Guitar Lessons
1:1 Guitar tuition at school
Learning guitar should be accessible and fun, and lessons through our Guitar in Schools tuition programme are exactly that. Available in both Primary and Secondary schools throughout Buckinghamshire, our 1:1 guitar lessons taught by qualified guitar tutors provide students with the tools they need to learn this versatile instrument in a fun and engaging way.
Beginning their learning with our Frets and Fingers introductory programme, pupils will learn all the essential techniques needed for the rest of their musical training, while learning recognisable songs designed to make at home practising become a habit. Our programme and tuition will prepare pupils for taking Trinity College Examinations to progress through their guitar grades.
-
Enrolling is easy, just fill out our Enrolment form which will provide us with some essential details about which programme the student would like to join. We will offer your place for the upcoming academic term and provide a link to pay your term fee, as well as any additional information you may need regarding equipment.
Please note that places are subject to availability, and prompt payment ahead of the school termis required to secure the student’s place on the programme.
Learning the guitar takes time, patience and practise, so it’s important that the student is committed to ‘giving it a go’. Please note that when you enrol the student you are committing to a full academic year of lessons, with a term’s notice period should you wish to cancel.
-
1:1 Guitar Tuition Pricing
Students receive 33 x 20 minute lessons at a total cost of £445.50 over the entire academic year (£13.50 per lesson)
Payments are made in termly instalments:
Autumn Term
13 lessons = £175.50
Spring Term
10 Lessons = £135.00
Summer Term
10 Lessons = £135.00
An additional £6.00 will be added to the Autumn Term fee for new starters. This will cover the cost of Frets & Fingers Book 1, which they will need for their lessons and practise.
_
Can my school help fund guitar tuition?
Some schools have a budget to help with music tuition, this is often covered by Pupil Premium. Please contact your School Office or Head of Music to find out if funding is available for your child. Please don’t assume that all students eligible for Pupil Premium will be funded, this will need to be confirmed by the school management team.
Pupil Premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.
Currently AVA Secondary School offers partial funding for guitar lessons (£126.50 per term / £379.50 per academic year)
-
Music tutoring days and time slots are arranged between your school and Music in Schools UK, and will be within school hours.
Lesson schedules are organised for you during the first week of September, following the completion of all enrolments. Music tutoring sessions may fall on different days/times each week to prevent repeated absences during break times and school lessons.
-
We teach traditional classical guitar techniques and music theory in a way which also compliments more modern genres including pop and rock music.
Students learn from the Frets & Fingers Syllabus which is carefully crafted to take beginners to a Initial Grade standard within 3 terms of lessons (33 lessons). It’s possible for a dedicated student to begin learning guitar in Year 3 and finish Year 6 having excelled in their Grade 3 exam (subject to commitment and practise), a very high standard for this age and great preparation for Secondary school musical education.
Our Guitar in Schools tutoring programme ensures that students are provided with the knowledge and techniques they will need to prepare for Trinity College Examinations (classical guitar). Parents or guardians will be advised when the student is ready to take their grade entry exams. Information on submitting a grade entry will be provided by your tutor. Grade exam entries are now submitted digitally, so will need to be recorded at home. You can find out more information about digital performance submissions at the Trinity College London website.
-
What equipment do students need?
Guitar
Guitar Case
Footstool
Music Stand
Relevant music books
More details on what is required for each of these items is below. Please ensure the student has all the equipment they need before they begin the school term.
_
Guitar
All students enrolling in guitar tuition will need their own guitar. It is very important that the guitar is the correct size for the student:
Year 2 – 4 Students: ½ Size Classical Guitar
Year 5 - 6 Students: ½ Size Classical Guitar
Year 6 - 8 students: ¾ size Classical Guitar
Year 9 + students: 4/4 size Guitar (classical, steel string acoustic or Electric)
Please consult Music in Schools UK office if you have any queries on sizing.
We recommend the following guitars for students:
½ Size: Deluxe Junior Classical Guitar, by Gear4Music / Valencia Classical Guitar VC102NA / Jose Ferrer Beginner Classical 5209C Estudiante
¾ Size: Valencia Classical Guitar VC203NA / Yamaha CS40
Used and second-hand guitars will need to be re-strung before lessons commence. We can provide this service, please contact us ahead of the school term if your guitar needs restringing.
Please avoid cheap instruments (under £50), they are often hard to play, highly strung and have an awful tone which can be very uninspiring and frustrating for beginner students
Guitar Case
It is essential that all students purchase a gig-bag (padded case) for their guitars.
