Please see the most frequent invoicing queries below. If your question is not answered, please email office@cornwallmusicservicetrust.org
When will I be sent an invoice?
Invoices for ongoing current lessons will be sent out just after the end of each term for the next term in advance.
Invoices for new starters will be sent as soon as the teacher has transferred the pupil from the “waiting list” to a scheduled lesson.
I cannot open the emailed invoice.
Please ensure you have the most recent version of Adobe PDF Reader on your device. If you cannot read on a phone, use a laptop/desktop. If you still have problems, please email the office and we will post a hard copy to you.
What is the total payable amount?
The bottom right figure is your current account balance which includes the charges for this term and any outstanding invoices or credits.
How many lessons am I being charged for?
The invoice will show the lesson type charge rate you signed up for and a total amount, from which the number of weeks can be deduced.
Over a whole academic year we aim to deliver 34 lessons, typically the full Autumn Term is 12 lessons, The Spring Term is 10, and the Summer Term is 12, but this may vary due to scheduling clashes such as SATS weeks, bank holidays etc.
Why have I been charged for additional lessons?
As mentioned above, teachers may increase the number of lessons in one term to compensate for possible clashes in a future term (for which the charge weeks are reduced accordingly to keep the total of 34 over the year).
The teacher missed lessons. Will I be refunded?
Teachers mark their registers when they are absent. They will where possible schedule a make up lesson, either in a “spare” week or by delivering a double-length session.
If a lesson cannot be made up, an itemised reduction will show on the following term’s invoice.
My child missed a lesson due to illness/other activities. Will I be refunded?
No. We must pay the teacher for their full weekly contracted time and charge parents accordingly.
If the teacher is given sufficient notice of an absence, they will try to give some extra time to that pupil later in the term where possible.
My child is entitled to remission but I am still being charged. Why?
Any remission allowance will be itemised on the invoice. If it is not, it could be that you failed to notify us of the remission when signing up for lessons. If notification is received after we have submitted our claim to Cornwall Music Education Hub you will be liable for the full amount this term but we will be able to claim for future terms. Please contact the office.
If a remission allowance shows, the balance is the difference between the cost of the lesson and the remission, which is a set amount.
I am not currently entitled to remissions but the school are paying for my child’s lessons through pupil premium.
We must be notified of this before lessons commence. Please pass the invoice you have received on to the school and ask them to email us to confirm their agreement to pay. We will then amend your record.
My child is no longer attending lessons. Why have I been charged?
As per the terms and conditions you agreed to when signing up for lessons, 6 weeks notice of discontinuation must be given in writing to the office. You will be charged for the number of lessons scheduled within the 6 week period starting from the receipt date of your correspondence.
I wish my child to learn another instrument, will I still be charged a notice period?
The notice period is linked to the teacher. A new instrument with the same teacher (e.g. flute instead of clarinet) will not incur additional charge. If a child stops and takes up a new instrument with a different teacher (e.g. guitar instead of clarinet), the notice period for the first instrument and lessons on the new instrument will be charged concurrently if the end/start dates overlap.
My child’s mother/father pays for lessons so invoices should be sent to them.
Invoices are sent to whomever made the original application and agreed to our terms and conditions. We will only change debtor information if we receive written confirmation from the new payee.
I am being chased for a payment I have already made.
If you believe an invoice has already been paid, please email the office with:
Date of payment
Method of payment (i.e. bank transfer, paypal, cheque)
Name on bank account
Cheque number if relevant
It is rare for us to mis-log a payment. If an incorrect invoice or payer account reference is quoted, and/or there is not enough information to tally a payment with a payer, a received payment may be put in a holding area until it can be correctly allocated.
I tried paying through your online portal but it didn’t take me through to Paypal.
A very small number of people have reported that after entering their invoice details on our website payment page, they are taken straight to the “Thank you for paying” page without being asked for payment details. If this happens to you, please email the office.
Can I pay in instalments?
Please email us at office@cornwallmusicservicetrust.org regarding this option. We can calculate the projected fees for the academic year and supply you with standing order and regular payment details.
You will still receive “reminder” statements of account for information only/to verify your regular payments have been received.