Fun, encouraging drum lessons – right in your child’s school
From their very first beat to playing along with their favourite songs, our school drum lessons are designed to help children enjoy music, build confidence and make great progress.
We welcome children from Year 1 upwards, including complete beginners. Lessons take place during the school day, making it easy for children to learn without adding another activity to busy evenings and weekends.
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“Learning drums has really helped develop Henry’s focus and gives him the drive to keep working on something knowing that eventually he will get there. Thanks for everything you do, he loves drumming!”
Tilly Shale
WHAT HAPPENS IN A DWA DRUM LESSON?
We want children to do much more than simply work through exercises.
Our tutors demonstrate, play alongside students and help them put what they’re learning into real music. Songs, backing tracks, musical challenges and plenty of playing are all part of the DWA approach.
Depending on their age and stage of learning, your child may work on:
★ Drum kit technique
★ Rhythm and timing
★ Songs and pieces
★ Reading drum notation
★ Coordination and listening
★ Playing with backing tracks and a metronome
★ Creativity and improvisation
★ Performance skills
★ Graded material and exams, where appropriate
The aim isn’t perfection. It’s progress.
Sometimes a successful lesson means mastering a new rhythm. Sometimes it’s playing along to a favourite song. And sometimes it’s simply leaving the lesson excited to come back next week.
THE DWA WAY
BUILD THEM UP.
We want students to leave their lessons feeling more confident than when they arrived.
SHOW MORE. TALK LESS.
Children learn music by experiencing music. We demonstrate, play alongside them and help them see and hear what they’re working towards.
PUT IT TO MUSIC.
A rhythm makes much more sense when you hear how it fits into a real song. Playing along to music is an important part of our lessons.
FUN + PROGRESS.
There’s room for favourite songs, musical games, challenges and plenty of laughter – while still helping children learn and move forward.
PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.
Beginner drummers make mistakes. Lots of them! We want children to feel comfortable having a go, getting something wrong and trying again.
LESSONS THAT FIT INTO THE SCHOOL DAY
Drum lessons take place during the school day at participating schools.
Depending on the school and availability, lesson formats may include:
20-minute individual lessons
30-minute group lessons
30-minute individual lessons at selected locations
Lessons usually take place weekly during term time and are scheduled within the school day.
DWA manages registrations, payments, parent communication and progress reporting, helping make the programme straightforward for both families and schools.
SCHOOL DRUM LESSON OPTIONS & PRICES
30-MINUTE GROUP LESSON
Small-group tuition where children can learn together, take turns, watch one another and develop confidence playing alongside other young musicians.
£14 per lesson
£38.50 per month including VAT
20-MINUTE INDIVIDUAL LESSON
Focused one-to-one tuition allowing the tutor to work closely with your child at their own pace.
£20 per lesson
£55 per month including VAT
30-MINUTE INDIVIDUAL LESSON
Available at selected DWA teaching locations.
£29 per lesson
£79.75 per month including VAT
DISCOUNTS
Sibling Discount – 10%
Available for siblings learning with DWA.
Multi-Lesson Discount – 5%
Available when a student is enrolled in two or more different types of lessons with DWA.
REGULAR MONTHLY PAYMENTS
Our school tuition is based on 33 lessons across the academic year.
The annual cost is spread evenly across 12 monthly payments, so your regular payment continues during school holidays, including August.
You’re not paying specifically for lessons during those months – the annual tuition cost has simply been divided into 12 equal payments.
★ One month’s notice is required to cancel lessons. Your regular monthly payment will continue during the notice period in line with our cancellation policy.
DOES MY CHILD NEED A DRUM KIT?
NO!
Please don’t feel you need to buy a full drum kit before your child has even started.
A pair of suitable drumsticks and the recommended method book are enough to begin with.
Practice pads, cushions and other suitable surfaces can all be used to develop rhythm and stick control at home. If drumming becomes a longer-term hobby, that’s a good time to start thinking about buying a kit.
We provide the equipment your child needs during their school lesson.
WHAT WILL WE NEED?
7A Drumsticks
A good size for many of our younger beginners.
Rockschool Drums Method Book
Our beginner drum students will usually work from the Rockschool Drums Method book. We strongly recommend using the accompanying backing tracks at home so exercises and pieces can be put into real music.
And when your child joins DWA for regular lessons, they’ll receive a DWA tote bag and practice notebook from us, completely free of charge.
WHAT ABOUT PRACTICE AT HOME?
Our advice is simple:
SMALL AND OFTEN.
Five or ten minutes regularly can be much more valuable than one long practice session every few weeks.
And practice doesn’t always require a drum kit.
A practice pad or cushion can be useful. Listening to the song they’re learning is useful. Clapping a rhythm is useful. Even watching a musician perform can help inspire them.
Most importantly, we don’t want practice to become a chore.
Encouragement is brilliant. We want children to gradually develop their own relationship with music.
TIMETABLES & PROGRESS
Lessons during the school day
Your child leaves their classroom at their allocated lesson time, has their drum lesson and then returns to class.
Our school timetables normally rotate every half term, helping to reduce the chance of your child continually missing the same classroom lesson.