New guitars often include a thin dust cover type of case, these are not adequate for transporting and storing their guitar at school. We recommend the Padded Classical Guitar Gig Bag by Gear4music
Footstool / Footrest
All students will need a foot stool to obtain the correct traditional sitting position that we teach.
Music Stand (for home use only)
Guitar students will require a music stand to use at home. To encourage correct technique and posture, their sheet music must at the correct height in front of the student at all times when practising.
Books
Beginner guitarists start on Frets & Fingers (£6, available only through us at Guitar in Schools). New students will be given this book by their tutor when they begin their first lesson.
Following Frets & Fingers and before students begin their grades areThe Guitarist’s Way books 1 & 2.
Pieces preparing for Trinity College London Examinations Grade 1 will be introduced in The Guitarist’s Way book 2.
Book List:
The Guitarist’s Way Book 1 (ISBN: 979-0-70802-101-8)
The Guitarist’s Way Book 2 (ISBN: 979-0-70802-102-5)
First Carols for Guitar (ISBN: 979-0-70802-111-7)
Trinity College London Guitar Exam Pieces Grade 1 (2016-2019) (ISBN: 978-0-85736-471-5)
Trinity College London Guitar Exam Pieces Grade 2 (2016-2019) (ISBN: 978-0-85736-472-2)
Trinity College London Guitar Exam Pieces Grade 3 (2016-2019) (ISBN: 978-0-85736-473-9)
Trinity College London Guitar Exam Pieces Grade 4 (2016-2019) (ISBN: 978-0-85736-474-6)
Trinity College London Guitar & Plectrum Guitar Scales & Exercises (Initial-Grade 5 from 2016) (ISBN: 978-0-85736-481-4)
Trinity College London Guitar CD Initial-Grade 5 (2016-2019)
TCL015068 (ISBN: 978-0-85736-479-1) -
Our list of participating schools is always growing, so if you can’t see your school on the list, let us know. If you work in a school and are looking to facilitate drum tuition for your students, please visit our Schools page, where you’ll find more information and our application form.
Participating Schools
The Aylesbury Vale Academy, Berryfields
Buckingham Park School, Aylesbury
Broughton Community School, Aylsebury
Bierton C of E School
Cuddington & Dinton School
Brookmead Primary School, Pitstone
Princes Risborough Primary
Stone C of E School
St Mary’s School, Fairford Leys, Aylesbury
Weston Turville C of E Primary School
William Harding Combined School
Wingrave C of E School
-
Learning guitar is great for so many reasons, and lessons can be there to support a recreational interest in music, to compliment education, or to prepare for a future career as an artist.
Studies show that learning a musical instrument in childhood enhances cognitive development, improves executive function and is good for long-term brain health. Early musical training is linked to better spatial-temporal skills, improved language processing, higher IQ, and better focus and academic performance across other key subjects like maths and english, and these benefits can last for life.
Testimonials
Meet our Guitar teachers
-
James Manders
Guitar Tutor | Cornwall
James Manders is the Founder of Music in Schools UK Group and Head Tutor of both Guitar in Schools (est. 2009) and Drums in Schools (est. 2016). He studied at The Guitar Institute and The London College of Music and graduated in 1998. Since then, James has worked as a professional musician, as well as passing on his craft as a music tutor with over 25 years of experience.
As a session guitarist and vocalist James has worked along side some of the greatest artists in the world including Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Tears for Fears and Ed Sheeran and has regularly performed as a session guitarist for Radio 1 Live lounge.
You can visit James Manders' website here: www.jamesmanders.co.uk
-
Mark Campbell
Guitar Tutor | Buckinghamshire
Mark Campbell instructs students in acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, as well as drum kit. Mark began his teaching journey in 1999 with Southern Counties Music Services, working across fifteen schools in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. He graduated with distinction from The Brighton Institute of Modern Music in 2011, where he studied alongside singer-songwriter James Bay, known for Hold Back the River.
Currently, he teaches in various schools throughout Buckinghamshire, covering both primary and secondary education. In addition to teaching, Mark composes and records his own music. In 2024, his band Luna Sees released their first album, The Darkness & The Light on Bandcamp.
You can visit Mark Campbell’s website here: www.musichealsthesoul.com
-
Wil Griffiths
Guitar Tutor | Buckinghamshire
Wil Griffiths is a skilled teacher of Electric, Acoustic, and Classical guitar. He has also helped students progress through grades in Piano, Recorder, and Ukulele.
Wil started his private teaching career in 2006 before attending the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London. In 2011, he began working in schools as a classroom music teacher and joined Guitar In Schools in 2012.
Wil has played in pit orchestras and has experience with pop and rock bands. Recently, he has been composing music for a solo contemporary classical guitar project as well as for an indie video game.