Cost: Fully funded options are available to 1 year group per primary phase school (KS2). Additional costs for tuition or instrument hire are confirmed below.
All offers of First Access projects are subject to staff and instrument availability.
Class sets of instruments are hired to your school at a cost of £156 per set and covers the full project duration, up to a full academic year. This cost is a flat fee and covers all repairs and replacement instruments.
First Access is the HMS whole class instrumental tuition programme that enables a whole class or year group to learn an instrument together, during the school day, with an HMS specialist instrumental teacher.
Our vision for the First Access programme is that it acts as a route into instrumental learning for your students, having experienced the fun and enjoyment of learning with their friends.
In order to be more inclusive and make this programme available to all primary phase schools in 2024-25, we’ve kept the previous changes to the programme following positive feedback from schools.
Please discuss the options below with your Regional Manager in the first instance:
Whole Class Lessons
Additional term cost: £572 per term, per class.
Instrument set hire: £156 per set.
- Students learn an instrument together as a whole class
- Each whole class session will last 45 minutes per class
- An HMS teacher will be funded to deliver up to 11 sessions per class in 1 year group and schools have the option to extend the project up to 33 sessions for an additional fee
- Instrument hire is charged to the school and costs £156 per set.
- Assistance in monitoring each pupil’s musical progress throughout the year will be offered to the class teacher/s
- The HMS teacher will work with your school to create at least one performance or presentation opportunity for the students to share their new skills
Small Group Lessons
These sessions can't be extended, so there are no additional costs.
- Students learn in groups of 6-8
- An HMS teacher will be funded to deliver 5 sessions per small group and students have the option to continue lessons
- Instrument hire is fully subsidised for this option
- As this option is more flexible, students may have the option to choose between 2 different instruments
- If students continue lessons, the parent/carer books and pays for lessons directly with HMS. The fully subsidised instrument loan also continues for a full additional term before a subsidised hire fee is charged
- Students eligible for FSM can apply for financial support for lessons
Co-delivered Lessons
Instrument hire: £156 per set.
- Sessions are the same as whole class lessons, except an HMS staff member will train the class teacher to continue to deliver the sessions longer term
- HMS will fund up to 11 hands-on training sessions which can be delivered flexibly, for example bi-weekly by an HMS teacher
- Instrument hire is charged to the school and costs £156 per class set
Resource Support
- A good choice if your school has an experienced music teacher on staff
- A class set of instruments is hired to your school for £156 per set.
Your school can support the First Access programme by:
- Providing a suitable teaching space
- Monitoring the safe use and storage of musical instruments
- Creating performance opportunities