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Small increase in fees from April 2010

Each year the West Sussex Music Service reviews arrangements and changes to charging for instrumental and vocal lessons and membership of music centres. This year's very poor local government settlement to West Sussex has impacted on this review but we have done our best to keep increases to a minimum. In line with the timescale published in the Regulations and Conditions, the new fees will apply from this Summer term.

The fee for lessons is £71, an increase that has been held at the same £3 increase as in all previous years since 2002. The fee for a County Award will be £80 per term. Membership of Music Centres and County Groups is £40 per term although the fee for pupils who learn through the West Sussex Music Service is discounted to £25 a term to encourage pupils to take part in Music Centre activities. The cost of hiring an instrument is  £15 a term. This still represents excellent value for money.

Britain's last Oboe-maker

Here is a short film broadcast on 7 October 2009 during BBC's "South Today" about Howarth of Worthing, Britain's last remaining oboe-maker.

It includes a short clip of a West Sussex Music Service instrumental teacher, Miss Suzie Shrubb, teaching a whole class "Key 2 Music" session at Boxgrove Primary School.  The pupils had been learning the oboe for only a few weeks