Studio calendar

Term dates for 2023:

• Term 1

  • Teaching Starts - Monday 30th January

  • Teaching Ends - Friday 31st March

  • Make-Up Week - Monday 3rd April - Friday 7th April

• Term 2

  • Teaching Starts - Monday 24th April

  • Teaching Ends - Friday 23rd June

  • Make-Up Week - Monday 26th June - Friday 30th June

  • No Lessons on Tuesday 25th April (ANZAC Day) or Monday 12th June (King’s Birthday)

• Term 3

  • Teaching Starts - Monday 17th July

  • Teaching Ends - Friday 15th September

  • Make-Up Week - Monday 18th September - Friday 22nd September

• Term 4

  • Teaching Starts - Monday 9th October

  • Teaching Ends - Friday 8th December

  • Make-Up Week - Monday 11th - Friday 15th December

Regular lessons will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lessons on other days may be offered as one-offs or make-up lessons if available but are not guaranteed.

Lessons are billed based on a 9-week term, with week 10 serving as a make-up week. Students with a make-up lesson owed will simply attend at their regular lesson time in week 10. Those who do not have a make-up lesson owed will not need to attend in week 10.

No lessons will run on public holidays. If a student’s regular lesson falls on a public holiday, the term invoice will be adjusted to reflect this.

Lesson times are an ongoing commitment. While all reasonable attempts will be made to facilitate changes to times between terms, these cannot be guaranteed.

Cancellations & Make-up Lessons

If a student cannot attend their scheduled lesson for that week, please provide as much notice as possible.

If more than 24 hours notice is given, students are eligible for a make-up credit. Students are eligible for one (1) make-up lesson per term. This is automatically scheduled for the student’s regular lesson time in the make-up week (Week 10).

Students may attend their lessons online in the event that they are unwell or unable to attend in person. Please advise by text message or email if a lesson will be online to allow time to set up and alter any relevant lesson plans. While online lessons can be used as a backup option for illness or transport issues, please note that it is a requirement that students attend at least one-third of their lessons each term in person unless a prior arrangement is made.

In the event that the student cannot attend in person or online, parents/students may send through a video of that week’s practice for feedback and a tailored video response. This must be done before the scheduled lesson start time, it is not an option for missed lessons after the fact.

If 24 hours notice is not received and no video is sent through for feedback before the lesson, the lesson will be forfeit.

In the event the teacher is unable to attend a lesson for whatever reason, a make-up lesson or credit will be provided.

In the event of an extended absence (e.g. holidays), a holding fee equivalent to 50% of the lesson fees may be paid to reserve the student’s place during their absence. This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Fees & Payment

2023 term fees are as follows:

• 45-Minute Lessons - $540 Per Term

• 60-Minute Lessons - $720 Per Term

• 30-Minute Group Lessons - $180 Per Term

• 45-Minute Group Lessons - $270 Per Term

A 25% discount is offered if students participate in both a weekly group lesson and a weekly one-on-one lesson.

Term fees are based on a 9-week term and will be pro-rated in the event that a student’s regular lesson falls on a public holiday.

At the beginning of the teaching year, a resource fee is charged. This means that all sheet music, books, backing tracks, and other materials are covered in the cost of lessons. It also includes access to 4 performance opportunities through the Newcastle Music Teachers Association and 1 recital per year. It does not include exam entry fees, which are billed separately if a student is undertaking exams.

2023 Resource Fees:

• 45-Minute lessons - $54/annually

• 60-Minute lessons - $72/annually

• 30-Minute group lessons - $18/annually

• 45-Minute group lessons - $27/annually

Resource fees are not discounted if group and one-one-one lessons are combined, are non-refundable, and are not pro-rated.

Lesson fees increase at a fixed rate of 2% per calendar year.

Payment is due at or before the first lesson of the term. There is a one week grace period, after which lessons cannot be attended until payment is made.

Fortnightly or monthly payment plans can also be organised, but must be done prior to the start of the term.

Lessons can be paid for by direct deposit or cash.

Creative Kids Vouchers are accepted, these must be sent via email at or before the first lesson of term along with the payment of the balance of the invoice.

Group Lesson Policy

Group lessons offered are:

• First Steps in Music 1, 2 & 3 - 30 minutes

• General Primary Music Classes - 30 minutes

• Music Craft/Musicianship/Theory Classes - 45 minutes

• HSC Music Classes - 45 minutes

• Composition & Songwriting Classes - 45 minutes

Group classes require a minimum of 3 students to run and have a maximum of 6 students.

Group lessons are billed for 9 weeks and run at their regular time in the make-up week/week 10 for any students who may have missed a class during the term. Students who have not missed a class during the term are also welcome to attend during week 10 free of charge.

Group lessons are not otherwise subject to make-up lesson policies and cannot be rescheduled, attended online, or receive custom video feedback.

Group lessons will remain at the same time for the year, which will be scheduled based on the given student/parent availability at the start of each calendar year.

Other Policies

Students are requested to wait on the front porch until their lesson. For students under the age of 12, parents must wait with students until their lesson has commenced. Please drop students off and pick students up at the scheduled time for their own safety. Students over the age of 12 may wait by themselves.

If you are running late for drop off or pick up, as a courtesy, please advise by text message.

Withdrawal Policy

A minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice is required to withdraw from lessons at the end of the term - i.e. if you are intending to withdraw from lessons, please advise in writing at the end of the term for the following term. In the event that less than 2 weeks’ notice is given, the equivalent of 2 weeks’ lesson fees will be payable.

Students may not withdraw mid-term. In the event that a student discontinues lessons mid-term, the remaining term fees are non-refundable and may be forfeit.

Termination of lessons

The teacher reserves the right to immediately terminate lessons in the event of serious or repeated inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour by students or parents, including (but not limited to) damage to property, aggressive, inappropriate or abusive language, or repeated violation of these policies.