Fair access guidelines for Music Theory exams

All candidates are filmed for the duration of the exam via the webcam and exam software and all exam recordings are reviewed before results are released.

Within the online exam there are options for enhancing accessibility for candidates with vision impairments or specific learning difficulties. These include the option to zoom in and to change the background and foreground colour. 

We offer additional time to complete the exam for candidates with a range of health conditions and disabilities such as specific learning difficulties, autism, visual impairments and candidates using an amanuensis. Our standard extra time is equivalent to 33% (see below). If you normally receive 25% extra time, you should select this option. 

The standard additional time is as: 

• Grades 1 to 3 - 30 minutes 
• Grades 4 and 5 - 40 minutes 

We also offer 50% and 100% extra time, but you should only select these options if you have evidence to support this and it is your usual way of working. 

Please select the most appropriate option when you book using our online service.

This option is available if you need to take breaks during the exam where it is your usual way of working. Extra time is available of up to 20 minutes for each hour of the exam. This option is available to candidates with a range of health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, epilepsy, physical disabilities or anxiety disorders. Please select the most appropriate option when you book using our online service. 

If you need any stop the clock rest breaks, you should say this aloud to the camera so the proctor (remote invigilator) is aware. When you take your break, you should move away from the computer so that you cannot view any exam content but are still in view of the webcam. If you need to leave the exam room during any stop the clock rest breaks, please contact the Specific Needs Team when you book so we can make arrangements. 

If you need extra time to complete the exam as well as stop the clock breaks,  choose the appropriate option when you book. The additional time for any rest breaks required will be added to the online system if this is how you chose to take your exam. 

An amanuensis is someone who may either read the questions, write down your answers or both. If you request an amanuensis, you can choose whether you wish to take the exam online or whether you prefer to complete a hard copy exam paper. Please see the requirements for candidates working with hard copy paper exams below.  

Anyone can act as an amanuensis as long as they meet these criteria: 

• The amanuensis should be musically literate and educated to at least the equivalent level of the exam being taken. 
• Ideally, the amanuensis should have worked with you at least once before, either in music lessons or in another exam. If this is not possible, we advise that you and the amanuensis have enough time to practise before the exam. 
• We ask that the amanuensis is not your music teacher or a relation, unless absolutely necessary. 

Who can use an amanuensis? 

If you are unable to access the written paper or write down your answers, you can ask to use an amanuensis. 

Examples 

• A candidate who is visually impaired and cannot access a large print or braille paper may use an amanuensis to read the questions and write down their answers. 
• A candidate with specific learning difficulties may use an amanuensis to either read the questions or write their answers down, or both. 
• A candidate who has a physical disability or a long-term or chronic injury may use an amanuensis to write down their answers. 

If you would like to use an amanuensis, select this option when you book. 

Who will the amanuensis be? 

It is your responsibility to provide an amanuensis. If you are unable to find one, please contact the Specific Needs Team no later than three weeks before your exam. We are not able to provide an amanuensis.  

Where will the exam take place? 

You may take the exam anywhere you wish in line with our published guidelines. You should ensure that the amanuensis can see the screen and that they are in shot of the camera at all times. 

Monitoring 

The exam will be videoed and recorded using your device’s webcam and microphone. Videos and recordings will be reviewed to ensure that the support offered is in line with these guidelines. 

Please ensure you have read and understood these guidelines for working with an amanuensis. It is important that the amanuensis does not read questions in such a way that offers an advantage to candidates. 

Will there be extra time? 

We provide the following extra time allowance to candidates using an amanuensis, as long as you request this when you book:  

• Grades 1–3: 30 minutes 
• Grades 4–5: 40 minutes                                                           
• Grades 6–8: 60 minutes 

If you routinely receive longer than 25% extra time for exams, please let us know when you book your exam so that we can ensure this is available. 

Exam papers 

You may request a hard copy paper if you have difficulties accessing or reading from a computer screen. Please select the option that most closely describes your requirements, for example ‘candidate with specific learning difficulties requiring a large print paper’. 

If you request an additional hard copy exam paper, including a paper in large or modified print or Braille, this should be opened in front of the camera after logging in to the online system. 

Applicant’s responsibilities 

• Inform us at the time of entry that your candidate requires an amanuensis by selecting the relevant access provision on the entry form 
• Provide us with the name and address of your candidate’s amanuensis as soon as possible and no later than three weeks before the exam if you require a hard copy exam paper 
• Ensure that information is passed on to the amanuensis, as a signed agreement is required in order that the exam be validated 

Candidate’s responsibilities 

• Abide by the exam regulations 

Our  responsibilities 

• Provide you with results in a format that you are able to access on request. 