Keeping you informed
Parents don’t normally get to watch school lessons, so good communication about progress matters to us.
You’ll receive a written progress report three times during the academic year – Christmas, Easter and Summer.
Reports give you a useful picture of what your child has been learning and how they’re progressing.
Performances
Where possible, we also aim to give students opportunities to perform through school concerts and assemblies.
For one child, success might mean confidently performing a complete song. For another, simply standing in front of an audience and having a go can be an enormous achievement.
WHAT ABOUT DRUM EXAMS?
Exams are an option, not an expectation.
For some students, working towards a Rockschool exam can be a brilliant goal. For others, completing a book, learning a favourite song or preparing for a school performance may be much more motivating.
We’re not trying to race children through grades.
We want to develop confident young musicians who enjoy playing, understand the foundations and have something positive to work towards.
READY TO GIVE DRUMMING A GO?
Where appropriate, new students can start with a free, no-obligation taster lesson at their school.
It’s an opportunity to meet their tutor, get behind the kit and discover whether drumming might be their thing.
Simply find your child’s school and register your interest. We’ll then be in touch about availability and the next steps.
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School drum lessons FAQ
Not necessarily. In fact, our founder didn’t have a drum kit for the first two years of his learning journey until his parents eventually caved in! We typically suggest considering the purchase of a drum kit after approximately three months of lessons.
Absolutely! While having a drum kit at home is beneficial for practicing, it’s not essential. There are various ways you can practice drumming without a kit. You can use practice pads, pillows, or even just your hands and feet to work on rhythm and coordination. Additionally, you can practice rudiments, stick control exercises, and timing drills without needing a full drum set. Our instructors can provide guidance on effective practice routines that don’t require a drum kit. So, even if you don’t have access to a drum kit, you can still make progress and improve your drumming skills.
Drumsticks (Size 7A, approx. £5).
Both are available!
Individual (Schools) – 20 mins.
Group lessons (Schools) – 30 mins.
Effective from 1st April 2025
(Prices include VAT)
School Drum Lessons
30-minute group: £14 per lesson / £38.50 per month
20-minute solo: £20 per lesson / £55 per month
Discounts
Sibling Discount: 10% off for siblings
Loyalty Discount: 5% off for students enrolled in both drum and guitar lessons
We offer 33 lessons per academic year, all during term-time. To make budgeting easier for families, we spread the cost evenly over 12 months.
There are 33 lessons per academic year, provided during term-time only. The costs are spread out and billed monthly over 12 months to make it easier for families.
Unless the teacher is absent, all missed lessons, unless due to teacher absence, will be charged. Unfortunately, lessons missed due to short-term illness, school events/trips, or last-minute absences cannot be refunded or rescheduled. This policy also applies to non-emergency school closures with less than 48 hours’ notice. Rescheduling lessons is challenging due to teacher availability and the complexity of coordinating timetables.
If a teacher is absent, we will provide a suitable cover teacher whenever possible. If this is not feasible, a free lesson will be credited.
One month’s notice is required to terminate lessons. This notice must be emailed to Alex at support@drumwithalex.com. This allows us to effectively manage our schedule and accommodate other students.
Yes, lessons taught at your child’s school are conducted throughout the school day. Children may miss some of their regular lessons, but teachers are informed and aware of their absence.
Timetables are subject to change each half term to minimise disruption. On occasion, lessons may extend into break or lunchtime to accommodate all students.
The Rockschool Method book is awesome for complete beginners. It costs around £15 and is available here.
Honestly, yes. While you can still practise drums without a kit, nothing beats learning with your very own instrument. You might want to wait until you know drummings for you, but once you do – a kit’s a great investment. A new beginner acoustic drum kit costs around £199. Buying brand new or second hand are both fine.
Electronic kits are awesome. Their small and compact structure lets you practise in smaller spaces. Those reduced noise levels lets you tap those pads to your heart’s content and stay on your neighbour’s good sides! The built in metronome and kit sounds features help you hone your skill, explore different sounds and get the most out of this wonderful instrument.
Roland, Yamaha or Alesis are brilliant for electronic kits. For an acoustic kit, you can’t go wrong with Pearl, Natal, Mapex, Tama, or Yamaha. Our favourite online shop is Gear4Music – they stock a wide range of equipment that considers drummers of all abilities. And the prices are even better!
If you’re looking for a drum shop specialist, Graham Russell Drums in Fareham, Hampshire is the best place to go. It happens to be the UK’s biggest drum store. And drummer’s heaven. Seriously – it’s that good. Whether you’re a seasoned drummer or just starting out, their lovely staff are itching to share their guidance and advice.
Before buying a second-hand kit, always make sure to check out its overall condition. Before you part with your cash, ask yourself: is there anything missing? Does it come with all the foot pedals? Does it include a stool? If you can, ask for advice from someone you know who has drum knowledge. Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are great places to pick up decent second-hand kits.
The frequency of practice depends on your goals and schedule. However, practicing a little bit every day is often more beneficial than longer sessions less frequently. Aim for consistency rather than quantity.