Hi everyone,

With the weather people predicting widespread snow, what do you do if pupils miss their lessons because they say they can't get to you for a lesson (or you to them). Do we as teachers foot the bill or do we ask the students to?

Tasha

I agree with David. Last time it snowed a lot here, I only had one student who couldn't get here and her mum phoned to say she was literally 'snowed in'. Of course I didn't charge her, as it was hardly her fault! The others managed to get here, but they all live closer and some even walked, which seems pretty unusual nowadays.
Don't know how many I'll get on Monday, though!

Last time this happened it was one of my teaching days, and I phoned everyone and they all walked here during daylight to have their lessons. I think parents were pleased that children could do something useful while the schools were closed.

I have been lucky enough never to have been charged by my sons' two current teachers for a missed lesson, and as a result I never abuse the teachers' goodwill - or very much hope that I don't - so that lessons are only missed if it is absolutely unavoidable. We will also often try to reschedule so that my son doesn't miss out on his lesson, which is to his benefit, and the teachers do get paid, which is to theirs.

That sounds like a pretty good reason not to have a blanket policy of not charging if the weather's bad, if people are going to take advantage of it.

That said, virtually all my pupils live within walking distance and I might be more sympathetic if they had to come from further afield or were literally snowed in (unlikely to happen in London). I would imagine that, as with many situations, those who are really keen will make the effort to come if at all possible and those looking for an excuse not to turn up will blame the weather.

This is the kind of situation where I'm glad to be employed by a music service (although for other reasons I'd rather concentrate on private teaching). The pupils will be charged for all lessons, whether they attend or not. It's quite rare that anyone complains about this policy - it's strange how people think they can take advantage of private teachers, who may well be dependent on a regular income from their teaching, but they don't question the rules when they are made by a big organisation.

I know not all pupils are messing their teachers about, of course, but I have known people to cancel private lessons when the roads are actually quite clear - very few pupils fail to turn up to music service lessons when they know they have to pay for them. The downside of this policy is that you get pupils turning up who are really quite ill, coughing and sneezing all over you.

I'm in the worst of both worlds if snow results in school being closed on a day I'm scheduled to teach there. No pupils, no fees, and I'd be expected to make up the lessons as well, which is difficult given my very full week.

We are able to claim for the hours if a school is shut & we are unable to make up the hours. I also have a very full week, so it's difficult to make up lessons, although there's often a spare week at the end of a term when I can make up. If we do make up, we can't then claim again.

Unfortunately I'm self-employed at that school, and as it's an independent school the terms are quite short. It's often quite tricky to fit our 30 lessons a year in.

Hmm, this is going against the implications of self-employment. If the school doesn't employ you, then it shouldn't be dictating that you make up missed weeks. Of course, if you choose to reschedule lessons missed by you because of whatever reason, that is your choice; but the school can't on the one hand wash its hands of the responsibility of employing you, then on the other hand tell you that you must make up missed weeks.

My music service would expect me to make up missed lessons, they employ me for 10 per term. If it's really not possible, I would not get paid, and the school would claim a refund from the music service. If I am off on long term sick (probably 3 or more weeks missed) then a substitute teacher will be sent in, and they get my pay. This is the way it works for most hourly paid teachers - we take the risk of illness or other inconvenience, not the music service/school. I think it's the same for supply teachers, they don't get paid unless they actually turn up. I actually think this is probably not legal - we have a 'contract' of sorts to provide 10 lessons per term, but no explicit terms and conditions, so no redundancy pay, pension etc. We are also told that 'holiday pay is incorporated in the hourly rate' - this bit is definitely not legal, it contravenes the Working Time Directive as explained on the ISM website.

That is bad. We can claim sick pay if we can't make lessons up - we do 33 per year, so there is some extra time available for making up. We also have a pension scheme now - things have improved in the last couple of years. If a school is shut for any reason they are liable to pay for the lessons, but we are asked to make up whenever possible as we are dependent on them for future employment. If they don't like the service we provide, they could decide to look elsewhere.

