I'm a freelance accompanist hoping to avoid clashes of dates at two different ABRSM centres so far this session and may well also be asked to accompany some T-G exams. I know both the teachers involved have asked for Week 5. Last term some T-G dates were sorted out very late and I found myself accompanying a G8 bassoon exam at just over a week's notice when the regular accompanist couldn't be available. As always I'll be very grateful if people will post here to say when they get (or perhaps got, as it's now under three weeks to the start of the ABRSM session!) their notification, the date of the exam and which exam board it is.

It would also be very helpful to know the ABRSM calendar for publication of practical exam appointments. I think it's only available within the on-line entry bit of the Web site, and I don't have access to that.

Very best wishes to all this term's candidates. Give your examiner a nice concert, and remember that NERVES ARE NORMAL!

Published 18/05 - 23/05 for exams 04/06 - 09/06
Published 23/05 - 25/05 for exams 11/06 - 16/06
Published 28/05 - 01/06 for exams 18/06 - 23/06
Published 28/05 - 01/06 for exams 25/06 - 30/06
Published 06/06 - 08/06 for exams 02/07 - 07/07
Published 06/06 - 08/06 for exams 09/07 - 14/07

Many thanks for the calendar, SG. I don't think that first week refers to England, where the summer holidays start later than in Scotland and N. Ireland.

As often happens the dates for the last two weeks of the session are due to be published during our local half term break. I always like to get in at least one rehearsal before the beginning of Week 1, which in this case is immediately after half term, with anyone I'm already booked by then to accompany. I expect that as usual all the English schools will take their half term in the Bank Holiday week, especially as we have the extra Jubilee holiday this time, even though it pushes half term a week later than usual.

That's correct, but it was easier to copy all of it

I'm based in Scotland rather than England but I received notification of my pupil's exam date (only got one entrant this time) on the 25th and her exam is scheduled for the 23rd of June.

Oh, and it's Associated Board.

My piano teacher got email notification on Saturday for 12th June.
Nothing in post yet.
She's not awfully happy about the notice, lack of letter and not getting the last week....

That's really tough, and it looks as if the Board has only just managed to keep up with the week 2 publication schedule on line (so extra tough for anyone with postal notification only) but is ahead of it for week 3. I wonder how the scheduling people decide which entrants who didn't want week 1 they will push into it and whether you have a better chance of getting the week you want if you get your entry and request in early.

I've just received the email this morning, and my exams are also on the 12th June

I don't think when the entries go in makes any difference to the week you are given. My flute teacher is always last minute (come to that, so am I!) and we always ask for the penultimate week - and usually get it.

With smaller venues like our local one, only one week is used for exams and because of that, our local rep is able to tell us way in advance which week it will be. This makes planning for exams much easier for me. I was told last year which weeks were to be used for each of the 3 sessions this year.

Note that the published timetable has very slightly changed. I also think the version Seer_Green posted had already slipped from an earlier version. I have different (earlier) dates in my diary of when times were meant to be published which I wrote in not long after I did my application.

Published 23/05 - 29/05 for exams 11/06 - 16/06
Published 29/05 - 01/06 for exams 18/06 - 23/06
Published 29/05 - 01/06 for exams 25/06 - 30/06
(others the same)

I'm still waiting for a date and really hoping for an early one. Though the more notice the better as it can be very difficult to re-arrange work commitments with only 2 weeks notice. I am just hoping it seredipidously falls on a day I happen to be free.

I am a bit sceptical on whether asking for a particular week makes any difference at all (unless your centre happens to run exams for the full exam period). My local centre only does 2 weeks so if they are being run in weeks 2 and 3 then that's when your exam will be regardless of other preferences. I think it would be really useful if they published which weeks each centre was running the exams though (yes I know I could ring the local rep but it would be nice not to have to!)

EDIT: I'm also finding the on line exam page very slow to load, and it sometimes fails to load....anyone else having problems with it? I don't remember it being like this for previous sessions but it is becoming rather irritating.

