When would you start preparing a pupil for a grade 1 exam? I know its different for everyone but when you you say they were ready? Im using piano time with some students, would you think that after book one they'd be ready to try some grade one stuff, even if its not exam pieces, or would you wait till book 2?

I generally teach them for a year or more before trying the Grade 1 as they have to be at a reasonable level of reading and co-ordination to even attempt it. A lot of the Level 1 beginner books cover the Grand Staff notes from low G (bass clef) to high F (treble clef) but I like to try and supplement this with further note reading if possible to the next set of C's...2 octaves above and below middle C. It all depends on the individual too. If they have good co-ordination, reasonable note-reading skills and most importantly are keen and ambitious then I put them onto Grade 1 even before the top and low notes have been learnt. There is also the Preparatory test which is good preperation to the Grade 1 level.
It may even be a good idea to try out a couple of Grade 1 type pieces just before starting the current syllabus.
Good Luck

Gae

If the pupil is otherwise confident and hasn't struggled with the end of the first book, yes. Assuming of course their sight-reading and scales are up to standard.

A lot of first books don't get anywhere near grade one, but Piano Time does, I reckon. Some of the pieces towards the end of PT1 are around grade one standard (eg p44). I sometimes find myself using PT bk2 after grade one, although the scales in the 2nd book are revision by that time, and it doesn't hurt to have done part of bk 2 before grade one if that's how it works out.

Most children take at least a year and some getting on for 2 years before taking grade 1.

My teacher had me on grade 1 after approximately 6 months when I was a child. No wonder I found it hard!

I think that the early early days of PT book 2 are when the standard for grade 1 begins to be reached. The moving about is introduced here and some students can find that really hard. Lots of practise of this is a good idea (I think) before G1 pieces are introduced. In the meantime the scales begin to be covered anyway. I have taken recently to getting students to transpose pieces they already know - makes them really listen and begin to understand 'key'. They seem to really enjoy (at least so far) the challenge of this!

Yes I use even basic transposition form C to G to help with listening and also intervallic reading. I find Dozen a Day exercises are quite good for transposing into early keys such as G F and D too.

I have got out of the habit of doing Dozen a Day (should try again sometime, shouldn't I!) but used to start transposing them when I had learned a whole Dozen. Really good practice.