When your teacher changes

We know that building a relationship with a teacher is an important part of learning music, and many students form a real connection with the person they see each week. It’s completely natural for a student to feel sad or uncertain when their teacher moves on.

Why teacher changes happen

A change of teacher is a normal part of musical learning. Over five to ten years, most students will work with more than one teacher – this is true of all the professional musicians in our team, who experienced the same changes during their own training.

Teacher changes can happen for a range of reasons, such as a teacher taking on new work, changing their schedule, or relocating. When they do, our priority is to support continuity and to make the transition as smooth as possible.

How the change can feel

It’s understandable to feel a sense of loss when someone a student enjoys making music with is no longer there. It can also be worrying to imagine what a new teacher will be like.

A new teacher will not step straight into the same relationship, but they may bring fresh ideas, new energy, and different insights. Many students discover new motivation and new areas of progress through a change like this.

How we support the transition

We only recruit teachers who show something special in their musicianship and their approach to teaching. When a change is needed, we follow a well-established handover process that we have refined over many years and hundreds of students. This helps ensure continuity in learning and supports confidence, motivation, and progress.

How you might explain this to your child

Some parents find it helpful to share simple, reassuring messages with their child. For example, you might say things like:

• “Lots of musicians have more than one teacher as they grow – it’s a normal part of learning music.”
• “It’s OK to feel sad about saying goodbye, and you’re still going to carry on with everything you’ve learned so far.”
• “Your new teacher will be different, but they’ve been chosen because they are a really good musician and teacher, and they’ll bring new ideas we can try together.”

You can also remind your child that their previous teacher wants them to keep learning and enjoying their music, and that the new teacher is there to help that happen.

Trying lessons with your new teacher

We want families to feel fully comfortable with the transition. For this reason, we offer the first couple of lessons with your new teacher on a no-commitment basis. If, after those lessons, you feel the match is not right, we will cancel your enrolment and refund fees for any remaining lessons from that point onward.

If you have any questions or concerns at any stage, please feel welcome to get in touch. We are here to support a positive and enjoyable experience for every student.