Terms and conditions – Cardiff and Vale Music Education

Please read the Terms & Conditions relevant to the payment, before accepting and continuing with your payment.

When you enrol a pupil for an activity you are accepting the applicable terms and conditions for that service type.

Cardiff and Vale Music Education’s GDPR privacy notice tells you about the type of personal data that we collect from you to deliver our services, what we do with this data, if we share it and how long we will keep it. You can  view our privacy notice.

Cardiff and Vale Music Education operates as part of Cardiff City Council whose  GDPR policy you can read on their website.

If you indicate a child’s eligibility for Free School Meals to access bursary, funding for tuition or music centre memberships, you are agreeing to us accessing the appropriate local authority database to validate eligibility.

Music Tuition

Lessons normally take place at school, with the school’s permission. Exceptions to this will be made at the discretion of Cardiff and Vale Music Education.

School based lessons are subject to agreement from the school for lessons to take place on the school premises and in school time.

School based lessons take place on the time and day of the week agreed between the music tutor and the school.

Payment for tuition is due in advance of the commencement of lessons. You may choose to pay in full for the academic year, termly or monthly over 10 instalments.

Pupils in receipt of eFSM support, may be able to receive a subsidy provided by the school subject to school confirmation. Please indicate upon application if you believe your child/children are eligible.

When you enrol a pupil for tuition, their name will be placed on the tutor’s waiting list. It may not be possible to start tuition immediately. If the tutor’s time at the school is full, you can choose to wait for a place to become available.

Payment for tuition buys 34 lessons provided over the school year (September to July). The number of lessons delivered in each term varies, subject to the length of the term and the dates of school and bank holidays.

Group tuition is dependent on a minimum of 2 pupils enrolling and the availability of pupils of a similar standard to form tuition groups. Where this is not the case, it may only be possible to offer individual tuition or tuition on an alternative instrument for beginners.

Lessons missed due to the pupil or school not being available (e.g. pupil’s absence or school closure due to staff training days, industrial action, or snow etc.) are non-refundable.

Where advanced notice of at least 7 days of school closure has been given, the tutor will try to arrange makeup sessions where there are sufficient weeks in the term.

Cancellation of tuition

To cancel tuition, you must click on ‘Request to withdraw’ in the portal, or in exceptional circumstances we will accept an email notification via cfmusiceducation@cardiff.gov.uk

A message passed on to the tutor will not be accepted as official cancellation.

Payment will be due for the month in which cancellation is made, refunds will only apply if lessons have been missed due to teacher absence.

Tuition may be terminated at the end of each half term. We require notice of cancellation of lessons before the following dates for the 2024-25 academic year:

Autumn term: Withdraw by 6TH OCTOBER to finish at October half term; Withdraw by 8^TH DECEMBER to finish at the start of the Christmas Holidays.

Spring term: Withdraw by 2^ND FEBRUARY to finish at February half term; Withdraw by 30^TH MARCH to finish at the start of the Easter Holidays.

Summer term: 4^TH MAY to finish at May Half Term; 30^th AUGUST to finish before the new academic year.

If cancellation is made after the specified date, the next half term’s fee will be payable.

Ensembles and groups

Payment for the term’s sessions must be made in advance in full, or by opting for 10 monthly instalments.

If your child starts an ensemble late in the term, the full payment is still due. Payments are non-refundable.

Youth Ensembles membership is given on the assumption that membership is for the whole academic year, and fees are based on the annual membership fee. Students will not be able to opt out of membership during one term, and then return without having to re-audition and possibly forfeit their place.

Refunds will not be made for missed sessions.

Cancellation of ensemble membership

To cancel membership of an ensemble, you must click on ‘withdraw from tuition’ in the portal, or in exceptional circumstances we will accept an email notification via cfmusiceducation@cardiff.gov.uk

A message passed on to the tutor will not be accepted as official cancellation.

Ensemble membership may be terminated at the end of each full term. We require notice of cancellation of membership before the following dates for the 2024-25 academic year:

Autumn term: 8^TH DECEMBER to finish at the start of the Christmas Holidays.