I'm bracing myself to see what happens this week - I hate enforced holidays! Been a really bad start to the year - lost a pupil, swapped a teenager who was under too much pressure(!!!) for his mother and now the snow. Makes me feel like giving up teaching sometimes.

I'm thinking the same thing.
We've got a lot of snow in the north-east, although the plumber who's starting some work for me today arrived - much to my surprise - it took him an hour to get here instead of 20 minutes. I have two students today who walk here, so should be alright with them, but not sure about the others.

I decided to take the morning off, at least. There's quite a lot of snow here & it's been snowing all morning. The schools nearest to me are closed, but the one I'm supposed to go to isn't, unfortuntately. It's right out in the country, normally 20 minutes drive, but I'm not happy about the journey today - might sound a bit wimpish, but I really wouldn't want to get stranded out there. Later this afternoon, I'm supposed to be teaching from 3.30 to 8.30 in a music centre 16 miles away - I haven't decided yet whether to go, depends on conditions later.

I have piano lessons in town (usually on the way back from school). I got an email from my piano teacher saying she knows that my school is shut and that, under no circumstances should I attempt to go into town just for piano. What am i meant to say to that?!?!

I was fully prepared to walk 4 miles or so to my first school today with my kit in my rucksack but phoned at 7am and it was closed. 2nd school, another 5 miles further on, also closed - just as well as there are no London buses running which I would have relied upon. Digging car out would be a total no-no.

It's a sticky wicket regarding payment. In the private schools they get no refund on day fees so it may be easier for us to not have to refund pupes there. My state school doesn't know what to do! It wasn't my decision not to work but as a goodwill gesture I may knock it off the next term's fees. I feel schools should have a small contingency for these rare occasions whereby they can reimburse the parents so they are happy and the peris don't lose out. The most important thing is that all peris at each school do the same thing I guess.

This is my only form of income and I am single. Like Andante my timetable is full so making up lessons is usually a total impossibility - not helped by several peris all trying to do the same thing with a limited number of teaching rooms available.

I am catching up with admin now - timetables for next term/invoices (ha!) etc but then will go out for a walk - providing I can open the door! Snow is covering the catflap so I may have to break out!

Keep warm fellow impoverished colleagues....

Cool-Bag x

Days like to-day show just why any teacher who works privately and on a self-employed basis needs to get parents to sign a contract regarding lessons missed and payments. If the teacher decides out of goodwill not to charge for lessons on days when the pupil cannot attend because of adverse weather, then they can but should make it clear to the parent that they are doing so out of goodwill and have set aside their contractual arrangement in this case and that this does not set a precedent.

Parents should always pay in advance ; if they attend adult education classes they will not get any refunds for missed weeks nor will they get any refunds if their child's private school is closed but somehow they expect that individual tuition should be a different matter.

The more business-like the teacher is in their approach the less likely parents are to 'try it on' in demanding refunds for all sorts of unwarranted reasons.

Cooperman - my private contract is not the problem. Although I am self-employed the schools that I work in actually set the contract/terms & conditions.

B.

Ditto.

I've actually only had one cancellation so far for my private teaching. I'm sure at least one other will be unable to get here as she lives on the far side of a long, steep hill from me. I'm now wondering whether my retired lady is planning to walk here.

Have cancelled student this afternoon and my evening group - all of them come a minimum of 20 miles and I can't get my car our from under over a foot of snow!

I did manage to teach one student though - rosfrog, in France, via Skype!

I am not making the journey down to London today so that means no teaching today or tomorrow. One adult group (this evening) has more or less cancelled itself - the other (tomorrow) will not be surprised... In both cases I am expecting that nobody will demand a refund on the term.

The school teaching tomorrow will just not happen and I would not expect to be paid for something I haven't done - so I will lose out financially. On the other hand, it means that my Tuesday will be infinitely better than usual!

W

I haven't had any yet - can't quite believe it. I've been expecting several phone calls from the ones who are driven here. Perhaps they're all waiting to see what happens with the weather, although the forecast here is for lots more snow. I won't be going anywhere, anyway, so if they don't come I'll find something else to do!

