Clear terms and conditions for structured lessons at the |Glasgow School of Music.

1. General terms

By requesting a trial lesson, enrolling for ongoing lessons, paying an invoice, attending a lesson, or using services provided by The Glasgow School of Music, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

Acceptance of these Terms & Conditions occurs upon enrolment, payment, confirmation of an ongoing lesson place, or attendance at a lesson, whichever occurs first.

These Terms & Conditions supersede any previous versions, informal arrangements or verbal discussions unless otherwise confirmed in writing by The Glasgow School of Music.

References to “the school”, “GSofM”, “we”, “us” or “our” mean The Glasgow School of Music. References to “client” mean the person responsible for booking, payment and communication with the school.

2. Transition to the annual Teaching Block calendar

From Wednesday 12 August 2026, regular one-to-one lessons at The Glasgow School of Music operate through a published annual Teaching Block calendar.

Before this date, any existing invoice, payment arrangement, 10-lesson block, Part A / Part B arrangement or written agreement remains subject to the terms in force at the time it was confirmed, unless The Glasgow School of Music confirms otherwise in writing.

From 12 August 2026, the annual Teaching Block model replaces the previous rolling 10-lesson block structure for regular weekly tuition, except where The Glasgow School of Music confirms a different arrangement in writing.

2A. Statutory cancellation rights

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects a client’s statutory rights.

Where a contract is made online, by email, by telephone or otherwise at a distance, the client may have statutory cancellation rights. Where applicable, The Glasgow School of Music will provide the required cancellation information.

If a client asks The Glasgow School of Music to begin providing lessons, a trial lesson, a course or another service during any statutory cancellation period, the client agrees that The Glasgow School of Music may charge for the services provided up to the point of cancellation.

Where a service has been fully performed with the client’s agreement during any statutory cancellation period, the client may lose the right to cancel that service once it has been fully performed, where permitted by law.

Important: This section makes clear that the school’s payment, cancellation and attendance policies operate alongside, and do not remove, any statutory rights that apply to the client.

3. Trial lessons

Trial lessons are paid lessons. They are designed to help us understand the student’s level, goals, suitability for the chosen subject, and potential route into ongoing tuition.

A trial lesson does not guarantee an ongoing weekly lesson place. Ongoing lesson availability depends on tutor timetable, subject, lesson length, student availability and scheduling suitability.

Trial lessons are arranged by appointment. The Glasgow School of Music reserves the right to recommend a different lesson length, tutor, subject route or schedule where this would better support the student.

Trial lesson fees are non-refundable once a lesson time has been confirmed and reserved, except where required by law or where The Glasgow School of Music cancels the lesson and no suitable alternative can be arranged.

4. Teaching Block structure

Regular one-to-one lessons run within the published annual Teaching Block calendar. The calendar sets out when lessons run, when the school is closed, when invoices are released, when payment is due and when unpaid accounts may be placed on hold.

Each student is invoiced according to the number of scheduled lessons that fall on their regular weekly lesson day within the relevant Teaching Block.

Teaching Block dates, closure dates and payment dates may be updated by The Glasgow School of Music where necessary for operational, legal, calendar or staffing reasons.

Bank or public holidays that fall inside published Teaching Blocks are treated as standard teaching days unless The Glasgow School of Music has separately announced a closure.

Lessons continue from Teaching Block to Teaching Block unless cancelled in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.

5. Reserved Lesson Place Policy

Ongoing lessons at The Glasgow School of Music operate on a time-reservation basis. This means the student’s weekly lesson time is reserved specifically for them and cannot usually be reassigned at short notice.

Lesson fees reserve:

• the student’s weekly lesson place
• the assigned tutor’s availability
• the teaching room or online lesson time
• administration and scheduling
• continuity within the Teaching Block

Because the annual calendar includes planned non-teaching periods, student absences during Teaching Blocks are not credited, refunded or rescheduled.

6. Invoicing, due dates, grace periods and payment holds

Invoices are issued before each Teaching Block, group course, short course, workshop, agreed flexible lesson arrangement or optional summer lesson arrangement begins.

Payment must be received by the published payment deadline unless The Glasgow School of Music has approved a written payment arrangement before that deadline.

The final grace period ends before the first teaching day of the relevant Teaching Block. The first scheduled lesson of the Teaching Block is not part of the payment grace period.

If payment has not been received by the final grace date, The Glasgow School of Music may place the student’s lesson place on hold. Lessons will not proceed while the account remains on hold unless The Glasgow School of Music confirms otherwise in writing.

