WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE?

Aside from 20 years of teaching, playing, and performing experience, my official qualifications include a BA(Hons) degree in Contemporary Music from Edinburgh Napier University, Distinction Grade 8 with Trinity Guildhall, and Merit Grade 5 with the ABRSM. As well as private tuition, I have ample experience teaching in universities, schools, and private institutions.

DO YOU TEACH GRADED UNITS?

Yes, we are a registered Trinity College London exam centre. We are qualified to teach graded exams in spoken english (GESE) and we teach from their Rock & Pop syllabus. However, while learning a graded unit is an excellent way to improve and measure progress, it is by no means mandatory.

DO YOU TEACH ONLINE?

While I do have the capability to offer online tuition in exceptional circumstances, I do not offer online tuition as a standard approach. I've found online tuition to be generally lacking in a crucial part of the learning experience, somewhat unreliable in terms of connectivity/latency issues, and a fair amount of what makes drumming enjoyable often gets lost in translation.

WHAT WILL I NEED FOR MY LESSONS, and what resources are supplied?

A pair of sticks, a notebook, and an open-minded attitude are the bare minimum requirements to get the most out of your tuition. Ear protection is also heavily recommended as there will always be a small risk of hearing damage when playing loud instruments. You wont actually need a drum kit itself to begin taking lessons as quite a lot of rhythm can be taught without. However, students that pursue learning the drum kit as a longer-term hobby may struggle without regular access to one.

 

Students progress is documented and detailed via an online service/app called Showbie. Showbie is a teacher-to-student/parent service used in educational institutions for teachers to provide lesson-by-lesson updates, materials, and resources for students/parents to view and download. Registration to Showbie is free, and will be discussed after the first few sessions.

HOW ARE LESSONS PAID FOR?

Single lessons are calculated from the 25th of the previous month to the 24th of the current one. Then, you will be issued with your total before the 1st of the next month, to be paid for no later than the 2nd.

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Multi-lesson bundles are agreed upon and paid for in three monthly installments for 12 lesson bundles, and two monthly installments for 8 lesson bundles. These will also be invoiced according to the above window.

 

CAN I TAKE A BREAK FROM LESSONS?

 

Students can request to take up to four weeks away from lessons per year (this typically coincides with summer holidays), during which period their slot will be reserved for them. However, anything after the allotted four weeks will either count as full lessons from their existing bundle, be chargeable as full lessons, or their slot will be re-advertised as available for public booking.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

Lesson bundles paid for in advance are refundable (minus lessons already taken) within the 30 day statutory period outlined in The Consumer Rights Act of 2015. Outside of that, I unfortunately can't offer any refunds.

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Lessons can be cancelled without penalty with 5 days notice from the original lesson booking (For example, the last opportunity a Wednesday lesson could be cancelled would be the previous Friday). Any lesson cancelled within 4-2 days of the lesson will incur a half-rate cost, and anything cancelled with 1 day or on-the-day notice will incur the full lesson cost.

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Each student is entitled to three 'exception allowances' per year, meaning that a lesson can be cancelled without reason and for no cost. There are recommended for accident/emergency use, but it is up to the student how they wish to use these.