For many young musicians, graded music exams are an important milestone. They can provide a clear goal, celebrate progress and build confidence. But deciding whether to take an exam isn't always straightforward - and that's completely understandable. If you're wondering whether an exam is the best option for your child, here are some questions to consider together.
Does my child want to take an exam?
Start with the simplest question: does your child actually want to take an exam? Preparing for an exam without genuine motivation can become frustrating for everyone involved. Before asking, it can help to explain why people choose to take graded music exams and what the process involves. If you’re not sure of the answers to these yourself, please do take a look at our Classical & Jazz and Rock & Pop syllabuses for more information, or involve your child’s teacher in the conversation.
For some, that information will be enough to help them decide. However, if your child is still unsure, there are plenty of other questions you can ask to help them reach their conclusion.
What's making them hesitate?
If your child is hesitant, finding out why is the best place to start. For those completely new to exams, it might be the unknown; questions like ‘What’s an aural test?’, ‘Where will I take my exam – will it be somewhere I know?’, and ‘What will the examiner be like?’ are all understandable concerns. For queries about the exam itself, it’s worth checking out our Music resources page where you can find lots of videos, particularly in the Supporting tests section, of candidates taking their exams. These not only show how our range of tests are conducted but also highlight how lovely and friendly our examiners are!
For candidates taking face-to-face exams, many are able to sit their exam at their own school or music service, if it is a private Trinity exam centre. Otherwise, Trinity College London runs public exam sessions across the country.
Of course, there is always the digital option where candidates can record their exam in a classroom, their home, or any appropriate space familiar to them. Digital exams have slightly different requirements from face-to-face exams, so it's worth checking both the instrumental syllabus and the Digital Exams syllabus before recording a performance.
What are they nervous about?
So far, we've focused on the practical side of taking an exam. It's also natural for some children to feel nervous about being assessed or performing in an exam or recording situation. As parents, you will know how best to respond to this; but we can provide some pointers that might help alleviate some of those niggling doubts:
Our examiners want every candidate to succeed
Every single one of our examiners starts a new exam hoping the candidate is going to do well. Not only do they want to see a good performance where they can award high marks, but they want to see the candidate enjoying it too.
A perfect performance isn't expected
It’s important to remember that a candidate who makes a mistake or two can still score high marks. Remind your child that they don't need to give a faultless performance - just the best one they can on the day.
There's no rush
All of our music exam syllabuses operate without an end date, meaning that there is no pressure to take an exam before a specific date because the pieces or requirements are changing. Candidates opting to take a digital exam have additional flexibility because exams can be booked after their performance has been recorded.
Reasonable adjustments can be made for candidates with additional needs
If your child has additional needs, adjustments can often be made to make the assessment more accessible. These may include enlarged print, Braille or coloured papers for Supporting tests, additional time between tasks, or providing examiners with relevant contextual information in advance. If you'd like to discuss what support may be available, please visit our website or contact Trinity.CSN@trinitycollege.com.
How could an exam help in the future?
Perhaps a question more suited to older children than younger ones is what their long-term aims are and how helpful a graded music qualification will be in achieving them.
For those looking to explore careers or further study in music, a graded qualification isn't always essential. However, they can be a useful way of demonstrating your musical aptitude to anyone reviewing your application before any interview or auditions are required.
For those not pursuing music beyond secondary school, being able to put a graded music qualification on your CV or UCAS application can still be incredibly valuable. At Grades 6-8, certification also comes with UCAS points which can be used to support your entry into university.
Music exams can also help develop transferable skills that employers value, including communication, creativity, collaboration and adaptability. Trinity's white paper, Career-Ready: Bridging the Employability Skills and Confidence Gap, found that young people who participated in performance arts also felt more confident demonstrating these skills when entering the workplace.
What kind of skills does your child envisage needing in their chosen career and how will a graded music qualification support them in the development and evidencing of these skills?
What if an exam isn't the right fit?
Graded exams aren't the only way to recognise musical achievement. Trinity offers other qualifications that may better suit some learners.
Firstly, we have our Awards and Certificates in Musical Development (ACMD): our fully inclusive suite of qualifications developed in partnership with Sounds of Intent. Assessments for these qualifications are carried out in the student’s usual music setting by their teacher (once they have undertaken the free training). Video evidence is collected throughout their lessons and submitted to us for moderation, either through a Trinity validated ACMD centre, or the National Sounds of Intent Centre. These qualifications are regulated and, at the highest level, carry UCAS points.
Alternatively, Arts Award is a portfolio-based assessment where young people aged 25 and under demonstrate their engagement with the arts and development of leadership skills. One of the strengths of Arts Award is its flexibility: it can be taken in any artform including performing any instrument or in any style, composition, music production DJ-ing; or conducting.
Young people working towards an Arts Award will need to work with a trained Arts Award adviser to compile a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their ability to meet the requirements for the level of award they are taking. Again, Gold Arts Award also comes with UCAS points.
Every musical journey is different
There's no single right time to take a music exam, and for some learners another qualification may be a better fit. The most important thing is choosing the pathway that matches your child's goals, confidence and enthusiasm for making music.
Whether your child is ready for their first graded exam, considering a digital assessment, exploring Arts Award or developing through ACMD, Trinity offers a range of pathways to recognise and celebrate musical achievement at every stage of their journey.
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