Music Studio Policy

1.Monthly Payments  

• Monthly payments are to be made in advance on the 1st of each month. These fees will be automatically debited monthly from the student’s (or the student’s parent or carer) bank card through the My Music Staff portal.

• The monthly payment is calculated by evenly dividing the total programme cost over the number of months it spans (for example, 11 months if the programme goes from September 2025 to July 2026).  The monthly tuition fee remains the same whether there are 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 lessons in a given month.

• Ad hoc plans with a payment other than a monthly flat fee, the agreed fee will be automatically debited from the student’s (or the student’s parent’s or carer’s) bank card through the My Music Staff portal on the specified days and at the agreed frequency.

• Late payments will incur a 10% late fee.

• Academic Calendar: Lessons follow the general school term calendar. No lessons are scheduled during school half-terms, holidays, Bank holidays, Christmas, or Easter breaks. Monthly payments remain the same throughout the year as these breaks are already factored into the annual fee calculation.

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2.Registration Fee

• Fee Amount: A one-time non-refundable payment of £44 per student is required at registration. For families enrolling two or more members, a £2 discount will be applied for each student on their first monthly payment.

• Inclusions: This fee guarantees your spot and provides access to a selection of resources, apps, and learning tools, such as the games and book lending library, Supersonics, and Piano Express App, as well as participation in Recitals and Workshops, and access to between-lessons support via WhatsApp on a fair-use basis (we aim to provide responsive support for improved home practice, with no guaranteed response time).

• Purpose: The registration fee is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of an all-rounded learning experience beyond the weekly lessons and reserving the student's place in the studio.

• Optional Events: Other expenses like competitions, festivals, exams, and exam books are the responsibility of the student or parent/carer.

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3.Missed and Cancelled Lessons

• Missed/Cancelled Lessons: Lessons missed or cancelled CANNOT be carried over to subsequent weeks or refunded. However, you will receive makeup credits equivalent to the length and type of your lesson if you provide notification at least 24 hours in advance. Makeup lessons are subject to availability.

• Cancellation Process: Use your Student Portal Calendar to select the lesson you wish to cancel. Only lessons cancelled via the Student Portal with sufficient advance notice qualify for makeup credits.

• Rescheduling: If the cancellation is made at least 24 hours in advance, makeup credits will be issued. Makeup slots will arise from all students' cancellations and will be offered subject to availability. Please note that makeup availability cannot be guaranteed, and unused credits cannot be carried over to the next academic year or refunded.

• Booking a Makeup Session: Use your Student Portal Calendar to select a spot opened as a makeup session. Locate a lesson that matches your cancelled lesson's type, duration, and age range.

  • If an appropriate slot is available and you possess enough makeup credits, you may proceed to register.

  • A Gentle Reminder: Availability is dynamic; frequent visits to the calendar will provide the best opportunities for rescheduling.

• In the Event of a Teacher’s Absence: Should the teacher need to cancel a lesson, options for a makeup session will be presented. A refund will be gracefully offered if a reasonable mutual agreement on timing cannot be reached.

• Illness Exception: For cases of acute illness, the 24-hour cancellation requirement may be waived on a case-by-case basis. Clear and timely communication is crucial.

• Extended absences due to illness or other reasons: students may cancel future lessons in advance and receive makeup credits. These credits can be used to book makeup sessions at any point during the academic year, even before the actual absence occurs (e.g., if you know you'll be away for two weeks in May, you can cancel those sessions now and book makeup sessions sooner as they become available).

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4.Safeguarding

• Child Supervision: For safety reasons, please accompany your child at all times outside the music classroom, including common-use areas such as the waiting room, toilets, stairs, and car park.

• Never drop off your child at the Pianista door or let them proceed to the Stairs and Waiting Room area on their own. We cannot guarantee their safety outside the classroom, as we are unable to supervise these common areas during lesson times.

• Timely arrival and collection of children is imperative to ensure a smooth transition between lessons.

• CCTV Monitoring: For security purposes, 24/7 CCTV recording (video only) is in operation in some common areas (e.g. stairs, waiting room, kitchen, and car park).

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5.Termination of Tuition

• Termination of Lessons: In the event that a student or the piano teacher must discontinue lessons, kindly provide one month's notice through email. Lessons will proceed until the one-month notice period concludes. For instance, an email sent on January 15th will entail lessons and fees until February 15th. The final invoice will be adjusted based on the number of lessons the student was entitled to until the termination date: the total amount paid to Pianista for lessons always aligns with the total fees for the lessons the student was entitled to up to the end of the notice period.

• Please be advised that the Company reserves the right to terminate this agreement immediately by providing written notice to the student or the student's parent/carer under certain circumstances:

  • Persistent late or non-payment.

  • Inappropriate behaviour during lessons or in communications with the Company or other community members.

  • Repeated lateness in dropping off or collecting a child before or after a lesson.

  • Consistently failing to follow our safeguarding advice.

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6.Parent/Carer Observation
A waiting area is provided for parents/carers. Parent observation of lessons is not generally permitted, though we will occasionally invite parents/carers into the classroom when we deem it beneficial for the student's development.

7.Automatic Payments

• Payment Method: Pianista Music Studio exclusively accepts automatic card payments processed through Stripe.

  • To set up payment, please add your payment card via your Student Portal at https://www.pianista.co.uk/studentportal.

• Online payments: Transactions with your bank are processed exclusively through Stripe (https://stripe.com/gb/guides), a third-party online banking service renowned for its security and convenience, with a global presence.

• Invoices: Invoices will be automatically dispatched from My Music Staff on the first day of each month, instructing Stripe to charge them directly to your card.

• Data Security & Privacy:

  • Your payment card details are encrypted and stored directly with Stripe, our PCI DSS-compliant payment processor.

  • Student information (non-payment data) is managed through MyMusicStaff in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

  • Pianista Music Studio never has access to, nor stores, your actual card or bank account details.

  • We maintain PCI DSS compliance for secure payment processing.

  • For full privacy details, please refer to MyMusicStaff's privacy policy: https://www.mymusicstaff.com/privacy-policy/

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8.Car Parking

• Complimentary parking spaces: We provide six complimentary parking spaces at the rear of our property, accessible via Stockwell Head Road, for student use during lesson times only.

• Please vacate promptly after your lesson to ensure fair access for all families. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be guaranteed.

• All vehicles are parked at the owner's risk, and Pianista Music Studio accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, or incidents occurring in the car park.

• We reserve the right to report any unauthorised use of our private parking facilities to the appropriate authorities.