MEI Music Centres - FAQs
Please read our FAQs before getting in touch with us. If your question has not been answered on this page, we will be happy to help.
Signing up
You can sign up for all Music Centre courses and individual lessons here.
Once you have signed up for 2024-25, your contract will continue until you cancel. We will only ask you to renew your consent forms for picture and evaluation of activities. We will ask you to update your contact details once a year. Please only use the sign-up form again if you want to change your provision.
Please also be aware of our cancellation policy.
Once students are signed up for the 2024-25 academic year, they will not need to sign up again.
You can cancel any provision by giving half a term’s notice in writing to musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk. It is only possible to stop at the end of a full term (not half term).
Deadlines to give notice:
- Friday 25 October 2024 to stop attending from the end of the Autumn Term.
- Friday 21 February 2025 to stop attending from the end of the Spring Term.
- Friday 30 May 2025 to stop attending from the end of the Summer Term (i.e. to not continue for the next academic year).
If you have paid in advance, you will be reimbursed for sessions after the half term notice period. This policy applies to all Music Centre courses and individual lessons.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer refunds for missed sessions as we still have to continue paying tutors and our overheads. This applies to all Music Centre courses and individual lessons.
Yes, we offer free taster sessions in the first two weeks of term to try out our group lessons. If your child then signs up for the term, you will be charged for 10 lessons, but there will be no charge if they decide not to join.
We ask you to sign up using our sign-up form, but please state that you are, at this point, only interested in a taster session.
Yes, there are a number of options for individual lessons, all subject to availability Please email us at MusicEducation.Islington@gsmd.ac.uk to discuss the options for one-to-one tuition.
If we can’t accommodate an individual lesson for your child at the current time, they will be added to a waiting list and we will be in touch when options become available.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide financially assisted places for individual lessons, unless your child has a scholarship.
Pupils can start in the first two weeks of each term. Term dates can be found here. Once you have signed up, your payment plan is agreed and payment is received your child can start. This can take up to two weeks.
Choosing a course
If they are in year 2 or 3, they will do the Introduction to Music course which is designed for complete beginners and will set them up with a solid foundation before they learn an instrument. At the end of the summer term before they start year 4, they will have the opportunity to try different instruments.
For those in year 4 and above, children usually have an idea of what they want to learn, but if you want help or advice, please email musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk with the email subject “Instrument Advice” and we will get in touch with you.
The Jazz, Funk, Fusion, Afrobeat, Experimental and Beyond Band Course is not for beginners and requires a certain level of musicianship to join.
We currently offer:
- Strings: violin, viola, cello, double bass, ukulele, guitar and bass guitar
- Woodwind: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, recorder, saxophone
- Brass: trumpet, cornet, French horn, tenor horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba
- Piano/keyboard
- Drums
- Vocals
If the instrument your child would like to learn is not listed, please email musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk as we are keen to accommodate all young people’s needs.
Not all instruments are offered at each centre, but students are able attend on different days to meet all their needs. MEI staff will discuss all the options to find a suitable solution.
Yes, students in reception or year 1 can join Music Explorers.
We also support Islington schools with their music provision and help them to provide musicianship classes in Key Stage 1.
Year 2&3 Introduction to Music Course (MEI Music Centres @ AMSI & COLA Highbury Grove):
| Activity | @ AMSI | @ COLA Highbury Grove |
| Arrival at the centre Children will be met by a chaperone who will take them up to sign-in. | 3:50pm | 3:50pm |
| First class | 4:00-4:45pm | 4:00-4:30pm |
| Break (please make sure your child has a small, nut-free snack and a labelled bottle of water) | 4:45-5:00pm | 4:30-4:45pm |
| Second class | 5:00-5:30pm | 4:45-5:30pm |
| Home time Children will be taken down to the school entrance to be collected by a parent/carer. | 5:30pm | 5:30pm |
Year 4-6 Provision (@ AMSI and @ COLA Highbury Grove):
3:50pm: arrival at the Centre. Children will be met by a chaperone who will take them up to sign- in.
4:00-5:00pm: choir and group music lesson (each class is 30 min, changeover time is included in that period)
5:00-5:15pm: break (please make sure your child has a small nut-free snack and a labelled bottle of water)
5:15-6:00pm: ensemble
6:00pm: Children will be taken down to the school entrance to be collected by parent/carer.
6:00-6:30pm: orchestra (for those of grade 2+standard)
Year 7+ Provision (@ AMSI and @ COLA Highbury Grove):
4:20pm: arrival at the Centre and sign-in upstairs.
4:30-5:00pm: group instrumental lesson
5:00-5:15pm: break (please make sure your child has a small nut-free snack and a labelled bottle of water)
5:15-6:00pm: ensemble
6:00-6:30pm: orchestra (for those of grade 2+standard)
6:30pm: sign out
Jazz, Funk Fusion, Afrobeat, Experimental and beyond band practice (@ EGA):
4:20pm: arrival at the Centre. Young people will be met by a member of staff who will take them to sign in
4:30-6:30pm: class (with a short break. Please make sure to bring a small nut-free snack and a labelled bottle of water)
Payment and Fees
A new payment method for the 24/25 academic year will be shared during the Autumn term.
You can see our fee structure here.
Yes, we offer bursaries to children and young people who live or go to school in Islington. You can read more about our bursaries here.
We run recruitment for London Music Fund scholarships in the summer term and have compiled a list of other scholarships and bursaries available to young people (see below). Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with our scholarship news.
Further scholarship options.pdf
If you have a problem with your invoice, please email Rosie.Carter@gsmd.ac.uk.
Further Questions
Currently not; we are hosted by schools that do not have the facilities to accommodate parents waiting at the Music Centres or sitting in on classes. Parents, carers, family and friends are always invited to our end of term performances!
Whether your child takes an exam depends on a number of factors and is not a requirement of having lessons at the Music Centre. If you would like your child to take an exam, please email musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk and we will put you in touch with their tutor who will offer their advice. Exam fees and administration are to be covered by the parent, unless the child is a scholar.
If your child comes to the Music Centre with their school, check with the school in the first instance. If they attend independently, please email musiceducation.islington@gsmd.ac.uk with the email subject “Instrument Hire” and include the details of what you need.
The charge is £15 per term if they attend the Music Centre (£19 for those who do not live or go to school in Islington) and £25 if they are having lessons outside of our provision. There is no charge to families in receipt of state benefits. Recorders are available to buy at a subsidised rate of £6.50 and are free to those in receipt of state benefits.
If your child is unwell, they cannot attend the Music Centre until they are showing no symptoms of illness.
Term dates can be found here.
You can sign up to the newsletter here.
Concerts take place on week 10 of the term. You can see our term dates here.
MEI run a number of summer and holiday courses each year. Find out about upcoming courses here.
There are also summer courses for different levels at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Islington’s Summerversity programme.
Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with our holiday courses.
Contact us
Contact Music Education Islington
