Dorset Music Service offers financial help for pupils to progress in music education. We know that cost can be a barrier to progression. We provide help for Looked After Children, Children in Care, pupils who are eligible for Targeted Free School Meals, and pupils who are refugees. You can apply to Dorset Music Service for financial help for the services we provide directly. The services included are:
Your child is eligible for help with Dorset Music Service fees if they:
This support does not cover children who attend nursery or nursery school.
Help with Fees covers up to 50% of the total cost of:
Please note that you are responsible for the remaining fee.
Help with Fees covers up to 100% of the total cost of:
Up to 50% of the total cost of music mentoring.
Please note that you are responsible for the remaining fee.
Follow these steps to apply for help:
You could get help with fees for Dorset Music Service group fees and instrument hire. Check if your child is eligible.
We want to help as many people as possible but we can't guarantee that all applications will be successful. As we only have a modest level of funding available, we may need to add applications to a waiting list if we receive more than we can support.
We will not backdate financial help.
Send applications to us before the start of your chosen sessions or instrument hire.
Your support will start when you've received confirmation from us at Dorset Music Service.
We don't backdate financial help.
You must let us know if your circumstances change at any time.
We can withdraw the financial support if the student doesn't attend sessions or if you are no longer eligible.
Contact us if you need more information.
If you apply for help and you're successful, any remaining balance not covered by our financial support will be your responsibility.
We will check eligibility when you apply and every year after that.
Our strategic lead and the business manager for Dorset Music Service will assess all applications. Their decision is final.
Instrumental lessons are organised by schools (and not through Dorset Music Service). As a result, our Help with Fees funding cannot be used to support instrumental lessons. If you need financial help towards instrumental lessons, please visit our webpage - Financial support available from other organisations - or speak to your child's school.
The Department of Education states that instrumental lessons for GCSE and A level courses is part of the school's responsibility and is not an extra-curricular parental choice.
Parents should apply directly to the school for financial help for GCSE and A level tuition.
