We operate a fair policy regarding absenteeism, which is designed to ensure the best education for our students, including those in ensembles who may be adversely affected by the repeated absence of their fellow musicians.
Details of planned absences should be submitted, in writing to the Head of Junior Programmes at least four weeks in advance. On the basis that your absence is approved, the JD admin team will notify your teachers.
In the case of absence due to illness or other emergency on a Saturday, the JD office must be informed by phone or email.
Repeated absence constrains the progress of ensembles and may limit chances for continued participation in group work. Junior Department rehearsals and performances must take priority over outside events and JD administrative staff reserve the right to withdraw students from a performance if they have been absent for three or more rehearsals per term.
JD Regulations require students’ attendance at all timetabled lessons and rehearsals. Permission to be excused from any aspect of the curriculum can only be granted by a member of JD administrative staff, and will be granted only where truly necessary.
If a JD assessment or competition clashes with your usual timetable (though we try to avoid this where possible) you may presume that the competition or assessment time scheduled for you takes priority over your usual Saturday timetable. The schedule of assessment/competition will be published via the JD noticeboards, but it is also expected that you will also excuse yourself to your teachers/tutors in advance from your scheduled lesson(s).
Use of Deputies: Occasionally it is necessary for teachers to use deputies: it is understood that this will be kept to a minimum, and that deputies will be drawn from a list approved by the Head of Junior Programmes.
Make-up Day (usually the eleventh Saturday of each term) is used by teachers who have missed lessons without providing a deputy, to make up their quota of lessons. Students are expected to be available for lessons on this date if required.
Please note: teachers are not obliged to make-up lessons missed due to student absence.
JD teachers are contracted to give 30 lessons per year. If you believe that you have not received your full allocation of lessons during an academic year, you must please first discuss this directly with the teacher concerned. Only after that should you contact the JD office.
If you need to tell us about the planned or unexpected absence of an RCMJD student please get in touch. If you have concerns about the number of teaching hours received please first discuss with the teacher concerned and then contact the RCMJD office if necessary.
We would recommend emailing the team in the first instance. If you would prefer to speak to someone instead, please call the number below.
Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
London SW7 2BS
United Kingdom
