Charged For Additional Lesson?

[R_Marshall]

My daughter dances on a Saturday, lessons are at a regular time
On this day. Her dance school is adding an extra lesson on the friday in half term for the upcoming exam.
We cannot attend -prior plans - yet they insist we will be charged for this additional -unrequested- lesson.
I am unimpressed by this and believe it to be wrong to charge for a service we did not request.
Where so I stand?

[Davemano]

I don't know the legal position, but if it was me I would try to reason with them that they cannot charge you for something which is not appropriate to you because of prior plans, but be wary, is the outcome of the exam likely to be determined on whether or not you pay.

[R_Marshall]

No, it's an external examiner so shouldn't be an issue.
I know they've done this before and one mum was charged for non attendance despite pleas of it being "not asked for". Thank you for your answer... does anyone know where we might stand legally?

[Mamyalynne]

Is there a written contract and if so is anything stated therein to cover this?

[R_Marshall]

No written contract. Just a termly email setting out start end dates of the term and fees for that period.
Today's email gives additional date (no time) and states that the fee will be added to next terms fees. Fee for extra lesson isn't stated either.

[Dogsbody2]

There would seem to be no legal basis by which could insist that a charge be made for the offer of an extra lesson that you cannot accept.
You have to ask yourself whether it is worth making a principled stand over this. It would seem likely that this is being offered to improve chances rather than an unwanted sales opportunity. Over one academic year this sounds like an additional cost of about 3%. For the goodwill aspect, is it worth fighting over?