Lessons missed while an account is unpaid or on hold are not credited, refunded or rescheduled where the lesson time has remained reserved for the student.

Where payment remains outstanding after the start of a Teaching Block, The Glasgow School of Music may continue to reserve the lesson place for a short period while the account is resolved. If payment remains outstanding, The Glasgow School of Music may release the lesson place to another student after written notice.

Where a lesson place is released and successfully reallocated, The Glasgow School of Music will not seek to recover charges for future lessons that have been reallocated to another paying student. The client remains responsible for lessons already delivered, lessons missed while the place was reserved, approved administration charges, and any reasonable unrecovered loss arising from the non-payment or late cancellation.

To reinstate lessons, the outstanding balance must be paid unless an approved payment arrangement has been agreed in writing by The Glasgow School of Music.

Raising a query about an invoice does not suspend payment obligations unless The Glasgow School of Music confirms this in writing.

Instalment arrangements

Two-instalment arrangements may be available by request before the payment deadline. Instalment arrangements are not automatic and are subject to approval by The Glasgow School of Music.

Manually managed instalment arrangements may include a £10 Instalment Arrangement Administration Fee. If an agreed instalment is missed, lessons may be placed on hold until the account is brought up to date.

Payment methods

Direct Debit is the preferred payment method where available. Bank transfer is also accepted. Cash payments are not preferred and must be agreed with the office in advance. Cash should not be handed directly to tutors unless The Glasgow School of Music has specifically authorised this.

7. Student absences and missed lessons

We understand that families may occasionally need to miss lessons. However, student absences during Teaching Blocks are not credited, refunded or rescheduled. This applies because the tutor’s time, room space, school administration and weekly lesson place have been reserved for the student.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• student illness
• family holidays
• school events or school trips
• forgotten lessons or no-shows
• travel disruption
• parent work commitments
• family events
• changes in personal schedule
• requests to pause mid-block

The previous planned absence allowance does not apply to regular Teaching Blocks from 12 August 2026 unless The Glasgow School of Music confirms otherwise in writing.

In exceptional circumstances, including serious illness, bereavement or disability-related circumstances, The Glasgow School of Music may consider a discretionary adjustment. This is not automatic and is considered case by case by the Director.

Informing a tutor of an absence does not change the account position. Account, absence, payment and credit matters must be handled through school administration.

8. School, tutor and substitute tutor cancellations

If The Glasgow School of Music or the assigned tutor cancels a lesson and no suitable cover, alternative lesson or replacement arrangement is provided, the lesson will be credited, rescheduled, refunded or carried forward as appropriate.

The timing, tutor and format of any replacement lesson are subject to availability.

The Glasgow School of Music reserves the right to provide a suitable substitute tutor where the regular tutor is unavailable. Where a suitable substitute tutor is provided, the lesson is considered fulfilled.

Where an online lesson or alternative format is offered as a suitable replacement, The Glasgow School of Music will confirm whether the lesson is treated as fulfilled, rescheduled, credited or carried forward.

9. Ongoing lessons, cancellation and account closure

Ongoing lessons do not end automatically at the conclusion of a Teaching Block. Lessons continue into the next Teaching Block unless cancelled in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.

Cancellation notice

To cancel ongoing lessons, clients must provide written notice to The Glasgow School of Music administration by email. Cancellation cannot be made by informing a tutor alone, stopping attendance, stopping payment, or assuming lessons end automatically at the end of a Teaching Block.

Where possible, cancellation should be submitted before the payment deadline for the next Teaching Block so the lesson place can be planned and released properly.

If valid written cancellation is received before the payment deadline for the next Teaching Block, no fee will normally be charged for that next Teaching Block, unless a different written arrangement has already been agreed.

Cancellation after a Teaching Block has been confirmed or started

Where a Teaching Block has already been confirmed, reserved or started, cancellation does not automatically remove the client’s payment responsibility for that block.

The Glasgow School of Music may charge or retain a reasonable amount to reflect lessons already delivered, lessons missed while the place remained reserved, tutor time and room time allocated, administration already carried out, and any reasonable unrecovered loss caused by the cancellation.

The amount payable may be up to the remaining Teaching Block balance where the lesson place has been reserved and cannot reasonably be reallocated at short notice.

If The Glasgow School of Music is able to reallocate the lesson place to another paying student, the client will not be charged for future lessons that have been successfully reallocated.

