students do not sign up to learn two instruments together due to the technical complexities of different instruments and the realistic demands on time required to practice in order to make meaningful progress.
Please check if your household insurance policy covers musical instruments and add it specifically if necessary. This is common practice.
There are some established musical instrument insurers including Musicguard and Allianz who offer annual insurance typically, for less than £50 per year.
If you ask us, we will do our best to accommodate changes within our schedule. In some circumstances, this may not be possible or would require you to change to a different teacher, as not all of our tutors work in the Music Schools every day.
As instrumental skills progress, development in music theory and musicianship becomes increasingly important in helping students to perform with sensitivity, understanding and confidence.
The ABRSM grade 5 Music Theory exam is a test which aims to give students a thorough understanding of the building blocks of music, starting with the basics of rhythm and notes, and going on to cover harmony and counterpoint, composition, and a broad knowledge of western music, including composers and their works, structure, style and period.
A longstanding ABRSM benchmark is that a pass at Grade 5 or above in Music Theory must be obtained before candidates can enter for Grades 6, 7 or 8 Practical exams.
It is also a useful class for students who wish to deepen their understanding and engagement with music at GCSE and A level.