It's a first... after 10 years of teaching, I missed the exam entry deadline!!!

Now that the online entry date of 30th September has passed I wonder if anyone else has ever done this - and more importantly, is there any way of twisting the ABRSM's arm!?

Are you set-up to enter online?
If so - log on and see if the online form is still operational. If it is, you might be in luck.

If not, phone them first thing tomorrow first thing and ask if you can fax your form through and put the cheque in the post. Never tried it - but I'm not sure what else you can do - anyone any other ideas ?

I've never done this with the AB but did manage it with Rockschool exams once-because they have really early closing dates, and it hadn't dawned on me for some reason that I needed to get my Spring entry in by the first of December! I just waited till the next session-with that student we were debating which session to go for anyway. But for this one, I'd agree with Maggie-it's worth a go.

The college I teach at has often managed to enter students late. They never seem to get their act together in time. It's usually because they won't enter the student until the student brings in the cheque, and the student forgets to go and ask how much they need to pay, however much the flute teacher nags them to.

Yes I was going to suggest trying to call them and at the same time send in the cheque and entry form - you can only try (and keep your fingers crossed!!) (To tell you the absolute truth - that's what I'm doing!! I messed up my online entry form on Friday night and accidentally left off a theory candidate (my very poor excuse is that I enter them so rarely that it slipped my mind!) I only remembered at 1am but the online form had closed so I'm praying hard!!!) Maybe it's something to do with the weather??!! I've never done this before either!!

If you contact them via phone and explain, I think you have to pay them a little extra but they can accommodate.

How many pupils are we talking about here? I would also advise to keep phoning them as they do move candidates to different centres and/or get cancellations.

With all due respect,it cannot be easy for them to shift candidates about.Consider a change of venue and say to the pupil(s) demand was so great etc,etc,etc.

Oh ! had it already???
then that means my first idea won't work.

Sorry.
How's your telephone manner Andy ???

Ye Gods, but I have come so close to doing this so many times. Exam entries at different centres. Practical exams. Theory exams. And now I am complicating things nicely by entering practical exams for AB, Trinity and RockSchool and theory exams at the AB.

Never actually missed an entry date yet. Did turn up for a students concert once where I was the accompanist, and left the music at home. That was interesting.

I am the accompanist for a music festival in Grimsby in November. The closing date for entries was Saturday. Saturday morning came, and a shed-load of entries arrived on my doorstep, with photocopied accomps enclosed. I assume the individual responsible for the entries saw my name and address in the syllyblobs and sent everything to me in a last minute panic to get the entries in.

Maybe we should just hand everything over to the parents and make them responsible for entries. OK, so masses of kids for whom such-and-such an exam is absolutely vital would miss their entries, but at least it would not be our fault.

andyamg, take heart. The AB is a business that needs our money. Phone them tomorrow. Good luck.

Steve

Last year there was a sight mix up and some of my students weren't entered for theory exams. The head of Music thought I would enter them and I thought he was going to enter them with the result they were't entered. As it was theory it didn't seem a problem. They were able to do their exams as everyone does the theory exam at the same time. It might be a different story with practical exams because it will add more candidates to a centre. Hopefully not. Good luck.

I was astonished to find that I had missed a deadline for one theory exam by a couple of days, a year or so ago. I phoned the AB and.............NO...........they would not accept my application. Ususlly I enter on-line and this one entry had become overlooked(!)

The answer was definitely no, I had passed the deadline and that was that.

I then had to explain to the child's mother..................

She sat the next theory exam and did well after all.

That was the only entry I've missed but it's easily done!

Andyamg, it's worth a phone call although it's now 4 days over. Let us know how you get on.

I'm very sorry to hear of your problem Having, very fortunately, not yet missed the deadline (but I know I could anytime ), I've no experience of this but I am guessing that ABRSM won't be that accommodating about this.

Closing dates are what they say and we now have two (paper and on-line). I cannot help but think if they accepted every entry from every "late" teacher (however genuine the reason), they'd never have a cut-off date. Still, it's worth a try.

I do know a school who managed to change their entries swapping people in and out but that was a special visit and an examiner was booked for the day so who he saw and for what grade etc probably wasn't as difficult to accommodate as exams at a public centre.

I guess you can only ring and ask. I shall be interested to hear how you got on.

Local piano teacher does that - she books a special entry at her house, books the examiner for the whole day, and so I don't have to give her my entry form for a while still (I'm not sure exactly how it works at her end, but it's very useful for local teachers )

My school forgot to enter me for Grade 8 Flute and missed the deadline. Luckily my teacher was the local HLR so I think she probably pulled a few strings and I was entered!

David

... so far have rung the associated board - but whenever they try to put me through "the northern branch seem to have finished for the day".. will try again from work tomorrow!!

Apparently they have been accepting late entries all week though - for anyone else in my position... so said the lovely chap on the desk!

Andy

I'm sure they will accommodate you.

When have you been phoning them? You know what those northerners are like!!!!

Thanks Semele!! - These Northerners eh?...

I rang again and was told to send the form in as usual - - As well as the form, I also sent a compliment slip from school to look extra official and respectable...

Because it's a jazz exam and a late entry, I made sure they were aware that my pupil was really flexible as to what centre he would be able to go to =- - we will have to wait and see!!

Ax

Wow! You were lucky. Maybe they felt lenient towards you as the jazz session is usually shorter than the general examining period(?)

Good luck with the pupils anyway.

I read on the site sometime in the last day or two about it still being OK to do entries. Maybe they are more lenient now they have computers to help sort it all out?

I forgot to enter a pupil for an exam once and found that the ABRSM were very helpful and accommodating. Hope it works out ok.

Just to let you know - I got an exam date through today - -eeee it all turned out alright in the end....

Ax

Phew

Snap - my theory candidate was also added to my entry so I too can breathe a sigh of relief!