Terms and Conditions

NEXTGEN MUSIC ABSENCE POLICY

If more than 24hrs notice is given to us in writing before you or your child's scheduled lesson then a catch-up lesson will be provided. This catch-up lesson will be organised directly with the tutor at a mutually suitable time. We will provide up to 2 catch up lessons per term for explained absences (more than 24hrs notice). If less than 24hrs notice is given, this lesson will be forfeited.

We thank you for your consideration of these policies and we can assure you, we have tried working out the problem of absences in many ways and have found this to be the best for both parties. We do understand that with kids things do often pop up last minute that can't be helped, but we also understand that our tutors are working on the expectation of certain hours and income and it is unfair for them to have this continually changing last minute. Therefore a line had to be drawn so everyone knew what to expect, for us that line is drawn at 24hrs notice.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR TUITION AT NEXTGEN MUSIC

As of 29th November, 2021

The following Terms and Conditions apply to all lesson agreements made between NextGen Music (“NGM”) and its students and the parents / carers of its students (“the customer”).

1. Term Dates

1a. At all times it is the responsibility of the customer to be aware of the first and last dates of term at NGM.

1b. In-School Music Lessons are charged at £22 per individual lesson, £14 for a paired lesson and £10 for a group lesson.

1c. If NGM is running performances at the end of terms, A performance will replace lessons for that week, regardless of whether the student wishes to partake in the performance.

2. Communications

2a. All customers are required to have a valid email address.

2b. All correspondence is sent out to the customer by email.

2c. It is the responsibility of the customer to make NGM aware of any changes to their contact details. NGM will not be held responsible for any missed communications, late / overdue payments, missed lessons, etc. if this is due to incorrect contact information.

3. Timetabling of Lessons

3a. The customer will be informed of the lesson day, time and the date of their first lesson before their teaching commences, via email.

3b. School-based / School Programme lessons –

3.b.i. If the agreed lesson day needs to be changed, the customer will be contacted as far in advance as possible and alternative arrangements will be made with the school and the customer for a suitable new lesson time.

3.b.ii. If the agreed School Programme lesson time needs to change to a new time, on the same day of the week and within school hours, the customer will not be informed in advance and the student will instead be collected at the new time by the tutor.

3.b.iii. Students scheduled for lessons on a rotating timetable will be given the details of the varying lesson times, as will the tutors and the school, so that attendance at the School Programme lessons is not impacted adversely.

4. Absences

4a. School Programme lessons –

4.a.i. No catch-up lessons or credits will be provided for an individual's absence from an individual/group lesson without at least 24 hours notice.

4.a.ii. Where a NextGen School Programme tutor is not able to teach, due to illness or a vehicle / mechanical failure, NGM will arrange for the missed lessons to be caught up at a time that suits the affected school and will endeavour to notify the customers of the catch-up lesson.

4.a.iii. If at least 24 hours notice is given by the individual, the tutor will present the customer with a suitable catch-up lesson time, or a credit will be issued. No more than 2 credits/re-schedules will be issued per term.

4b. Tutor Absences –

4.b.i. If the student's tutor is unavailable to teach, NGM will attempt to arrange a cover tutor.

4.b.ii. If we are unable to arrange cover, a catchup lesson will be offered on another day, or a spot in another class or in the term holiday break on the usual day/time, NextGen Music Academy will endeavour to arrange a catch within reason, however, no credit will be offered.

4c. Unavoidable cancellations –

4.c.i. NGM diligently attempts to exclude all events planned by the school that conflict with lessons at the start of each term, however, customers agree to inform NGM of clashing events to the best of their knowledge.

4.c.ii. If a school cancels NGM's teaching due to events outside of NGM's control, including but not exclusive to, school closure / unplanned school trips or sport events / teacher strikes, teacher only days, and swimming, it is not NGM's responsibility to make itself aware of any such event or to provide any catch-up or a credit caused by this.

4.c.iii. No refunds will be given for any missed lessons in schools if there is a school event clash or student sickness of any kind. A make-up credit will be issued provided 24hrs notice has been given.

4d. Ongoing absences –

4.d.i. If a student will be absent for more than three weeks due to medical reasons, some arrangements may be made at the discretion of NGM management.

4e. Emergency Plan

4.e.i. NGM will not provide refunds for either On-Site tuition and In-School lessons in the event of government-mandated closures if changes occur within a school term.