Not impressed with notice yesterday for one grade 6 exam on 13th June, just the week they couldn't do through university exams.

Only heard today for a g6, on 15th June that's only 2 wks 2 days notice, when I requested wk 4, not impressed and will be contacting the Board.

Yes, I haven't been able to load it at all.

I was glad to read this because I thought I was going mad. I originally said to a pupil that if they hadn't heard by the 25th, it wouldn't be before the 18th. When I looked again, this had changed, but I thought I'd just made an error originally. Agree that the site is very slow too.

I'm a little surprised by some of the comments about the lack of notice/preferred week. I've always understood (confirmed in the Regs) that the minimum notice is two weeks, and that there are absolutely no guarantees about any of the other requests such as preferred weeks etc. Is this not the case?

I see that the dates have changed again. Originally, exams for the week beginning 25th June should have been notified by 1st June. That has now changed to 7th. This is not good enough and I feel that the Board should not keep altering things. I have asked for the week beginning 25th and told my students that, all being well, I should hear this week whether or not we have been allocated our chosen week. I am now unable to fulfil this.

If the board cannot stick to its timetable, then it should not publish one.

I also have pupils due to take exams that week and have a lot of parents now wanting to know which day/time their exams will be. Looks like I won't be able to tell them yet, which isn't good news.

I've already had problems with 1 entrant being given the 1 date that I'd asked to be avoided ( a GCSE on 6 June ). When I phoned I got the distinct impression that they wanted me to prove I'd sent an email making the request with the application (yes I had their acknowledgement of it). I was asked to resubmit the request by email, I waited a week and, apart from their acknowledging the email, heard nothing and the original date remained online. I phoned again to be told there was nothing left at the exam centre for the whole exam period and what about going to a different centre. A space was finally found for the 9 June at an alternative centre. I don't understand why the rearranging couldn't have been done when I made the first phone call. What was the point of putting in another email & it not being acted upon?
I'm also now concerned for a block of 5 entries for which I put a last available date of 22 June. According to the timetable, appointments for that block should have been released at the latest by the 1st. Yet nothing is online and I'm worried that the last available date will be ignored

This year seems to be a total shambles from the ABRSM side. I got given a date today in week 2 for candidates I asked for week 6, and yes I know they can't guarantee anything, but I got these before I got dates for candidates I asked for week 3.

As it turns out I now have all the dates and they're all on the same morning, but in different venues. And I need to accompany them all. Well done ABRSM. (I'm also meant to be at a hen party that day, but that's going to have to go out the window!)

I spent over an hour on hold trying to sort it out this afternoon, eventually speaking to a very polite, but stressed, lady who said that they'd had people shouting at them all day. I did feel sorry for her, but I don't remember it ever seeming this disorganised, and surely you'd think they could get it figured out by now!?

Arghhhh!! I need a large glass of wine!

Gosh you need a tardis by the sound of it! I can't offer you a glass of wine, as there's none in the house, but we do have 3 hens if you wanted to arrange your own party (they drink real ale, but don't tell the RSPCA!)

Well I got notification today for exams on 25th June which is absolutely fine, so I'm 100% satisfied.

I think that some of the comments in this thread have been very harsh. The Board has a massive job to do and while we might think the system ought to be different, this is the way it is now so we have to go with it (please or leave!). They always point out that you can request dates, preferred weeks etc. etc. but there are absolutely no guarantees. I do wonder if some people's expectations are just too high. The table of notification dates is quite new and to my mind, it's at least one step up from nothing which is what it always used to be.

I got dates today for 28th & 29th June.

Got the rest of the dates today - 20 June & 22 June
I do understand the ABRSM has a massive task each exam session in organising timetables, and mostly successfully accommodating specific requests, but I think we should also keep in mind that music exams are not free or subsidised. We (on behalf of our entrants) are paying for a service and it's not unreasonable to expect the service provider (as in other industries) to provide the best possible service to the paying customer. If I request an exam date within a session excluding specifically 1 day I don't want to have to spend 45 minutes on the phone trying to reorganise it & having to accept an alternative centre as the only solution.

