Terms & Conditions
Please read these terms carefully. They outline how we operate, your rights, and our mutual responsibilities as part of your musical journey.
1. General Terms
By enrolling for lessons or using services provided by The Glasgow School of Music (GSofM), you agree to these Terms & Conditions and the associated Teaching Block schedule for the relevant year.
Acceptance of these Terms & Conditions occurs upon enrolment, payment of an invoice, or attendance at a lesson, whichever occurs first.
Effective Date: These Terms & Conditions apply to all students from 1 January 2026 and supersede any previous versions or informal arrangements.
We may update these terms periodically to reflect changes in policy, systems, or law. The latest version will always be available on this page.
2. Lesson Structure (Teaching Blocks)
GSofM lessons operate on a time-reservation basis, not a pay-as-you-go model. Your weekly lesson time is reserved specifically for you and cannot be reassigned at short notice.
Lessons run in Teaching Blocks of 10 lessons. To make payments more manageable, each Teaching Block is split into:
- Part A — 5 lessons
- Part B — 5 lessons
The Part A / Part B split is for payment convenience only. Payment of Part A constitutes commitment to the full 10-lesson Teaching Block, including Part B, regardless of invoicing timing. Part B completes the existing block rather than creating a new booking.
3. Fees and Payments
All fees must be paid in advance. Our current rates (including VAT) are:
- 30 minutes — £26.50
- 45 minutes — £35.50
- 60 minutes — £44.00
VAT Registration: 492 1859 59
Registration Fee
All new students are required to pay a non-refundable £30 registration fee before lesson scheduling and tutor allocation takes place.
This fee covers administrative costs associated with onboarding, scheduling, and reserving tutor availability. The registration fee is fully deducted from the first block of lessons, provided tuition proceeds.
Lesson times are not reserved or held until the registration fee has been received in full.
Payment of the registration fee does not guarantee a specific lesson time. Scheduling is subject to tutor availability.
If a student chooses not to proceed with lessons after availability has been offered, or does not respond within a reasonable timeframe, the registration fee remains non-refundable.
The Glasgow School of Music reserves the right to withdraw offered lesson times if payment is not received promptly, to ensure fairness to existing students and efficient use of tutor time.
4. Invoicing, Due Dates & Late Payments
Invoices are issued one week before the relevant Teaching Block Part begins. A 7-day grace period applies from the invoice issue date.
Invoices unpaid after the grace period incur a £35 administrative fee per overdue invoice, applied automatically as a reasonable estimate of administrative costs incurred, including reconciliation, correspondence, and account management.
The £35 administrative fee applies once per overdue invoice.
The administrative fee is not a penalty. It reflects additional time and resources required to manage overdue accounts.
If an account remains overdue, GSofM reserves the right to pause lessons and withhold access to lessons, materials, or online portals until the outstanding balance is brought up to date.
Where lessons are paused due to non-payment, the reserved lesson time may be released to other students and is not guaranteed to remain available once the account is brought up to date.
5. Absences & Missed Lessons
Planned Absences
GSofM recognises that occasional planned absences may arise. Each Teaching Block allows:
- One planned absence per 10-lesson Teaching Block
- Minimum 48 hours’ notice
- Planned absences must be submitted in advance via the GSofM Planned Absence process
Planned absences are recorded administratively and reflected in the Teaching Block schedule where applicable.
Any additional absences within the same Teaching Block remain chargeable, as the tutor’s time has been reserved specifically for the student and cannot be reassigned.
Absence Notification
To be considered valid, absences must be communicated directly to GSofM administration. Informing a tutor alone does not constitute official notice.
Tutors are not responsible for recording or approving absences.
Late Cancellation of a Lesson / Missed Lesson
Unplanned, late, or same-day cancellations are not eligible for a replacement lesson or credit, regardless of reason.
GSofM or Tutor-Initiated Cancellations
If a lesson is cancelled by GSofM or a tutor, a replacement lesson or credit will be arranged. The timing and format of any replacement is subject to tutor availability.
