What do people do after grade 5 theory? Do most people carry on with grade 6 or just drop it?

I think that most don't go any further.
I also suspect that a large number of those with a grade 5 theory pass actually have quite sketchy knowledge even at that level.

From the 2009 theory stats.

Grade 5 - entries 22,026; passes (pass/merit/dist) 18,932.
Grade 6 - entries 842; passes (pass/merit/dist) 596.

So, yes, very few indeed carry on

Most people take grade 5 theory simply as a passport to grade 6 (and above) practical exams, without any real interest in theory of music. Also, grade 6 is quite a step up from grade 5. After passing grade 5, my son's piano teacher wanted him to carry on with grade 6 theory, but at the age of 13 he found it very difficult and soon dropped it. I suspect most who take it are older and interested either in taking composition further or in theory for its own sake.

My daughter and I worked on theory grades together up to grade 5 and took grade 5 together. She got some help at school and I was pretty much self taught. We really enjoyed doing this as a project together, so initially intended to keep going beyond grade 5. However, no more help was available at school, and it soon became clear that grade 6 was going to be completely beyond me unless I was prepared to do some very serious work - and I wasn't! From time to time we both agree that we miss theory, but as daughter gets further into GCSE work and actual playing of instruments takes up what little spare time there is, it becomes more and more of a very remote possibility that we'll ever do more.

A holiday? Tea in a nice cafe?

I did go straight on to do Grade 6 theory with my piano teacher many moons ago. If she is planning to continue into music as a career then I would say that it would be worthwhile (especially if it is before GCSES) but otherwise less so. It's also if she's interested!!

Emsoboe is working on Grade 6 Theory at the moment though it's a bit stop start due to GCSE's.

She has thought about doing an LCM composition exam as it's an area that interests her but she's not really had time to do much. She has been doing a bit of composing recently which is fun.

She is interested but at the moment it is more about keeping all options open I think.

The eldest of the three apples of my eye is doing a bit of keyboard harmony and general musicianship with her excellent piano teacher. The plan is, if she does Grade 6 theory over the next few years, we won't push for GCSE music in a school where it doesn't look like a great experience. What will happen, who knows. It seems a shame not to build on Grade 5 for a student still developing as a musician

Many moons ago when life was very different - I had a fantastic Music teacher at school. She produced loads of musical events/concerts at school and I found her very inspiring. I hadn't liked my Clarinet teacher so wasn't learning an instrument, but I did O Level Music a year early and then one lunchtime each week she taught a small group of us Grade 8 Theory which I sat alongside my other O Levels at 16. Of course things are different these days but I remember thoroughly enjoying doing it. Back then I didn't realize it's significance and haven't made any use of it, but now DS is starting his theory work I find things coming back to me.

In case you haven't found it - here's the link to the exam stats...

http://www.abrsm.org/press/factfile/theoryStats.html

Oh no, having decided to carry on to grade 6, I have discovered that the teacher only teaches to grade 5 and I can't find anyone else locally that does. I will have to ask at the school if there is a club for it.

DD is taking grade 5 theory (tomorrow) is just because it is mandatory to move on to higher levels for Instrument exams.

Grade 5 theory is a pre-requisite for taking the higher grade practical exams, which explains why much greater numbers take grade 5 theory than any higher grade. However, apart from their intrinsic interest/value ...

Grade 6 theory is a pre-requisite for the DipABRSM (teaching) Diploma, and
Grade 8 theory is a pre-requisite for the LRSM (teaching) Diploma, and

[ DipABRSM (teaching) assess the ability to teach upto and including Practical Grade 6, and LRSM (teaching) test the ability to teach up to and including DipABRSM ]

Daughter barncottagekitten is just starting to do Grade 6 theory - if it's as useful to her as the grade 5 was in terms of helping her with her sightreading and general understanding of music, she's unlikely to regret it. As she's quite interested in composition as she enjoys it anyway, and as she'll get free lessons from the music director it seems like a good idea - besides you never know when it might come in useful......

At my school everyone doing A level music did G8 theory in the lower 6th. I really enjoyed it as it complimented the A level harmony but as this was 1991 the syllabi have changed since then.

Maybe you could see if your local Music Trust does Theory lessons. Ours does separate Theory classes which are run by the Pianist who accompanies in the practical exams. Just a thought

Not a parent but a student:
I really enjoyed taking grade 5 (which I passed with distinction exactly 2 years ago) and am looking at doing grade 6 in the summer session this year. I have found the gap really big, but if you enjoy theory, I would recommend carrying on - it's very interesting! It should also help with the theory component of A level music, which I'm hoping to do (I've just started GCSE - I'm almost 15). True, I don't know anyone my age who's doing it, but I think it's a really good thing to do, especially as it's like an extension to the theory for GCSE/grade 5.

If anything, it's more experience of long exams before the bulk of GCSE's etc!

I'm also a student (aged 15) and I did G5 theory in Year 8 the same session as I did G5 practical (piano). Having started lessons with a new teacher in January, I talked a lot with my first teacher and we decided to have fortnightly lessons of harmony/G6 theory, which I'm finding really interesting, and I hope it will help me with A level Music next year! My teacher always used to spend quite a large chunk of my piano lessons talking about theory and chords anyway. In fact, in a TG G5 book that I used when i was working on my piano G4, in one of the pieces there is a chord labelled 'Neapolitan 6th' which I've only recently found out the meaning of!