30 min

Leigh Spaun — School Of Rock

With Leigh Spaun — School Of Rock

Purpose

In short

School of Rock is a real music school that predates the film, and Leigh Spaun runs South Africa's first branch in Claremont, Cape Town. She explains the performance-based band model, how lessons moved online during lockdown, the students who won international tours and a recording trip, and the master franchise plan for 40 South African locations. The one takeaway: The School of Rock music school inspired the film rather than the other way round, and has grown into a franchise of more than 290 schools worldwide.

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How did someone with no musical background end up running a music school?

Leigh comes from a media, marketing and publishing background of roughly 10 to 15 years, then freelanced. Her brother Keith, also from a corporate background but with a strong passion for music, brought her the School of Rock concept. The brand, the logo and the feel-good, purposeful angle ticked her marketing boxes.

Did the School of Rock movie come first, or the school?

The school came first. Paul Green launched the Paul Green School of Rock about 22 years ago, and it sparked the film — Green was effectively the Jack Black character and later tried to sue Hollywood for stealing his persona. It is now a global franchise with over 290 schools.

Who can join, and what age do students have to be?

Anyone from beginner to advanced, at any age. The youngest group programme starts at three and runs through to a thriving adult band programme; the core offering targets teenagers who want to get on stage. Leigh says their oldest student was 83 and was learning singing.

What actually gets taught, and on which instruments?

Rock is the core, but they also teach blues, jazz, soul and pop, avoiding classical instruments. Instruments include guitar, bass, keys, vocals, violin, saxophone and ukulele. The speciality is performance music education, with each student learning their instrument as a member of a band.

How is the teaching structured, and when do students perform?

Band programmes combine an individual lesson component with group-based learning, because Leigh believes learning happens in groups rather than one-on-one in a room. Every three months the school stages season shows, where students from age eight to adults perform with all the bells and whistles.

What happened to lessons during lockdown?

The whole global operation went online as soon as America locked down, and the South African school followed in March last year using Zoom. The method was adapted for online delivery, and a proprietary method app developed the year before allowed instructors to send assignments to phones and grade recorded songs.

Have any students gone on to do something notable?

Four students were selected for the All-Stars programme — the top students across a franchise of over 40,000 — and toured the United States for three weeks. Gabby Webb was one of 19 students nominated worldwide for an artist programme and was sent to Los Angeles to record with Atlantic Records.

What does holding the master franchise for South Africa involve?

Leigh and Keith can now franchise the school nationally and are seeking investors to open in their own communities. A survey done with the Americans in March last year earmarked 40 possible locations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein.

What are they looking for in a franchisee, and what support is given?

Business knowledge from corporate or business ownership, a passion for music, and a genuine love of educating and mentoring children, since most students are kids. Leigh and Keith will hold new franchisees' hands through staff recruitment, finding and building up a location, and marketing, as the Americans did for them.

In their words

Taken from the recording, word for word.

Paul Green was was like the Jack Black character. I think he later on tried to sue Hollywood for for actually stealing his persona.

— Leigh Spaun

we really do believe that the learning takes place in a group-based environment and not individually in the room where you one-on-one with the instructor

— Leigh Spaun

that skill of music and knowing how to play an instrument stays with you forever

— Leigh Spaun

Key takeaways

  1. The School of Rock music school inspired the film rather than the other way round, and has grown into a franchise of more than 290 schools worldwide.
  2. The Claremont school, opened just under six years ago, was the first School of Rock in South Africa and was set up from the start as the intended national headquarters.
  3. Learning is deliberately group-based: students join a band, and perform at season shows every three months.
  4. Going online in March 2020 preserved the business and opened an international market, including former students who had emigrated and new students in Ireland and Germany.
  5. The Claremont school has typically run between about 220 and 300 students in a 400 square metre premises, which Leigh sees as a good size for a school.
  6. Leigh argues franchising blossoms in chaotic economies because it carries less risk than building a business from scratch.

Show notes

On this episode I chat with Leigh about what The School Of Rock is, what they do and their plans for expansion.

 

https://locations.schoolofrock.com/claremont

https://wattsinvolved.co.za/

https://davidwattsblog.com

 

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Frequently asked questions

How long does a programme last and when can you enrol?

There is no set length and enrolment happens throughout the year, though it closes five to six weeks before each show. Complete beginners do individual lessons for about two months before moving into a band programme.

Where do the instructors come from?

All instructors are local to the city or area where the school operates. The franchise deliberately recruits gigging and session musicians so that students have working musicians to look up to and can go and watch them perform.

What fees does a franchisee pay?

An initial franchise fee, plus the cost of building up the business, then a monthly royalty, monthly IT fees and a marketing contribution. Total investment depends heavily on the size and nature of the premises; an information pack outlines every cost.

How much interest has the franchise opportunity attracted so far?

It was announced about two weeks before the interview, and roughly 12 people had made contact after radio and television coverage. Leigh distinguishes interest from actually signing franchisees.

How do prospective franchisees get in touch?

By emailing [email protected] or calling the Cape Town office on 021 671 9580. Leigh and Keith are happy to talk over Zoom or in person about costs and what is involved.

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