This cold, snowy, icy rubbish can just go away now!!

Last week only about 30% of pupils came (they won't be paying for the lessons either, because I cancelled them for them due to the amount of snow making it near impossible to get near my house in car and no buses running)

Then my 2 exams on Saturday were cancelled because of the weather...the board are trying to reschedule them for next week, which will be a logistical nightmare because I will need to rearrange my plans to be available for accompanying. Also, it might not be possible to rearrange in which case they'll get a free entry next term, or a refund. They'll want a refund because they'll be sick of exam pieces....and it'll be a huge disappointment because it was one of them's first exam.

Then the weather got even colder, turning my street into a skating rink (literally...6 inches of thick ice) resulting in yet more cancellations today, and me venturing out to one pupil who has arthritis and walks with a stick, so didn't want her coming down my street - who has an exam on Thursday.

Almost knocked 2 cars on journey back (even though I was going about 5mph, and not using my clutch or accelerator at all - wheel hit a bump in the road and just lost back end)

It's -12 out there right now, and the dog still needs a walk

Weather is awful here too. I'm moving house in two weeks, then I'll be properly advertising for pupils again - hoping the weather starts getting a bit better, as I imagine it'll be really bad were I'm going to be living too!

Hope everything goes OK for you in the end.

All the best!

Are you in Scotland? I was lucky, only one person cancelled last week, and I completely understood. This may sound a bit callous on my part, but I wait for cancellations now, rather than the other way round, but I do understand that you would feel horrible if someone had an accident on their way to you! Better week next week?

I only taught 7 students last week (out of a possible 30 ish). I sent an email out saying my usual 24 hour cancellation policy wouldn't apply in dangerous weather conditions. Many of my students are retired adults, and many travel a fair way to get here.

Cancellations are coming in thick and fast for this week too, and although YES i'd rather my students didn't get into a car accident etc, it does make things tight financially at this time of year

I have a special visit exam session next Friday so hopefully it will be better by then.

I cancelled on their behalf last week because of the white stuff. We haven't had white stuff since Friday, but none of it has melted because of the temperatures which have instead changed the area into an ice rink.

I didn't cancel any this week, but haven't blamed people for cancelling (taught 4 out of 8 yesterday, so it is slightly improving...though some of those only made a desperate effort to turn up because of their exams on Thursday - some walking a couple of miles cos their car was still stuck)

I'm not in Scotland - just East Yorkshire, where it's currently minus 12

To top it all I've lost my gutter now - the weight of the snow on the roof has ripped it off....and now can't use my car because my wiper blades have packed in.

And yes not great time of year to be missing out on lots of lessons...I'm dreading my gas bill!

I am getting sick and tired of people's attitudes. At present, I have four pupils, two regulars who come from under a mile away, and two 'ad-hoc' who travel about 10 miles. Last week the two 'locals' couldn't come - one because there was a lot of snow on her car, and one because her front path was slippery. The two who travel further were both able to come, and indeed, I was able to travel the 10 miles to accompany an exam in another town. Interestingly, for the two that come further, both are music graduates (albeit, a few years ago); the 'locals' learn for fun (all adult pupils by the way).

The weather here has not been that bad, and I'm not really aware of anyone not being able to get out to do the things they need to do. It is clear that those that come are the committed ones; for those who aren't really committed, it's a good excuse.

I've just had a cancellation for this week, not because of the snow on her car, but because it's her work Christmas party...

We've been quite lucky with the weather here. the roads have been mostly clear the pavements are still fairly icy in places. We missed one rehersal last Wednesday due to snowing,and already icy roads, didn't want to go out and then have problems getting home. We haven't cancelled any lessons so far.

I only lost one pupil last week, but that was due to sickness in the family and nothing to do with the weather. Yesterday I trudged through the snow to one pupil 10 minutes each way (car frozen up), but cancelled one further afield as snow was horrendous. So much has been cancelled, including rehearsals, SRP, concert last weekend, meeting with web design firm, open day at uni, desimated college classes, I could go on. Nothing we can do though exept wait.

I agree less committed ones can use it as an excuse, but last year I missed several piano lessons as my teacher lives on high ground and down a farm track, and told me not to attempt it a few times.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want anyone to come out if it wasn't possible/safe; but that hasn't really been the case round here, and if people can come from further afield, why can't they come from half a mile down the road?!

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Although we had quite a lot of snow here last week, I have been relatively fortunate: only 7 cancelled in the whole week. One child cycled here in the snow (ok it was a mountain bike with grippy tyres, but still!) and anyone who could walk did so: quite a lot of cars also managed to get here.

Dugazon, yes, you do always get one ... I ended up terminating my agreement with one mother, who phoned up and said 'we're not coming' (after only one lesson), and then proceeded to argue about when in January I would make up the missed lesson. I had said I would do my best to make it up at the end of term, but do not credit lessons over into the next invoicing period, unless I'm the one who cancelled. She had already balked at paying for the first month en bloc rather than one at a time. After she had argued for 18 minutes I decided I needed my life back, and suggested she confirmed her full address and I would return 3/4 of the fee she had (reluctantly) paid the week before.

I guess she had not been long enough with me to see that it evens out in the long run - or maybe she would never have seen that - who knows.