I've given up until after I'm back from France, having phoned...it must be...twelve, thirteen times...

Poor show, ABRSM, sorry.

I have always found the admin. folk at ABRSM to be eager to help and very approachable. Am fit to strangle both Board and a parent this session though. Having followed the prescribed entry instructions and explained to each pupil's parent about no guaranteeing the allocated appointment date,
one parent decides to phone the Board personally because the child is being taken out of school early to go on holiday... so why did the parent push to have the child do their exam this session?! I admit, I am annoyed that the Board divulged the date to the parent before I had been advised of it myself. It has caused a LOT of hassle for me. I'm now confronted by a major case of the tail wagging the dog here, but then with this particular parent I ought not really to be surprised if I'm honest.
Experience has equipt me with manys a way through this though

I still have no date.

I think the website was down for maintenance yesterday though and it did load up much more quickly today.

I know the board does only guarantee 2 weeks notice but I have usually had about 3, and I wonder if they need to rethink the notice period.

I can only speak for my own work but times have changed over the last few years and being able to get a specific time off with only 2 weeks notice is very difficult and trying to keep a full 6 week block fairly free is absolutely impossible. I'm very glad this is my last exam - even if I fail or have to withdraw because I can't make the date I won't be doing another one. It's just getting more unworkable for an adult with a full time job - due to changes in the work environment rather than the board changing.

I find ABRSM give more notice of exam dates than the other boards, in this area at least! The other boards are more flexible, in my experience anyway, and if I ask for a specific date to be avoided, I know it will be! LCM in particular are happy to avoid several days to fit in candidates doing GCSE, AS or A level whereas AB only give the option to state a preferred week, a last available date and if Saturdays don't suit.

There seems to be a change of personnel at AB now. The previous person was really nice and helpful. The current contact is more officious, abrupt and less helpful although I'm not sure how much that has to do with the AB's new policy for arranging exam appointments.

I had the exam appointment for a TG exam on 7th July yesterday.
I already knew the date as the centre I use only has one day.
The time is in the hour I'd requested.
Perhaps smaller numbers and local arrangements made locally makes the difference but I realise that even with that it's down to what the local rep is like and that it won't be the same everywhere.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose...

My experience with AB has always been excellent. In 11 years, I've only needed to rearrange three exams and I was able to do this very easily and they went out of their way to help. I never put a preferred week because it doesn't really make any difference - even if I did, candidates would still have to be ready for the first date in the session just in case. I've always had at least two weeks notice of dates too.

For LCM, the local rep used to ring up several months in advance, to (a) remind me when the closing date was, and (b) let me know which dates they were asking for (usually a main date and a reserve). They were always able to accomodate any specific requirements, so overall, absolutely fantastic.

For the few times I've TG, it has been chaos. One on occasion, the date given in the booklet was wrong, but no one thought to say. On another the local rep ignored the request I made about it not clashing with a GCSE exam, and on another, the local rep changed all the dates and times at the very last minute. It was awful and, along with other things, has very much coloured my opinion of TG; however, I totally accept that a lot is down to what the local rep's like...

I must have been very fortunate this time round judging by other comments! I received notice by email 30th May for my exam on 22nd June, so well over three weeks notice. As it conflicted with a holiday, I then rang to change it on 31st, and managed the whole conversation within 12 minutes and changed it to another exam centre. By 1st June, I had the email to let me know that my exam is now 27th June, so again, over 3 weeks notice

P.S. I'm not a teacher, but I thought I'd just help out with dates/notice etc

One of the teachers I'm accompanying for this term has now had her date, June 21st, in week 2. She was hoping for week 5. I think she heard on June 1st.

Thanks for joining in, Clarflutegal. Seer_Green, your experience with TG changing dates and times at the last minute matches experiences I had with Guildhall before the merger, whereas I'd always found Trinity College very efficient. Some TG candidates in this area had late notifications last term - I accompanied a G8 bassoon exam with just over a week's notice, I think because the regular accompanist couldn't juggle regular commitments in time.

