Your child's teacher will advise when they are going to be working towards a music examination.  There are various times throughout the year this is likely to happen.

Southampton Music Services works in partnership with the Trinity College, London to provide graded music examinations.

Trinity examinations are available each term at a highly subsidized rate.

Also your child's teacher will be able to enter them into the new Associated Board 'Music Medals' scheme aimed at group tuition in the early stages of learning.

Trinity Joint Assessment Scheme Examinations

Information

The Joint Assessment Scheme offers young people an alternative route to obtaining fully QCA accredited graded qualifications in instrumental and vocal performance. Successful candidates receive the same certificate and qualification as those that take normal grade exams.

The difference between the Joint Assessment Scheme and the traditional graded music examinations is the format. Whereas traditional examinations assess a 'snapshot' of a candidates skills on a particular day and time, and in a unique environment, the Joint Assessment Scheme assesses candidates partly through Internal Assessment, and partly through a final exam.

Features of the Joint Assessment Scheme (JAS)

• Fully accredited by QCA - successful candidates receive the same certificate as normal grade candidates.
• Instrumental Teachers carry out Internal Assessment
• Assessment categories designed in collaboration with Music Service and Trinity College London (TCL).
• Not limited to TCL repertoire - any repertoire which fits the criteria for the grade can be used.
• Flexibility in the style or genres of music studied.
• Internal Assessment moderated by TCL examiners.
• Lower cost to candidates, which is uniform across all grades.
• Available at all grades from Initial to Grade 8.

Trinity Joint Assessment Instrumental Examinations will normally take place during December, April and June

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Associated Board Music Medals Examinations

What are Music Medals?

Music Medals are a new suite of assessments from the Associated Board that measure and celebrate the achievement of group taught musicians from the earliest stages of learning.

There are five progressive Medal levels, starting at Copper, then moving on to Bronze, Silver, Gold and finally Platinum.  The first Medal, Copper, is approachable for most pupils during their first year of study, and each subsequent Medal has been positioned broadly as an annual target.

Music Medals embrace modern teaching approaches and technology in resourceful and innovative ways: there is an online entry process and the Medals are video-recorded by teachers who themselves make the initial assessment.

Music Medals have been designed to fit comfortably with the activities of the group lesson: playing with others, playing solo, improvisation, call and response games and sight reading.

Depending on level, a Music Medals assessment takes between five and ten minutes to complete and can therefore take place during the course of a normal group lesson.  This flexibility allows teachers to integrate them comfortably into their termly planning.

While the assessments involve groups and can incorporate pupils of mixed ability, only one group member is assessed per Music Medal.  This ensures that full attention is given to their contribution and that individual attainment is rewarded.

Associated Board Music Medals Examinations can take place whenever the registered teacher wishes to submit an entry for examination.