I have so far had no cancellations - although all mine for today live within walking distance.

Am waiting to see. Would love to think they are taking the chance of extra practice time due to schools being closed. In reality they have probably gone off tobogganing and will forget to come ...

Just had my second cancellation. This one lives the other side of town: can't get out of her road nor into mine. Still three to go.

I'm still waiting to see, no-one has called yet to cancel although I'm sure some will or have forgotton. Some of mine could walk here, ski here, toboggan here.... (not expecting anything though in reality).

Tasha

Just had one phone call - mum asked if she would have to pay if she didn't bring her daughter. She was worried about driving and it's too far to walk. I offered to re-shedule until later in the week and she was very pleased.

I actually agree with all of this. I have had two cancellations so far and have managed to rearrange one of them. As all my students have been given some terms and conditions regarding missed lessons which states I will try and rearrange lessons if possible, I don't see an issue. If the students cancel because they can't get to you, it's their responsibility to pay for the lesson. If you had booked a ski lesson (appropriate example! ) at a centre and couldn't get there because of snow, you would not be given a refund. Why should we cover the cost?

The storm which hit SW France last weekend prevented me from going into school on Saturday morning and apparently only one family braved the high winds to get there. The others all obeyed the warning to stay indoors. In any case there was no electricity , so no heating or light or digital piano - and no phones working so we couldn't get into contact.

As none of us could work I shall try to add a Saturday morning on to the end of term. Lessons are prepaid to the Association I work for and it really was no one's fault we couldn't have lessons that day.

That is certainly my understanding of self-employment and I'm quite surprised at the accounts on here of schools using teachers on a self-employed basis and then dictating the number of teaching hours etc. My school do not interfere at all with my teaching schedule at all. I'd be interested to know more about the legalities of this.

Re self-employment, I know there has been a lot of discussion over the years about the pros and cons of using contracts to protect income, but I think it's important to remember that goodwill plays a part in running a successful teaching practice and showing flexibility and understanding, particularly on days like today may pay dividends in the future...

Today I called all my students and offered to either teach them earlier (since all children were off school anyway), so they could come in the light, or reschedule in half term. Two came earlier and I'm doing the rest in half term. I decided to take control of the situation by ringing and offering my solution which meant I would not feel I had to credit the missed lesson, even though I have a contract which I am pretty firm about enforcing regarding missed lessons, I think on days like today you need to find a solution that suits everyone.

I have no intention for charging ANY of my pupes for missed lessons today and tomorrow (my school is closed again). However if the school say I must then so be it. The impact this has on me financially as a lone cat is HUGE but my chi and cardio-vascular system have benefitted GREATLY from a massively long hike through foot-deep snow today. So QUIET minus traffic. Fantastic. No amount of mortal money could come close to what this simple activity has done for my sense of well-being today.

B x

Surprisingly, one of mine who is driven here by her grandad made it (the roads to my house were very bad) but one who lives in the same village, and could easily walk, didn't! Her mum phoned at the last minute to say she wasn't going to 'send her out in it.' It was snowing at the time and the girl hasn't been well lately, so I didn't feel I could complain.

I braved it out down some very slippy roads this afternoon to my state school 3 miles away that I was due to be teaching at. Took me 30 minutes to get there then when I arrived I found that the school had decided to send the pupils home and no-one had bothered to notify me! Not happy - the admin staff said that "we don't have a head of music at the moment so thats probably why no-one told you" even though its actually their job and no-one even had the decency to apologise! I had even checked the County Council website with the latest closures before setting out!

Worse still, I had not been able to collect my daughter from her own school when it closed after lunch becasue I was due to teach at this other school so poor daughter had to wait until buses made it through and then wait at home on her own for mr

That's so inconsiderate of them! I can imagine how you felt - it sadly echoes the way I was treated at my local primary school before I decided enough was enough. I was always the last person they seemed to consider.
But we've been here before....