4.e.ii (In School Lessons). If schools do not let NGM teach due to their own Health and Safety Policies not allowing NGM to enter, NGM is not liable for credits or refunds.

4.e.iii. Online lessons are a full replacement for lessons missed due to any closures outside of or within NGM’s control. These lessons will be a full replacement, and no credit or refunds will be given instead.

4.e.iiii. Customers and staff will be asked to refrain from coming to lessons if in any way unwell during any Government-mandated restrictions. No refund or credit will be given if a student is not attending or asked to leave if at all unwell.

5. Duration of the Lesson Agreement - ongoing

5a. The lesson agreement between NGM and the customer is a rolling agreement that continues into each new term and new year unless written cancellation is received.

5b. The customers are emailed their invoices at the start of each term for the following term’s lessons, until a cancellation notice is received, as discussed below.

6. Cancelling the Lesson Agreement – the customer must opt out of the Lesson Agreement with NGM

6a. If the customer wishes to cancel the lesson agreement with NGM, written notice via email to deen@nextgenmusic.org must be received by NGM Management.

6b. Verbal notice given to the tutor and or a phone call will not be acted upon and is not considered sufficient.

6c. No refund or credit will be given for any cancellations part way through a term.

6d. If NGM has to cancel a lesson agreement it will endeavour to give two weeks’ notice to the customer. Any lessons remaining after the lessons’ end date will be credited to the customer's account if payment has already been made.

6e. If, in exceptional circumstances, NGM has to cancel the student's lesson due to damage of NGM property or harassment of NGM staff by the student, this may be done with no notice.

6f. If a customer is cancelling during term time and has not yet paid their invoice, or has not cancelled prior to the invoice being issued, the customer will have to pay a £40 cancellation fee in addition to any lessons already received at the relevant rate per lesson for the lessons booked.

7. Payments to be made online using Stripe online payment system

7a. Cash payments may not be made in person

8. Tuition Fees and Accounting

8a. NGM School Programme tutors CANNOT accept payments in any form at schools.

8b. NGM reserve the right not to commence lessons if payment has not been made in advance.

8c. The customer will be billed for each future term or half-term in advance towards the end of the preceding term.

8d. Full payment must be received before the new term starts.

8e. Payment is to be made via Stripe, payment links are available on the invoices.

8f. If the student commences lessons part way through a term, the remainder of that term will be billed in full and payment must be received prior to lessons beginning.

8g. Payments per lesson (weekly payments) are not acceptable (unless a payment plan has been set up) as the full invoiced fee is payable by the due date on the invoice.

9. Penalties

9a. Overdue accounts can accrue penalties of £30 when overdue for 28 days and £15 for every following 14 day period.

9.a.i. LATE PAYMENT Penalties will be added to accounts that are 28 days in arrears. If the account remains overdue, further penalties will be added every 14 days.

9.a.ii. The customer is responsible for any and all charges that their bank may levy for rejecting any payment to NGM.

9b. NGM does reserve the right to fully suspend students from lessons with unpaid term fees during term time. A full suspension means that NGM has the right to fill the student's lesson time slot with another student from the waitlist.

9c. Debt Collection details.

9.c.i. Payments more than 42 days in arrear may be handed over to Debt Collection Agency for debt collection.

9.c.ii. All costs incurred for sending an account for debt collection are added to the customer's outstanding balance.

10. Photography & Filming

10a. NGM owns and reserves the right to use any film/media/still photographs of students for appropriate promotional purposes, this also includes for use in Social Media.

10b. The customer must inform NGM in writing at any time if you will not allow the use of such images.

11. Changes to the Terms and Conditions

11a. The Terms and Conditions described above are agreed to upon enrolment and may be changed at any point by NGM without providing notice to the customer. A copy of the Terms and Conditions will always be available on our website and may be emailed to the customer on request.

12. Promotions

12a. Promotions run by NextGen Music Academy involving free lesson giveaways must be used only if the receiver of the voucher signs up for at least one term worth of lessons.

12b. If the receiver of free music lessons or a discount to music lessons cancels out of lessons for whatever reason after the free promotional offer ends, NextGen Music Academy’s full cancellation policy as stipulated under item 6 and 6a in NextGen Music Academy’s terms and conditions applies.

Contact Details

For all general enquiries, phone 07891 198596

For all email general enquiries: deen@nextgenmusic.org

For all cancellations email: deen@nextgenmusic.org