Durham and Darlington Schools Prices Expand Standard termly prices for lessons 2025-26 Academic Year Tuition £70.00 Hire £47.00 There are some secondary schools where lesson prices are different. Please check further down this page. REMISSIONS If your child is eligible for free school meals prices are subsidised: Schools in County Durham Free School Meal Prices Tuition £48.00 (may be fully subsidised in some schools) Hire £12.00 (may be fully subsidised in some schools) Schools in Darlington Free School Meal Prices Tuition Fully subsidised Hire Fully Subsidised Children looked after receive fully subsided lessons and hire. Please contact us if you have any queries or require any further information relating to our prices. In some schools the cost of lessons is different. Please check the Parental Guidance if your child attends one of these schools: Durham Johnston Parental Guidance St Leonards Parental Guidance St Bedes Lanchester Parental Guidance Framwellgate School Parental Guidance Wolsingham School Parental Guidance Our standard charge to parents/carers for lessons covers approximately one third of the overall cost. The remaining two thirds are covered by a charge to school and by Durham Music Service, using funding from the Department for Education (via Arts Council England). In some schools there is a higher charge. This helps to cover part of school’s contribution to the tuition of your child. Pupils in their first term in Y7 are charged at the standard rate. Please contact us if you have any queries or require any further information relating to our prices.
Payments Expand If your child begins lessons in the first half of a term and can have at least 8 lessons we will send you an invoice for that term’s lessons. If your child begins lessons in the second half of a term and cannot receive 8 lessons we will not charge you for that term. You will normally receive an invoice for lessons in September, January and April. The invoice is for the current term’s lessons and the invoice will be sent by post. The full list of payment options available to you can be found on the reverse of your invoice. If you would like to pay by Direct Debit please contact us and we can arrange to send you a Direct Debit mandate form, or you can visit our Reports and Policies page and complete the form here. We guarantee your child will be offered at least 24 lessons in a full school year (3 terms – September to July) and we aim to provide 30 lessons. Please note that if your child is unable to attend a lesson for any reason outside the control of Durham Music Service (e.g. school trip, illness, exams, forgotten instrument) this will count towards the guaranteed 24 lessons.
How to pay your invoice Expand Please click on the link below for information about how to pay your invoice. How_to_pay_your_invoice.pdf Please note if you choose to pay your invoice over monthly instalments, payment must reach Durham County Council's bank account before the fifteenth of the month. Failure to meet this payment date will result in the full balance to be paid immediately.