Announcements

Key Announcements and Updates

In-Person lessons allowable from May 2021 for all students (children and adults) who want them; online lessons also continuing.

  Tuesday, April 13, 2021 by Ross Hammond BSc (Hons), MBCS, PGCE, MISM | COVID-19 Update

Update: From 1st May 2021

In-person lessons are able to take place for all students, both children and adults, without criteria restrictions from the 1st May 2021. This has been confirmed by the ISM and the Government and they have issued guidance accordingly. In-person lessons must still be COVID-19 secure, and will follow many of the same procedures are before to ensure the safety of everyone. Online lessons will also continue as usual and therefore, students wishing to have an in-person lesson should follow the procedure for doing so on page 4 of the below risk assessment. 
Please take the time to read the below risk assessment in full if you are intending on having an in-person lessons as it will be an expectation on any student attending in-person to follow these procedures. 

COVID-19 Risk Assessment (Updated May 2021) 


COVID-19 Secure Poster

Tier 4 Restrictions - 31st December 2020

Thursday, December 31, 2020 by Ross Hammond BSc (Hons), MBCS, PGCE, MISM | COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Update - From December 31st 2020 


As I am sure you all know, Gloucester (along with many other areas) has now been placed in Tier 4 from 31st December 2020. As such my regulator, the ISM, has stated that whilst limited in-person lessons are permitted in tiers 1 to 3, they are not permitted in tier 4, which is essentially a lockdown. 

Therefore in January, all lessons will be taught online, in the usual way. Fortunately, as the majority of students are taught online at the moment you won't notice a change and your lessons will continue as normal. However there are a few additional lesson spaces which have been released online to book now. 

Students may chose between online and in-person lessons again

  Wednesday, December 2, 2020 by Ross Hammond BSc (Hons), MBCS, PGCE, MISM | COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Update - Wednesday 2nd December 2020
As I am sure you are all aware by now, the national lockdown will end on Wednesday 2nd December 2020 when the country will move to a new tier system.
Firstly, I hope you are all safe and well - we have made it through a second lockdown (just about!).
Currently, Gloucester is going to be set at tier two and I have been in consultation with my regulator's legal team since Monday to discuss what this means for my teaching practice, with particular reference to whether or not in-person lessons are permitted.
My regulator, the ISM, have concluded from the guidance and other Government advice sought, that I am permitted to teach a limited number in-person lessons subject to being COVID secure and provided that I wear PPE and socially distance whilst teaching. They recommend that where students are being taught online they continue this as in-person lessons may be subject to short notice cancellation, should Government departments change their rules at the last minute (we all know they have a habit of doing that!). My regulator will update me immediately should this happen.
Therefore from Wednesday 2nd December, all as before, students may chose between in-person or online lessons as they wish. For students wishing to have an in-person lesson, they must:

  • Text message the day before their booked lesson, to request it to be in-person (I must carry out COVID secure checks). If an in-person lesson isn't requested the day before, I will assume you wish to have your lesson online.

  • Follow the risk assessment (to be updated - COVID-19 page) at all times, which includes: students being collected at the brown doors; only students being permitted in the teaching room and wearing a face covering (unless medically exempt - proof may be required) 
Students who are: self-isolating, have been instructed to self-isolate or have any cold, flu or COVID symptoms must not attend any lessons in-person during that time. 

Best wishes, 

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Small change to in-person lesson choice - due to the second national lockdown in England.

  Sunday, November 1, 2020 by Ross Hammond BSc (Hons), MBCS, PGCE, MISM | COVID-19 Update

I am writing to all students and parents to let you know how the national lockdown in England may impact your lessons for November. 

The National lockdown is scheduled to last from Thursday, the 5th of November to the 2nd of December 2020.

For students who are taught online

The vast majority of students have all continued to have their lessons online and this will continue as normal and unaffected.

For students who only have in-person lessons

For the small number of students who have in-person lessons, your lessons will take place online from Thursday 4th November 2020 until 2nd December 2020. However, if I receive permission from the regulator to continue teaching in-person throughout the lockdown as the service falls under education, I will let you know individually. If you do not have access to Skype (free), FaceTime (free to Apple users) or WhatsApp (free) then please contact me and we will put an individually tailored plan in place for November. 

Students with upcoming examinations 

As theory exams are all online and Piano exams fall outside of this national lockdown period your exams should remain unaffected. Should this change, I will be in touch.