For the record, I will offer a make-up lesson to anyone who cancelled because of the snow, as long as 1) they didn't leave it until just as the lesson would have been starting to phone, and 2) we can agree a time in the week between my end of term and Christmas.

I live virtually 'over the bridge' from you Dugazon and yes it is freeeezzzzzing.

Another timely example those trying to make a living from teaching (which I am not) need clear agreements on what they are paid in such circumstances.

I have the same policy as maggiemay; I'm happy where time allows to make up missed lessons within the same invoicing period. Earlier this year when the snow came just before the February half-term, I did offer to make some lessons up during the next half term - there were no takers.

I'm seriously thinking that the only way forward is to simply say this is the amount per half-term; any lessons missed: tough - no rescheduling at all. I don't want to get into that situation because sometimes, people have genuine reasons where they need to miss a lesson, but all too often, the excuses are feeble.

Yep, and I even have a paragraph about adverse weather in my T&Cs (put it in after last year's snow drama). It's quite clear really, although I sometimes wonder if people actually read what they sign - given the tantrums you sometimes get, I don't think so.

Does it change anything with a certain breed of people? Nope. One could say:"At least you have it in writing so you can enforce it." True, but it's SO tiring. The weird thing is that it's always the people who have money. One reckons that's why

Yes, that's absolutely true.

Yeah, it's always the ones with money who are the first to complain. Trouble is, I haven't got T&Cs yet...I'm a wuss and have never got round to putting them in place, so people tend to take the pee quite a bit.

Yesterday, I walked to my elderly learner's house because her exam is on Thursday and she can't get out (really can't get out...not just "won't"). It took me an hour to walk there. Gave her a lesson for 30 minutes, then an hour to walk back. She paid me for the 30 minutes.

I'm far too soft

I had 5 cancellations last week - 4 on the same day which were my only students on that day. I'd done a grade exam myself that day at the same place I teach from, and also one of my other students had made it to their exam there too. The roads were actually not too bad. However I could see that some people may have been in more difficult situations for getting their cars out. I have got T&Cs for missed lessons so technically as they all canceled on the day the lesson should count. But I was wondering if I should offer a makeup lesson in the week leading up to Christmas. I guess if I offer it and they don't take it up then it's up to them, but otherwise I would lose out on more earnings.

Lucid

I don't know how pertinent this is, but I had to miss a training day in Scotland, nearly two weeks ago now. It was paid for out of my own pocket, including the air fares. What is maddening, is it wasn't the weather that scuppered my plans, but a traffic jam on the motorway to the airport. There is no way I can expect my money back, the training and air fare had to be paid up front, and the airline was Easyjet! It is why I let students cancel, and my own T&Cs remain in place. I'm not hard hearted, my own car was a write off in the snow earlier on in the year, so I do understand how serious this weather can be. It was scary, but fortunately the car took the brunt of everything so no injuries apart from hurt pride. Thank goodness. I suppose what I'm trying to say is, as soon as you start making exceptions to your T&Cs, other exceptional circumstances will appear, trust me, I've learned that one from bitter experience.

Getting another dump of snow tonight

If my Thursday exams are cancelled too I may cry!

Commiserations It's really hard, the main roads here are clear enough but forecourts, pavements, side roads etc out in the suburbs are still inches deep in compacted snow and ice. I heard on the news tonight that the Yorkshire east coast was suffering quite badly, and that was before the expected snow tonight

We spent the weekend before last in N Yorkshire and I was rather petrified driving round in some falling snow even though the roads were well gritted. In fact at one point we had to turn round and go back to the hotel rather than complete our journey. [Several years ago, driving back home late at night I had the misfortune to slide (in the car) on compacted ice down one of our steepest hills round here and vowed never again to drive in snow unless I was absolutely forced to. ]

So you all have my greatest sympathy, and especially all those who've been stuck in cars/lorries in the snow. We've been really lucky round here with relatively light snow, and well gritted roads.

In the past, when we had heavy snow, I phoned quite a few of my pupils and asked if they wanted to come for their lessons during the day rather than having to turn out in the dusk/dark of the evening. One year I was quite successful, but another time not so because they'd all gone out with friends to have fun in the snow.

I cancelled my singing lesson for this week. I go to a teacher in Edinburgh, which involves getting either two trains and a bus; or a train, a bus and a bit of a walk (takes about two hours when there are no problems), and after the debacle of the last week trying to get to work or get home, there's no way I'll get to Edinburgh.

On Thursday I had tickets for Scottish Opera's Marriage of Figaro, left the theatre at 10.35pm, walked the five minutes to the train station, and didn't get a train until ten to midnight, as they were all cancelled. On Monday I was due to start work at two, but the trains were all cancelled, and cars couldn't get up or down our road, so I got the bus. Left the house at 10.30 to travel fifteen miles and STILL arrived 15 minutes late! When I finished at 8 the buses were mostly cancelled and the trains were only running half service. Last night the trains were only running half service (and some of the half were cancelled!), and I observed that the trains to the East Coast were, frankly, kaput. The motorway has been closed for the past two days, and at work the place has been empty.

Looking out the window right now it is either about to start snowing again or the mist is about to come down.

I have a friend in Frankfurt who informs me that in Germany everyone puts their snow tyres on their cars and everything tootles along quite happily. But this country doesn't really seem to be equipped to deal with either very cold or very hot weather.