Swallow 15 - Not Impressed...

My daughter was enrolled with Swallow 15 in Strubensvalley (939 Tiekie Street) in Roodepoort. She took lessons with them at her Primary School for quite some time. After school one day I went to pick her up just as her lesson was finishing. I was shocked to see that she received her piano lessons on a small (54 or 61 keys I think) keyboard and not a proper piano! But I tried to ignore it since she seemed relatively happy...

A few weeks later I had come to learn that there was NO ALLOCATED MUSIC CLASS. Her lessons took place in some random class (can't remember if it was a Maths or English or whatever class) and the lesson venue was regularly moving. She did not know where to find the teacher. Swallow 15 goes to different schools and gives lessons in whatever class is available. These classes were uninspiring and according to my husband there were papers and rubbish lying around on the class room floor. Their shabby syllabus probably cost them R2 or R3 to make and consists of papers on which the music is printed.

The standard of Swallow 15's Syllabuses are unfortunately BELOW PAR - compared to UNISA, ABRSM, Trinity and even Rock Schools!!

Even though we had a old piano at home, we still bought our daughter a keyboard from Swallow. This keyboard (cheapest brand available) ended up braking. We were conned into buying that stupid keyboard...The whole thing just felt forced and like a money making scheme. Make-up lessons were such a hassle. And don't even get me started on the rest! Parents ask yourself; Would you really be willing to pay quite a lot of money if your child only had 30 (more like 20!!) minutes of lesson time a week?! Joe Dippenaar, the owner is one money hungry crook.

It appears that all that glitters is not gold. I am done wasting my time and money!!