Spring term: 30^TH MARCH to finish at the start of the Easter Holidays.

Summer term: 30^th AUGUST to finish at the start of the new academic year.

If notification of cancellation is given after the specified date for that term, the next full term’s fee will be payable.

Residential Courses, Events, Travel and Tours

Payments are non-refundable once the place has been confirmed.

For courses and tours where a payment instalment plan is offered, once the student is enrolled and the first instalment is paid, all subsequent instalments are payable on the due dates as communicated in the enrolment information.

It is recommended to have suitable cancellation insurance in place in case of inability to travel due to illness, bereavement etc.

If the full balance is not paid by the set deadlines:

Your child will lose their place on the course and no refund will be given.

Your ticket for the event, where applicable, will become invalid and no refund will be given.

You will lose your place on the transport and no refund will be given.

Any unpaid instalments must be paid in full.

Deposits are non-refundable.

You may be required to submit further information in relation to your payment e.g. completion of medical forms and provision of passport information. If this information is not submitted in a timely manner it may result in your place on the course/event/transport being cancelled. Refunds will not be given for cancellation based on non-submission of essential information.

Examination Fees

Payments and applications are made to Cardiff and Vale Music Education on behalf of the examining bodies (ABRSM, Trinity College London, RockSchool).

Cardiff and Vale Music Education is not responsible for any refunds of examination fees.

Examination appointments may fall at any time on any of the provisional dates advertised.

In the event of oversubscribed exam sessions examination appointments may fall on a date not previously advertised.

Partial refunds or re-entry credits are only available at the discretion of the respective examination board if a medical note is produced for a missed examination. In most cases there are no other circumstances that will result in a refund. Any refund/partial refund is at the discretion of the examination board.

Instrument Loans

All pupils who attend an LA maintained school and/or receive tuition are eligible to apply for a loan instrument, subject to availability.

Instrument loans may be subject to a termly charge.

Instruments are loaned to pupils for up to one year in the first instance. The instrument loan is subject to the pupil making satisfactory progress in their music studies and participating fully in music activities organised by the school and/or by Cardiff and Vale Music Education.

If the pupil discontinues lessons, the instrument must be returned to CF Music or the pupil’s Music Specialist Tutor or to Cardiff and Vale Music Education immediately.

It is the borrower’s responsibility to maintain the instrument in good working order by replacing strings, reeds, valve springs and other instrument replaceable parts, and by undertaking routine cleaning and maintenance.

The borrower is responsible for the safe keeping of the instrument and is liable for the loss of the instrument or for any damage caused to the instrument, case or accessories, other than through fair wear and tear. The instrument is not insured, and the borrower is advised to arrange for insurance cover against the loss of, or damage to the instrument.

Cardiff and Vale Music Education reserves the right to withdraw a loan instrument at any time.

Ensemble Blanket Consent – Parental Consent for routine events, concerts and visits with CF Music Education

