Coronavirus Guidelines (July 2021)

19th of July, 2021 00:01

Hi everyone, 

Thank you for your patience and perseverance. Whilst many of us have had two vaccines, many have not. Further to this, many of our service users are still concerned about their health and each person’s view on what is safe for them is different. Whatever your personal circumstances, we respect the individual’s right to work and learn in an environment they feel safe in.

Therefore, whilst taking into consideration the most recent government guidelines:

As of the 19th of July 2021, we require that our guidance, listed on this page, is followed for piano lessons in person:

If having your lessons in person, please continue to maintain the high standards of hygiene (using the toilet before coming to the piano studio and washing your hands) that you have to date and bring a face covering to your lessons (unless you are exempt) just in case your teacher requires you to wear one. Your teacher should also complete a risk assessment https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm.

Those who are either medically vulnerable or are in contact with someone who is must seek medical advice before having lessons in person.

Although many of our teachers are offering lessons in person as well as online, many students, and teachers, have opted to continue to have their lessons online.

Some of these reasons are listed below:

1. I am waiting for both vaccines

2. The lessons are better online

3. I can save money and time with the online lessons

4. I do not feel its safe to have lessons in person yet

Whether you choose to have lessons in person or want to continue online, we will have an option for you.

Please do not hesitate to bring any health and safety issue to the attention of PLUK, via the headteacher

PLUK guidance for piano lessons in person

The guidance on this page may be non-statutory in its nature and does not supersede any legal obligations relating to health and safety, employment or equalities.

If you do have piano lessons in person, then we ask everyone to respect, and comply with, the other’s choice to:  

• ask for a face-covering to be worn (unless you are exempt from doing so https://www.gov.uk/government/face-covering-exemptions)

• postpone or hold piano lessons online if either party has been required to quarantine having recently visited countries outside the common travel area, there has been contact with anyone with or there is a presentation of the following symptoms:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different from normal

• have lessons in person bi-weekly. This would mean that each student would alternate between one lesson online and one lesson in person reducing the risk of transmission significantly

If a student does want to have their piano lessons in person, they should continue (unless the teacher or headteacher states otherwise) to:  

• wait outside until the teacher calls to start the lesson as they’ll need to clean and aerate the space (bring an umbrella or a coat if rain is forecast)

• email a digital copy of their music before the lesson

• minimise the number of items brought to a lesson
  

• bring all the materials needed for the lesson (e.g. a pencil, rubber or piano book)

• only enter into the piano studio by themselves (unless the student is under 18 then they could enter with one other person)

• place the items brought to the lesson in a designated area (e.g shoes, a coat or an umbrella)

• pay for lessons using online banking or Paypal

• bring some hand sanitiser and if necessary something to drink

• travel to the lesson avoiding public transport by walking or driving
  

If a teacher does want to have their piano lessons in person, they should continue (unless otherwise agreed with the student and any associated parties) to:

• leave enough time in between each lesson in person to clean and aerate their studio
  

• ventilate the studio during and after every lesson, for example by keeping windows or doors open
  

• open and close all of the doors for the student, on the way in and out, preferably leaving them open to avoid contact
  

• refer to digital copies of the music instead of the student’s hard copy

• not touch the piano during the lesson, unless necessary
  

• ensure social distancing measures are followed
  

• provide a designated area near the way out of the studio, where the student can leave items brought to the lesson (e.g. shoes, a coat or an umbrella)

• consider when their students will be arriving, discussing this with any relevant parties to keep these pathways safe

• minimize the number of people (e.g. the student and if applicable a chosen parent or guardian) in the teacher’s piano studio during a lesson
  

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns or ideas,
Kevin Matthews - Director of Music

Learn wherever you want to with our online piano lessons

Online piano lessons:

You will need:

• an internet connection

• a device (smartphone, tablet, computer)

• your keyboard

Your teacher will send you a link to the streaming app of their choice or another app of their preference. If you are planning to access the lesson via your smartphone, then you'll need to download the app before the start.

Here is a bit more info: https://www.pianolessonsuk.co.uk/pianolessonsuk-blog/online-piano-lessons-guide