To create private Music Lessons in SchoolsBuddy, administrators can utilize the Instant Book and Pay module. This setup is ideal for schools offering fixed-schedule 1-to-1 sessions where parents choose specific time slots for the duration of a term or year.

Please note that if your school uses rotational Music Lessons (where lesson times change weekly to avoid students missing the same academic class), this specific setup cannot be accommodated within SchoolsBuddy at this time.

Overview

This guide uses a scenario involving three teachers (Drums, Guitar, and Cello) offering 30-minute and 60-minute sessions at different price points. The process involves four main phases: creating the container, defining teacher groups, setting block dates, and generating specific event slots.

Key Concepts / What’s New

• Teacher-Specific Groups: Each music teacher is created as a separate group within the container to manage their unique schedules and student availability.
• Granular Event Creation: Costs and durations are assigned at the event level, allowing for variations like £30 for 30 minutes and £40 for 60 minutes.
• Block Booking: Lessons are configured as a "Block" series to ensure consistent weekly scheduling for the student.

Step-by-Step Navigation

1. Creating the Container

1. Navigate to the Instant Book and Pay Module.
2. Sign Up Title: Add a title (e.g., Private Music Lessons Term 2 2026).
3. Description: Add information relevant to the music lessons signup.
4. Allow booking cancellation / Block clashes: Set according to your school protocol.
5. Maximum Bookable events per group: Leave as 0.
6. Activities start/end dates: Set the dates for the full school year or term.
7. Responsibility for confirmation: Select 'Parents Only', 'Students or Parents', or 'Students Only'.
8. Sign up opens/closes: Set the dates when parents can begin and must end their bookings.
9. Show select all button: Enable this to allow parents to book the entire series at once.
10. Click the green Save button on the lower right.

2. Creating the Groups (Teachers)

1. Once saved, you will be taken to Groups. Click the Add button in the top right.
2. Title: Add the teacher's name and instrument (e.g., Mr. Henry Brown - Drums).
3. Available to / Pre-requisite: Determine which Years/Grades or Groups can sign up.
4. Lead Staff Member: Select the staff member organizing the group.
5. Activity: Select the relevant activity type for reporting.
6. Default Location: Select the lesson room or meeting point.
7. Click Save and repeat for additional teachers.

3. Adding Container Block Dates

1. Navigate to Block Dates.
2. Click Add to include dates that are specific to this container where lessons should not run.

4. Creating the Events (Lesson Slots)

1. Navigate to Create Events and click +Add New.
2. Title: Add the specific lesson title.
3. Booking Options: Select Block for a series of lessons.
4. Number of places: Set to "1" for 1-to-1 instruction.
5. Create for groups: Select the relevant teacher group.
6. Cost Type / Price per session: Enter the price (e.g., £30 or £40).
7. Frequency / Days of week: Select the specific day and Start/End Time.
8. Click Create Rule.

5. Reviewing and Publishing

1. Check the overview list. If changes are needed, click Edit or use Copy for similar events.
2. Click on Publish Events to go to the publishing screen.
3. Select the event checkboxes, toggle I confirm, and click Publish.
4. Confirm the final Publish pop-up to generate the events.

Tips & Best Practices

• Efficiency: Use the Copy tool in the event overview to quickly create multiple time slots for different days of the week.
• Partial Signups: Enable "Allow joining part way through series" so students can start mid-term if a slot is still available.
• Titles: Keep titles descriptive (e.g., "Guitar - 30 mins") to help parents distinguish between different booking options.

Warnings & Important Notes

Rotational Lessons: If your music lessons rotate times weekly, this workflow is not suitable. SchoolsBuddy requires a fixed time for each event in a block series.

Related Articles

• Instant Book: Creating a Container
• Restricting the use of Childcare Vouchers

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a parent wants to cancel?

This depends on the "Allow booking cancellation" setting you chose in the container setup. Ensure this aligns with your school's refund policy.

Can I re-use the same container for the next term?

Yes, you can edit the dates and add new events or groups to an existing container for subsequent terms.

In Summary

• Start with a container in the Instant Book and Pay module.
• Create distinct groups for each music teacher.
• Generate individual event rules for each specific time slot and price point.

This workflow ensures a professional and automated booking experience for private music tuition within SchoolsBuddy.