Both mine made it yesterday, on foot, the younger one brought his sled to ride home down the hill.

Kixmusic that's awful - commiserations.

Both sons managed to get their guitar lessons yesterday. Younger son, who has his at school, was fortunate enough to have a slot before the school closed at lunchtime, and then older son, who has his at the (same) teacher's house a five minute walk away, got to his too, though he did have to be summoned back from the post-sledging nachos-making event I don't know how many lessons our guitar teacher (and the other peris) will have lost yesterday at the school, as a number of pupils didn't make it in and then they all went home at 1pm.

As well as school being closed today (10 lessons) I've had two private cancellations, both of which I was expecting as they live in Farnham which always has to shut down for snow. The mother of the second one was concerned when I said I'd refund the lesson, but I am just making the most of a free day now. I still have three pupils I'm expecting at the end of the day, but at least all my gaps are consecutive.

Just had the first cancellation of the week.

Although they live about 5 minutes drive away, on a main road, mum's car is still snowed in.

I'm self employed and the school I was due to teach in last Friday closed due to lack of heating. After a quick text around most parents were happy to bring their children to my studio at home. Everyone was quite relaxed, understanding and grateful.

Today, another school is closed. Parents were informed late yesterday, I found out by logging onto the school website. I emailed and texted every student to explain that the lessons would still continue but from my studio (which is less than 2 miles from the school) as a gesture of goodwill.

Many parents were understanding but some were extremely difficult and demanded a refund it was too icy to drive. (possibly before 11am but not after) One wanted a refund as she already had to pay her childminder extra for the daycare and she didn't want to trouble her childminder to bring the kids for music and would I please be understanding as she was a working mum!! Hmm..

Dont really have any problems with my private practice but when a school closes and you are still available and can get to the school it can be very unfair if you don't work for the local music services. Unless you have a teaching contract you're likely to lose payments.

We have a 24 hour cancellation policy (less than and you still pay), but I had a call from a student on monday who had a lesson on tuesday to say he wasn't going into work and so wouldn't make the lesson (he comes in his lunch hour).

But he didn't call me until monday evening, he had been at home all day because of the heavy snow on the road outside his house and he could have easily given me 24hrs notice. I think he was just taking another day off. Which is fine, but when I know it's not because of the weather - do I still charge him?

One student called on monday to say he wasn't sure if he would make it in for his lesson tuesday evening (he has an hour journey) but would let me know closer to the time. He texted me 2 hours before his lesson to say he wasn't coming, more due to his laziness than the weather. Come on!

I had assumed I'd be getting some of these calls, and was fully prepared to waive the 24hr policy in light of the weather. But I don't teach on mondays and as the transport was all up and running by monday night, and the weather the lovely on tuesday without snow, I believed my tuesday lessons would be safe.
I don't want to charge them, but I feel like these 2 just wanted to stay at home and it had nothing to do with the adverse weather! Is it just me or is that cheeky of them?!

Here we go again! It's been snowing all morning and all of my students have cancelled. I wouldn't have wanted anyone to try driving here anyway - one mum told me she had to abandon her car during the morning!

It's just started snowing here - although not much and not settling yet. I have to say I hope it doesn't ...

My main bugbear last week was the couple of students who didn't turn up and didn't manage to let me know.

One forgot to phone (predictably - if she isn't at school she doesn't remember it's music)

The other one wasn't in the office and didn't have my contact details at home.

I would have swum to work on Tuesday but I didn't have my snorkel and flippers with me in the car

Yes, I know the feeling. All of mine cancelled last Friday. As I sympathised (most of them had to come quite long distances), I didn't charge a fee. But I was sorry to have lost out on a significant chunk of income.

I remember being less than happy a couple of years ago when my teacher rang to tell me not to try getting to her because of the snow. I was in the middle of getting coat and wellies on as it wasn't fit to drive and I reckoned it would take me around an hour to walk (or walk part way and if lucky find buses running on the main road).
I don't like missing lessons even for holidays.