Should I Let Her Start The Next Grade? Options

[allegretto4]

Hi,

I have a young pupil doing the transfer test in school this autumn. She is going well in her preparation for her G3 piano exam (would probably get a merit at this stage) but still needs a spurt of hard work between now and the exam if she is going to achieve the Distinction which her mum is very keen for her to get!

Mum asked if she could postpone sitting the exam till next Spring because of the transfer test but wants me to start work meanwhile on Grade 4. I prefer not to start her on the next grade before she gets this one! (I have already skipped her over G2 to do G3). I also explained that its not just about exams, etc. but mum is very keen for her to go up the grades asap! I also feel that the child has 'peaked' as far as G3 goes and to keep going till Spring is too much!

Having said all that, the last thing I want is to put this child under too much pressure (she seem to take most things in her stride!).

I would be interested to know what other teachers would have done in this situation.

Many thanks in advance.

[andante]

The activities I was referring to were things like gym club which involves a late night as well as 3 hours of strenuous physical activity, rather than a bit of music practice. I wouldn't ever suggest to my children that an exam were a stressful situation. When they go into a music exam I always say "have fun!" rather than good luck. But I still think that too many out of the ordinary things happening at once is hardly a good thing. There is no race to get through music exams after all, but they can only take the entrance exams on a specified date.

Saying to a child " You don't need to practice your music this week because you've got a really dreadful entrance exam to cope with " is hardly going to help. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)