Welcome To The Music Lesson Knowledge Base

Our lessons are £97 per month for a 30-minute weekly session. If you’re looking for more time to rock out, just ask us about pricing for longer sessions.

Lessons are scheduled throughout the year and include a guaranteed minimum quota of lessons you’ll have access to while we’re open. This means that in some months, you might have more or fewer lessons than others.

However, we will always meet our minimum quota of lessons across the year. If, for any reason, we fall short, we will either refund the amount owed or apply a credit towards the following year.

Payments for lessons are spread evenly over 11 months of the year (excluding August), and our lesson schedule follows the academic year, resetting at the end of July.

Many music schools operate on a "rent-a-room" model, where teachers are technically room renters rather than employees. Making them landlords rather than music schools!

This approach allows them to avoid VAT and offer lower fees. However, at Music Academy Midlands, we believe in doing things the right way.

Although we carry a 20% VAT cost that some others don’t, we are committed to running an honest, transparent business that prioritises quality and integrity.

We invest heavily in our team, offering training programs, dedicated training days, and top-level safeguarding software to ensure our staff are fully equipped to provide the best education possible.

We also pay our teachers above market value, making us the highest-paying music school in the local area. Our focus is on building trust and growth within our team, which directly benefits our students.

Our goal has never been to be the cheapest; our goal is to be the best. We understand this may not appeal to everyone, especially those who might not fully appreciate the true value of high-quality music education.

If you value quality, progress, and innovation in music education for you or your child, we are the right choice. However, if music isn't a top priority, you may find cheaper alternatives more suitable.

The fee covers your weekly dose of rockstar training and all the materials you’ll need to keep progressing. Additional costs might come up for exams or special events, but we’ll keep you in the loop.

The fee covers your weekly dose of rockstar training and all the materials you’ll need to keep progressing. Additional costs might come up for exams or special events, but we’ll keep you in the loop.

Lessons are paid monthly, either on the 1st or the 15th of each month, covering the lessons for that specific month. Payment is set up easily through our direct debit system, powered by GoCardless (https://gocardless.com). Your lesson fees will be taken care of automatically, and you’ll typically receive an invoice for the upcoming month in advance, along with a direct debit notification before the payment is due.

If any adjustments need to be made, we can easily amend or refund payments through the same system. Plus, you’re fully protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee (https://gocardless.com/guides/posts/dd-guarantee-in-plain-english/).

We don’t offer refunds for missed lessons, and here’s why: We’re committed to protecting our Rockstar teaching team. Unlike many other music schools that have a 24-hour cancellation policy, allowing students to cancel last-minute and receive a refund—leaving the teacher unpaid—we believe in valuing our teachers' time and effort.

Imagine setting aside time for a lesson only to lose both the income and the chance to schedule other work just 24 hours before. It’s no wonder this approach can lead to a highly unmotivated team, which isn’t what we want for our students or our teachers.

There are very few industries where this practice would be considered fair, and we work hard to ensure our teachers feel valued and supported—because when our teachers are motivated, our students benefit the most.

However, if a lesson cancellation is made more than 7 days in advance, we’ll do our best to find an alternative slot. If that’s not possible, though, please note that we won’t be able to offer a refund or lesson credit.

You’re guaranteed a minimum of 44 lessons across the year, though you may end up with more.

Yes, occasionally there may be additional costs. If you require sheet music, wish to take exams (as exam boards operate independently from Music Academy), or participate in special events, there could be extra fees payable directly to those organisations. We’ll always make sure to give you a heads-up in advance.

Life happens! If your child misses a lesson, we don’t offer refunds, but we’re committed to keeping their progress on track.

Your teacher will send a quick practice video through your portal, along with updated practice tips or materials, to ensure they stay on top of their learning until the next session.

Need to reschedule? No problem—just give us a shout as soon as possible. We’ll do our best to find an alternative time, but please note that make-up lessons aren’t guaranteed. (Please see refund policy for our reasons why)

Regular attendance is key to becoming a rockstar! We encourage consistency to make sure you or your child is getting the most out of their lessons.