The Music Service has a planned series of concerts and activities for the year academic year 2024-2025. Please see the relevant proposed rehearsal / concert schedule for your ensemble for details. Activities may be subject to change throughout the year, but you will be notified of the details of any changes made via email. When using a third-party provider (e.g. Music for Youth performances), we will also inform parents about the provider. A suitable level of supervision is provided for all children when organising all our activities and a thorough risk assessment is also undertaken. Some ensemble staff are also first aid and chaperone trained.
When you enrol your child in an ensemble activity on the portal, we require you to agree in advance to your child participating in all off-site visits (concerts, trips or other event / activities) in the form of a one-off or blanket parental consent for the academic year for a child under the age of 18. Off site visits are classed as those venues other than the regular weekly CF Music Education ensemble rehearsal spaces at e.g. Chapter Arts Centre, Whitchurch High School, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. Consent is not required for weekly rehearsals at CF Music Education venues.
Examples of CF Music Education Off-Site Concert Venues:
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, BBC Hoddinott Hall, The All Nations Centre, Barry Memo Arts Centre, Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School, Llandaff Cathedral, St Edward’s Church, Roath,All Saints Church, Penarth, St Woolos Cathedral, Newport, The Senedd, Cardiff Bay, Wales Millennium Centre.
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALL ENSEMBLE MEMBERS – Applicable to All Ensemble Visits
1. Students must remember that they represent the Music Service whenever they are in public. We count on them to be pleasant, quiet, courteous and considerate of other people at all times. Members must bear in mind that their behaviour will reflect upon the Music Service’s public image.
2. At no time will members be allowed to leave the group on their own.
3. If they are given free time, they must always return to the meeting place promptly and register with the leader. They must never be late.
4. Students must always be aware of traffic and take particular care when crossing the road, especially when in a group.
5. Students must never drop or leave litter. They should keep it until they find a bin.
6. Students must not chew gum, smoke, drink alcohol or take banned substances.
7. Students must always remain seated on coaches and minibuses whilst travelling and must not move from their seats until told to do so by a member of staff and must wear their seat belts at all times. Students must adhere to coach company policy.
8. Students are responsible for their own property on all visits and journeys and must ensure that their property is marked in an appropriate manner with their name/postcode.
9. Students must always respond to staff instructions appropriately and adhere to the regulations set up for specific trips.
10. Valuables will not be the responsibility of the Music Service. If mobile phones are brought, they will only by used to ring home with staff’s approval.
11. We reserve the right to withdraw your child from a concert, event or trip if he/she is involved in any serious breach of discipline at any time prior to the departure of the trip or has developed a serious health concern. Please note that in such situations the payment for the trip may not be refunded.
Please discuss the code of conduct and sanctions with your child.
XPERIOS
We would ask parents to read the terms of the consent carefully on our website and acknowledge that you have accepted and understood the information provided here.
Having read the information about the visit and having understood the level of supervision to be provided, I agree to my child taking part in the visit and activities described.
I understand that all reasonable care will be taken of my child during the visit/activity and that he/she will be under an obligation to obey all directions and instructions given and observe all rules and regulations governing the visit/activity.
I understand the code of conduct for the visit and the sanctions that may be used if my child breaks this code of conduct. I have discussed the code of conduct and sanctions with my child.
I understand that if my child seriously misbehaves or is a cause of danger to themselves or to others, then I may be asked to collect them, or they may be brought home early from the visit/activity. In such a situation there will be no obligation on the school/centre to refund any money.
In an emergency I agree to my child receiving medication and any emergency dental, medical or surgical treatment, including anaesthetic or blood transfusion, in the event of an emergency when parents cannot be contactedas considered necessary by the medical authorities present.
I will inform the establishment of any changes to my child’s medical or physical disabilities or psychological condition (including any emotional wellbeing or mental health issues) that may affect their participation in the visit, and any changes to emergency contact details.
All young people are covered by the Local Authority’s third-party public liability insurance in respect of any claim arising from an accident caused by a defect in the premises / venues or equipment or attributable to negligence by the Council or one of its employees. Please note that this insurance policy does not include personal accident, or personal belongings cover for your child.
I understand the extent and limitations of the insurance cover provided. I understand the extent and limitations of the insurance cover provided.
I agree to pay for any loss, damage, or injury, which may be occasioned, to any person or property solely through the misconduct or carelessness of my son/daughter.
I understand that such visits will normally take place within the ensemble’s centre normal hours, but that if, occasionally, they are likely to extend beyond this, adequate advance notice will be given so that I may make appropriate arrangements for my child’s return home.
I understand that my specific permission will be sought for any visits beyond those listed in the terms and conditions or which could involve commitment to extended journeys, trips abroad, times or expense;
I consent to my child travelling by any form of public transport and/or in a motor vehicle driven by an adult member of the party, subject to such arrangement satisfying any legal requirement.
I hereby agree to my child participating in routine visits off the usual weekly CF Music rehearsal sites.