7 Place of Exams: Visits
a Practical and/or Theory exams may be held at premises provided by the Applicant in accordance with the regulations and requirements stipulated immediately below.
Practical exams
b Depending on the country and local conditions, Practical exams may be held at:
i) schools where there is at least 3 hours of examining (see table of exam lengths);
ii) studios or residences of teachers where there is no ABRSM Public Centre conveniently near, provided there is a sufficient number of candidates to justify a visit from the examiner;
iii) special venues for subjects which cannot be accommodated at an ABRSM Public Centre, e.g. Harpsichord, Organ, Percussion, Choral Singing.
c Exams should not normally begin before 08.30 or end later than 18.00. A 15-minute break should be scheduled each morning and afternoon, and a lunch break of around 1 hour 15 minutes should be allowed. The maximum total examining time for a day should not normally exceed 6 hours 30 minutes.
d Two or more Applicants may combine their entries in order to meet the minimum time requirement but the exams must be held at a single venue. An Applicant wishing to participate in another Applicant’s Visit must seek permission from that Applicant before submitting an entry. The Applicant hosting the Visit is responsible for the provision of suitable facilities and arrangements (see regulation 7e) and for the receipt of instructions and timetables from ABRSM.
e Schools and teachers at whose addresses Practical exams are held must provide a suitable exam room which is quiet as well as properly lit, ventilated and heated or air-conditioned as appropriate, with a writing-table and chair for the examiner, and a satisfactory piano (see regulation 7f), and is, where possible, out of hearing of the waiting room. There should be someone to act as steward outside the exam room for the duration of the exams in accordance with ABRSM’s instructions.
f A piano must be provided in the exam room. It must be properly regulated and in tune (a’ = 440). An electronic piano may be used, provided it has a clearly recognizable piano tone, a touch-sensitive keyboard with full-size weighted keys, and an action, compass and facilities that match those of an ordinary piano, including a sustaining pedal.
g Where a Visit is solely for a Choral Singing exam, an examiner attendance fee is charged.
Theory exams
h In some countries Theory exams may be held, as a Visit, at a school of general education or music centre approved by ABRSM and distant from the nearest Centre. Completion of the entry form requires the head teacher to accept responsibility for the safe custody of the papers and proper conduct of the exam.
i Applicants hosting a Visit are responsible for ensuring suitable facilities and arrangements at their own cost: an exam room, which is quiet as well as properly lit, ventilated and heated or air-conditioned as appropriate, and with tables that allow the reasonable spacing of candidates; a responsible person appointed by the head teacher to act as invigilator within the exam room for the duration of the exam in accordance with ABRSM’s instructions.