I have been teaching for three years and brought in a contract approx 2 years ago which I think needs a bit updating and am looking for advice / help on how I can improve it so that I can avoid pupils cancelling before their lesson starts, lateness (which is a real pain and then expecting a full lessons), exam fees, holiday arrangements, purchasing of music and any other things out there that I think I may have missed.

My current contract states:-

Fees - To be charged at the rate of £*** for a 30 minute lesson, to be payable one week in advance to enable me to book the following week’s lesson.

Absence / Cancellation - Lessons missed through non attendance, and less than 24 hours notice of cancellation will be charged at the full rate. Lessons missed by the teacher will not be charged for. Wherever necessary, lessons can be re-arranged providing there is availability to suit your requirements. Please try to give as much notice as possible.

Holidays - These are the only exceptions. I will need to be informed of your holiday arrangements at least 2 weeks prior to the lesson being arranged.

Notice - Notice to discontinue lessons must be given in writing by either party giving each other 14 days notice. Failure to give adequate notice will result in the following lesson being charged in full.

Co-operation - Whilst the teacher will make every effort to improve the knowledge and ability of the pupil, it is vital that the pupil co-operates in full with the teacher and adheres to all the practice sessions and advice given.


I want to create and use a standard template for everyone to avoid all the problems I am having.

I look forward to hearing everyone's views.

Hi Tootiflute!

I think the wording in your contract is rather vague, although the ideas are good ones. Are you really paid only week by week? I charge a half term block of lessons, in advance. The parents pay up front, so if they then cancel a lesson it's already been paid for - makes 'em think before cancelling! Sometimes of course it can't be helped - for example if the child is on a school trip, or if he's ill of course. So at the end of each term I have a couple of "make up" days. If lessons have been unavoidably missed, they can be "made up" on one of those days. If the pupil can't come on the make-up day either, then it's tough luck, they've just missed the lesson they paid for.

As you say, if I have to cancel the lesson then I either make it up or refund the fee in the next bill - which will be for the next half-term block of lessons.

Half a term's notice is required to stop lessons, or payment for the same.

I don't add the bit about co-operation. If pupils don't co-operate, I have a chat with them and their parents. If the situation doesn't improve then it's best to part company.

I can pm you a copy of a contract like this if you're interested - if you think this fits in with your general idea.

I allow for 3 weeks holidays on top of my own holidays without lesson fees being payable.
Some people expect an awful lot of holiday time and apart from giving you a rather irregular income too may weeks off in a year doesn't do a lot for progress.

I know that a lot of people have a notice period of anything up to a whole term in some cases.
I don't have a notice period, I can't imagine how awful it would be (or maybe I can ) for both parties to carry on struggling through lessons when the student doesn't want to be there and has very probably stopped practising and paying any attention in lessons or when the teacher has decided that they don't want to carry on teaching the student.
Even 2 or 3 weeks would be awful!

Notice period - mine used to be half a term but a couple of years ago I shortened it to a month - I found I could usually fill the slot during that time.

When there is chance, I try to use the notice period constructively. If the pupil is willing to finish the lessons, rather than just giving payment, we do some different things. For the final lesson, if we get that far, I encourage them to put together a little mini-concert for me - even if it means going back to things they did earlier that were much easier. It's really great if they can finish on a positive note - although if things have been going downhill for a bit it's not perhaps so easy.

I think it's important to have a notice period, however short you want to make it. If the pupil or family decide not to bother with the lessons that's their choice.