Account closure

An account is considered closed only once valid written cancellation has been received and acknowledged by The Glasgow School of Music, and any outstanding balance has been settled.

Exceptional circumstances may be reviewed by the Director at The Glasgow School of Music’s discretion. This does not create an automatic right to cancellation, credit or refund.

10. Summer closure and optional summer lessons

The standard weekly GSofM timetable closes during the published summer closure period.

During this period, regular weekly lesson places are paused and are not automatically delivered as part of the annual Teaching Block calendar.

Optional summer lessons, workshops, intensives or exam preparation sessions may be offered separately, subject to tutor availability and school approval.

Summer lessons are arranged separately, invoiced separately and are not part of the standard Teaching Block entitlement.

GSofM tutors should not arrange private summer lessons with GSofM students outside the school’s booking and invoicing process unless The Glasgow School of Music has authorised this in writing.

11. Refunds and credits

Refunds are not normally offered for missed, unattended, late-cancelled or unused lessons where the lesson time has been reserved for the student.

Student absences during Teaching Blocks are not credited, refunded or rescheduled because the tutor’s time, room space, school administration and weekly lesson place have been reserved for the student.

Where a lesson is cancelled by The Glasgow School of Music or the assigned tutor and no suitable substitute tutor, alternative lesson, replacement lesson or carry-forward arrangement is provided, The Glasgow School of Music will arrange an appropriate credit, replacement or refund.

Where a credit is offered, it will normally be applied to a future invoice or carried forward within the student’s account. If a credit cannot reasonably be used because lessons have ended, the student is leaving, or The Glasgow School of Music cannot provide a suitable replacement within a reasonable period, a refund may be issued where appropriate.

Refunds are not normally provided due to changes in personal circumstances, availability, preference, non-attendance or failure to attend.

Missed student sessions within group courses, short courses, workshops, academies or bootcamps are not credited, refunded or individually rescheduled. Where The Glasgow School of Music cancels a group course or group session, the school will arrange a suitable replacement, credit, transfer or refund where appropriate.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects a client’s statutory rights.

12. Group courses, academies, bootcamps and workshops

Group courses, short courses, academies, bootcamps, workshops, exam preparation sessions, theory courses and other fixed-term learning programmes are separate from regular one-to-one Teaching Blocks.

Group course places are secured only once the relevant payment has been received. Submitting a form, registering interest or discussing a place does not confirm a booking.

Group courses may require a minimum number of students in order to run. The Glasgow School of Music may cancel, postpone, merge or adjust a group course where minimum numbers, staffing, room use or operational requirements make this necessary.

Missed student sessions in group programmes are not credited, refunded or individually rescheduled. If The Glasgow School of Music cancels a group session, a suitable replacement, credit, transfer or refund will be arranged where appropriate.

13. Conduct, safeguarding and learning environment

The Glasgow School of Music is committed to providing a safe, respectful and productive learning environment for students, families, tutors and staff.

Students, parents and guardians are expected to behave respectfully and appropriately at all times, including during lessons, while on school premises, and in communication with tutors or staff.

The Glasgow School of Music reserves the right to take appropriate action where behaviour is disruptive, abusive, unsafe or inappropriate. This may include a formal warning, pausing lessons, refusing access to the premises, or withdrawing tuition.

Where tuition is withdrawn due to conduct-related concerns, refunds are not normally provided for unused scheduled lessons within a Teaching Block.

Parents and guardians remain responsible for minors outside of lesson times. The Glasgow School of Music accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personal property on the premises, except where required by law.

14. Data protection and communication

Personal data is handled in accordance with the school’s Privacy Policy and applicable UK data protection law.

The Glasgow School of Music may contact clients about scheduling, lessons, payments, absences, policies, account administration and other matters necessary for the proper delivery of tuition.

Clients are responsible for ensuring The Glasgow School of Music has up-to-date contact details. Failure to read or respond to school communications does not remove payment, attendance or policy responsibilities.

Website cookie information is provided separately in the school’s Cookie Policy.

15. Complaints, amendments and governing law

If a client has a concern or complaint, they should contact The Glasgow School of Music in writing so the matter can be reviewed through the school’s internal process before any further action is considered.

The Glasgow School of Music may update these Terms & Conditions periodically to reflect operational, policy, system, pricing or legal changes. The latest version will be available on this page.

If any part of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining parts will continue to apply as far as legally permitted.

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Scotland. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.