Indeed - I found out yesterday (the 9th) that my exam will be on the 28th June so it looks like the time table has slipped again. Fortunately it does seem to be in a slot I can do without having to rearrange lots of meetings so feeling quite relieved.

Heard today that my exams are in week 5 - 3 on Wednesday 4th July, 3 on Thursday 5th. I asked for week 6 because one pupil doing 2 exams is not even in the UK in week 5, and neither am I, and I'm accompanying him for one of his exams. It's rather awkward for all the others too although I'm hoping all except one will be able to attend the date and time given. I did expect this - I was told by the local rep that they'd requested weeks 5 and 6, but then heard they'd only got part of week 5 as there weren't many entries, so I already knew I'd have to rearrange.
What has made me a bit cross though is that they've put the 2 Grade 8 exams right next to each other - that's one candidate doing 2 Grade 8s. He's timetabled for his piano exam first, followed immediately by his singing exam - so that's a whole hour of Grade 8 exams with no break When I rearraange I shall make sure he gets a bit of a rest before the second exam.

I thought the Board would always put your candidates in the order you put them on the entry form. Could that be why it's happened?

I've now had my third exam date, July 6th at the end of week 4. The teacher asked for week 5 but it's possible the centre (Basingstoke) isn't running then. I think she got the date on June 11th.

Wouldn't mind a bit of advice from the more experienced....
(Only three years of entering students for ABRSM exams experience here).

So I always request week 6, and so far have always got it. This time I have one of my candidates scheduled for week 2! The kid has just been away for half term, won't have practised, and will no way be ready to do the exam in week 2. After five days of getting an engaged tone from ABRSM (starting on the day I received the email notification), I've finally had an email response, which I've replied to suggesting four additional exam centres, as well as a willingness to do week 5. Had a reply back saying they will send me another letter if they succeed in rescheduling it, but we should be ready to do the exam on the date specified.

I'm dreading contacting the parents - I'm pretty sure the child is going to go into a massive panic (as well he might) and not want to take the exam now, due to the break from practising and not being quite ready. I think best case scenario would be if the parents were to get a refund and the child sit the exam next term, if the date can't be changed - but I don't suppose that will be allowed.

From those who have been in similar situations before - what is the best way to deal with this?

That's lucky.

I'm afraid that the Board clearly say that they don't guarantee any of these requests and that exam candidates should be prepared to take the exam the first week in the session. Whilst they will usually try and rearrange, their hands are tied to a certain extent - someone else needs to cancel/change in order for a space to become available.

I don't think you'll get a refund unless you can provide a doctor's certificate indicating the child was too ill to sit the exam.

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but the reality of the system as it stands at the moment is that once the entry is in, you could potentially get any date within the session. This is why we have little option but to have candidates ready for the first date in the session...just in case. We might have a lot of reservations about the system as it stands, but if we sign up to use it, we haven't really got any choice.

One thing you could try in the future is contacting your local rep to see whether they'll give an indication of which week they've requested.

Thanks Seer Green - pretty much what I expected to hear. I guess I should let this be a lesson to me regarding getting all students ready in good time - must have been lucky in the past with always getting my requested week. A bit nervous about contacting the parent, think I will offer an extra half hour extension free onto tomorrow's lesson, which should help.
And ironies abound - another student who *is* ready ahead of time, has got a week 6 date with TG in the post today. Wish I could swap them around!

My other four pupils got confirmation of exams on 6th July on Tuesday : happily no need to phone the Board for these ones! But the other pupil's exam is still unresolved - and it should have been yesterday

Not good for your 'yesterday' pupil, Barry!

My candidates are getting a bit twitchy - because I indicated that I'd most likely have their appointments in the middle of last week - and of course we are still waiting to hear.

Yes, I'm still waiting for one appointment, which according to their timetable, must be in the last week of the session.