5A. Ongoing Lessons, Cancellation & Account Closure
Ongoing Lessons
All lesson bookings at The Glasgow School of Music operate on a continuing, rolling basis.
Teaching Blocks do not end automatically at the conclusion of a 10-lesson block. At the end of each block, lessons continue into the next Teaching Block unless cancelled in accordance with the policy below.
Lessons are offered on a time-reservation basis. Your weekly lesson time is reserved exclusively for you and cannot be reallocated at short notice.
Lessons are not offered as one-off, fixed-term, or pay-as-you-go services unless explicitly confirmed in writing by GSofM.
Cancellation of Lessons
To cancel lessons, clients must provide a minimum of four (4) weeks’ written notice to GSofM administration.
Written cancellation notice must be sent to info@theglasgowschoolofmusic.co.uk.
Cancellations:
- must be submitted in writing (by email)
- cannot be made via the online portal
- cannot be made by informing a tutor alone
Non-attendance, completion of a Teaching Block, or stopping payment does not constitute cancellation.
Effect of Cancellation
Where a Teaching Block has already commenced, the full 10-lesson block remains payable.
The lesson time remains reserved for the student for the remainder of the Teaching Block and cannot typically be reallocated at short notice.
Cancellation will take effect at the end of the current Teaching Block, following completion of the required notice period.
Lessons, invoicing, and account responsibility continue until the Teaching Block concludes.
Account Closure
An account is considered closed only once:
- a valid cancellation has been received and acknowledged by GSofM, and
- any outstanding balance has been settled in full.
Written confirmation of account closure will be issued by GSofM once these conditions have been met.
Disputed Invoices
Raising a query or dispute does not suspend payment obligations unless confirmed in writing by GSofM.
Invoices remain payable unless amended or withdrawn by GSofM or determined otherwise by a court or appropriate authority.
Communication
Reasonable communication from GSofM relating to lesson scheduling, billing, unpaid balances, or account administration does not constitute harassment.
GSofM will always aim to communicate professionally, proportionately, and in line with its administrative and legal responsibilities.
GSofM understands that exceptional circumstances may occasionally arise. Any such requests will be considered at management discretion but do not alter the standard cancellation policy.
6. Holidays & Closures
GSofM operates scheduled closures during the year, including:
- a two-week summer break
- a Christmas / New Year break
No lessons take place during closure periods. Teaching Blocks are not shortened as a result, and lesson fees remain unchanged.
Teaching Block dates and closure dates are published in the GSofM Teaching Schedule & Payment Calendar.
7. Refunds
Refunds are not offered for missed, unattended, or cancelled lessons.
Where a lesson is cancelled by GSofM or a tutor, a replacement lesson or credit will be arranged. Refunds are not issued in place of credits.
Teaching Blocks are reserved in advance. Withdrawal part-way through a Teaching Block does not entitle the student to a refund for unused lessons.
Refunds are not provided due to changes in personal circumstances, availability, or preference.
8. Liability
GSofM accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personal property on the premises. Parents/guardians are responsible for minors outside of lesson times.
9. Behaviour & Conduct
GSofM is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment for students, tutors, and staff.
Students and parents/guardians are expected to behave in a manner that is respectful, appropriate, and conducive to learning at all times, including during lessons, on GSofM premises, and in communications with tutors and staff.
GSofM reserves the right to take appropriate action where behaviour is deemed disruptive, abusive, or inappropriate. This may include, but is not limited to:
- issuing a formal warning
- pausing lessons
- or, in serious or repeated cases, withdrawing tuition
Where tuition is withdrawn due to conduct-related concerns, refunds are not provided for unused lessons within a Teaching Block.
10. Data Protection
Personal data is handled according to the Privacy Policy and in compliance with UK GDPR.
11. Amendments
GSofM reserves the right to update or amend these Terms & Conditions. The latest version will always be available on this page.
12. Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Scotland. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.