A new year and another lockdown! Before the end of last term, the Surrey Arts team had been working really hard programming in lessons but the latest lockdown has meant many lessons due to take place in schools will now be changed. Fortunately the online learning platform Surrey Arts introduced in April last year is available and there are many advantages to continuing to learn in this way.

Here are some of the reasons why the Surrey Arts online teaching can be really beneficial:

• Musical activity and learning is a big boost for well-being, especially during the winter months
• By moving online, your child’s musical learning won’t be interrupted, so they will continue to progress
• Our teachers now have a lot of experience teaching online and can help children and parents/ carers with any concerns and we also offer a technical support phone line for parents/carers experiencing technical difficulties
• Many students and parents/ carers have told us that the online lessons have helped them to become better players and more secure in their own learning
• Music lessons are a great brain break for children during a day of school work
• Parents/ carers have told us that they enjoy being able to hear what their children are doing in their music lessons
• Children enjoy seeing their teacher online. In paired lessons they also get a chance to see their friends.

Surrey Arts have received many positive comments from parents who have seen the benefits of having online lessons during the lockdowns:

‘The online lessons have helped give structure to our weeks and have meant that the children have continued to make progress with their music. Having a weekly lesson has meant that they have continued to practise – it would be too easy for them to just drift away from practising if there had been no lessons.’

‘It has been brilliant to continue lessons during the “lockdown”, and my child has progressed as a result. Practicing without the incentive of lessons was hard so it was great to do zoom lessons.’

There are also many links to Surrey Arts online teaching and introduction to instruments on the Surrey Music Hub website Online Learning – Surrey Music Hub