There are two essential parts to making your music lessons a valuable experience:

1. Your Lessons: These sessions are all about corrections and directions. Your teacher is there to guide you, help you overcome challenges, and refine your skills before setting you your practise tasks.

2. Your Practice: This is where the real work happens. Practice is for applying what you’ve learned in lessons and making progress along the path your teacher has designed for you.

If you’re inconsistent with either of these, progress will be slower—there are no shortcuts in music, and that’s part of its beauty. Without regular practice, there isn’t much to correct or build upon in your lessons. Skills aren’t static; if you don’t practice, you might even find yourself going backwards! And if you miss your lessons, you lose the opportunity for valuable corrections and guidance.

Consistency in both practice and lessons is the key to achieving your musical goals and truly rocking out!

We try to accommodate make-up lessons when possible, but it depends on the schedule.

If a teacher has to cancel, we’ll always arrange a make-up session, provide a credit or refund if your minimum quota of lessons (44) is not reached at the end of the year (September - July)

f a teacher can’t make it, we’ll either arrange a substitute or reschedule the lesson for another time.

We’ll always keep you informed and make sure your child’s learning continues smoothly.

Our lessons run throughout most of the academic year, including some holidays. We take a two-week break during the Winter/Christmas holiday.

In August, lessons are offered on a limited basis and can be scheduled week by week, depending on your teacher’s availability and your preference. These lessons are flexible and can be booked only if you’d like them, with charges applied on a weekly basis.

For the rest of the year, we’re open and ready to rock! Each year, our opening dates are reset and scheduled in your My Music Staff calendar. You can check your schedule here: My Music Staff Calendar

Our lessons are held in a school building in (St Andrew's First School, Barnt Green). We’ve chosen to hire school buildings because they are dedicated, safe spaces for education, with built-in facilities and plenty of room.

This choice aligns with our business ethos of supporting the local community surrounding our sites.

By operating in these schools, we’re not only providing a great environment for learning but also giving back to the community through free services to local schools and community centres.

This partnership offers significant financial support to the schools, as the rent we pay is definitely not cheaper than a private premises!

It also means that the school buildings are actively used in the evenings, providing them with a reliable additional income stream to support their budgets.

Our rent money actually ends up back in the education system, helping to build a brighter future—how cool is that?

Here's the Google link:

https://g.co/kgs/2y13N7i

Our Barnt Green facility has everything a budding rockstar needs. We bring all the necessary kit and gear for every lesson.

The classrooms offer plenty of space to work, ensuring a comfortable and productive learning environment.

However, for safeguarding reasons, we ask that parents and children do not wander the corridors.

Yes, we have some on-site parking available for parents and students.

Additionally, there’s plenty of street parking nearby if needed.

We welcome parents to observe the first few lessons if they’d like.

After that, we encourage you to let your child fly solo so they can focus on their music in a relaxed environment.

However, you are welcomed o attend any lesson that you wish to!

our child’s safety is our top priority. We have strict safeguarding policies, secure facilities, and all our staff are DBS checked.

Yes, our Barnt Green location is accessible, and we strive to accommodate all students. Please let us know in advance if there are any specific needs.

Yes, we offer exam preparation as part of our lessons. Whether your child is aiming for ABRSM, Trinity, or RSL exams, we’ll help them get ready to ace it.

We primarily prepare students for ABRSM, Trinity, and Rockschool exams, depending on their instrument and level. Your teacher will recommend the best fit for your child.

Exams are scheduled throughout the year, depending on the type of exam your child is taking. Some exams require digital recordings that simply need to be uploaded through the exam board’s website. If you need any assistance with this process, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Yes, there are additional fees for exam entry, which vary depending on the grade and the exam board, as these boards operate independently from Music Academy. We’ll make sure to provide you with all the necessary details well in advance.

Although this has never happened before, it's entirely possible that a prepared student may can become overwhelmed by exam nerves.

If your child doesn’t pass, don’t worry—we’ll work together to review what needs improvement and get them ready to try again. We focus on progress and learning, not just the exam result.

Yes, students receive a certificate of achievement upon completing each level of their music lessons.

It’s a great way to celebrate their progress and motivate them to keep going!