At Scots we are lucky to have numerous visiting instrumental teachers providing tuition on a range of instruments. While the School provides the venue, approved tutors and structural support for lessons, parents must contact their child’s instrumental teacher to discuss available times, fees and any other concerns. All payment, negotiation of catch up lessons, etc should be between the parents, students and instrumental teacher.
Please read below for more information.
Music Lessons are coordinated by Catriona Byles : musiclessons@scotsalbury.nsw.edu.au
Our instruments include:
violin, viola, cello, double bass
flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone
trumpet, trombone, euphonium
piano, guitar (acoustic & electric), bass guitar, drum kit
Some of our teachers are self-employed and others are employees of the Murray Conservatorium. This means that, depending on your teacher, sometimes you will be dealing with the teacher directly and in other instances it will be the administration staff of the Murray Conservatorium. Murray Conservatorium teachers are happy to discuss progress and can be contacted via their email, and will often put their contact details in your child’s music diary.
Fill out the Music Tuition Enrolment Form (to the right) and we will provide relevant teacher details and any other information you have requested.
Please make contact with your instrumental teacher and discuss times, fees, etc and enroll.
When things are settled with your chosen teacher, notify the Music Lesson Coordinator and they will put your child on the Music Lesson Timetable and your child will be able to start lessons. Please note, your child cannot commence lessons at school unless the Music Lesson Coordinator has been notified by you. This is for your child’s safety, as the lessons are logged in the school attendance software so classroom teachers know where your child is if they are at a music lesson.
The Music Lesson Timetable is posted in Scotty on Sunday afternoons. Please check this on Sunday night because lesson times may change at times to avoid missing lessons due to calendared school activities. (Eg excursions, HSC exams etc)
Students attend individual music lessons all through the school day. They come out of classes for music lessons and return to class when finished. Lessons times at school can run from between 8am and 4pm, depending on the teacher.
Being able to offer music lessons during school hours is a privilege for Scots students. Students are expected to catch up any missed work in their own time and cannot expect additional tuition from class teachers from class time missed.
The music lesson timetable works on a weekly basis and schedules lessons so that, at most, only half a school period is missed. For students who need lessons greater than 30mins, we try to schedule these partially during a break, or during a study period for senior students. Lessons that change with the alternating weeks can be requested from the Music Lesson Coordinator (usually reserved for Yr11 and HSC students or exceptional circumstances).
Usually, students have the same lesson time from week to week and the timetable is posted in Scotty, where all lesson times for that week can be seen. Parents and students should check this each Sunday to confirm their lesson time in the coming week.
If a lesson time needs to be changed after this posting, the Music Lesson Coordinator will send an email detailing the changes to the student and/or relevant staff. If the lesson day needs to be changed, an email will be sent to parents as well.
The Music Lesson Coordinator monitors the school calendar, and, when necessary, alters lesson times, depending on the scheduled events in the calendar (e.g. excursions, special assembly, assessments), allowing students to avoid missing their music lessons where possible. Often this means another student’s time needs to be changed, therefore it is important that students and parents check the timetable on Parent Lounge and Student Cafe on Sunday nights.
At times, it is not possible to rearrange lessons (eg. sports day, whole day excursion, sick teacher, sick student) and in that case the student must miss the lesson. Please make sure you are aware of your instrumental teacher’s policy on absences, missed lessons, catch up lessons and reimbursement. If you want to arrange a catch-up lesson, you/your child needs to arrange this with your instrumental teacher.
If you know your child is going to be away, please notify their instrumental tutor as it may be possible to rearrange lessons or adjust fees.
Likewise, if your child’s instrumental tutor is going to be away, they will let you know and lessons will be rearranged or invoices adjusted.
If your child is continuing lessons from one year to the next, it is assumed that their teacher and lesson time will stay the same and you do not need to notify the school. If you wish to make any changes, please discuss it with your instrumental teacher and inform the Music Lesson Coordinator so the change can be made on the timetable.
If your child is withdrawing from music lessons, it is important to inform their instrumental teacher and the Music Lesson Coordinator. Please give as much notice as possible. If you do not inform the instrumental teacher, it will be assumed your child is still having lessons, you will continue to be invoiced for lessons, and your child will continue to appear on the timetable unnecessarily.
From time to time, difficulties arise between teachers and students. If you have any concerns, please let the Music Lesson Coordinator know.