Guidance for readers and scribes 

Anyone acting as an amanuensis for a Music Theory exam should be musically literate and educated to at least the equivalent level of the exam being taken. The candidate will be aware of this and may be embarrassed about dictating answers to you. It is therefore important that you are calm, quiet, reassuring (if appropriate) and patient. If a candidate needs you to amend answers you have already inputted, you must appear not to mind. Do not feel uneasy if there is a lot of silence during the exam – the candidate needs space to think through questions and to consider their answers. 

Preparing for the exam 

You should ensure you have read and understood the syllabus for the exam in question. 

You should have worked with the candidate as their amanuensis at least once, either in music lessons or in another exam. If this is not possible, the candidate should arrange opportunities to practice with you. Practice questions are available on our Music Theory practice resources page.

Before the exam you should agree the following with the candidate: 

• What is required – a reader, a scribe or both? 
• Would the candidate like to be reminded of the time at any point? At what interval(s)? Note there is a clock on screen. 

You will be required to read and sign the Amanuensis Agreement and hand this to the invigilator before the exam begins.  

During the exam the amanuensis will: 

• Proceed according to the 'Working with your Amanuensis' material found in these guidelines 
• Read or re-read all or any part of the question or given answer as requested by the candidate at any point during the exam 
• Answer questions exactly as they are dictated by the candidate 
• Make any corrections as directed by the candidate 
• Give the spelling of any word which occurs in the question paper if requested, but ask the candidate for spellings of any technical terms used in the candidate’s answers 
• Give the candidate a choice at the beginning of the exam as to whether they would like to be reminded of the time and at what intervals, and advise accordingly 

 The amanuensis will not: 

• Lead the conversation or speak unless directed by the candidate 
• Give any undue assistance in answering any of the questions 
• Give any indication of whether the candidate’s answers are right or wrong 
• Read or re-read any questions or answers unless directed by the candidate 
• Give the spelling of any word which does not appear in the Theory paper 
• Advise the candidate regarding which questions to do, when to move on to the next question or the order in which the questions should be done unless prior permission for this type of assistance has been given by the Specific Needs team. 

After the exam you should hand in the exam paper to the invigilator and ensure that the signed Amanuensis Agreement has been submitted. 

Tips to help you

Remember to add bar lines where necessary in your answers. The amanuensis will always make it clear that there is a bar line when reading out musical examples but, when dictating your answers, you must remember to do this. The amanuensis will not automatically add them in on your behalf. 

Remember to observe any sharp or flat signs that are read out, and don’t forget to apply them wherever the relevant notes occur later. The amanuensis will read notes according to their position on the stave and will not remind you of any earlier key signature or accidentals. 

You may wish to have an extract read out several times, either in part or as a whole. 

You should be aware that at the higher grades, musical examples can be quite long. Where amanuenses are required to read out an example, you may need to work on your memorisation skills in order to remember what is being read to you and to make sense of the extract as a whole. 

You will need to return a signed copy of the Amanuensis Agreement. 

A prompter is someone who sits with you and may assist by helping you keep to time, suggest when to move onto the next question or to remind you to go back and check your work. A prompter is not able to read questions to you, write down your answers or help in any other way. 

You may choose from the following alternative format exam papers. 

If you select one of these formats, you will complete the exam on paper rather than online. Please see the requirements below for further details. 

• Standard print - with or without extra time. 
• Large print - with or without extra time and/or printed on different coloured paper. 
• Modified Print - with extra time. 
• Braille - with extra time. 

Standard print exam papers are available if you have difficulties reading from or focussing on computer screens. 

If you require different coloured exam papers, you should select the appropriate option when you book and confirm your requirements in writing to the Specific Needs Team at the time of booking. 

Large print is produced on A3 paper with a text size of roughly 16 font and a stave size of roughly 14mm, equivalent to approximately 140% enlargement. 

Modified print is produced on A4 on demand for candidates who require customised enlargement and modification. You should send details of your requirements to the Specific Needs Team before you book the exam to allow time for your paper to be produced. 

Braille is produced in Unified English Braille. You will receive the standard 33% extra time by default. If you routinely receive more than this, contact the Specific Needs Team before you book your exam. 

If you select one of the above alternative formats, or require a hard copy paper to complete the exam, you will still be filmed taking the exam but will not have access to an online version of the question paper.  

Immediately after the booking has been made you should provide the address of where the paper should be sent and Supporting Documentation confirming a hard copy paper is required. Please email this to [email protected].

We will send the paper to you before the exam. The exam paper must remained sealed in the envelope until the time of the exam and then opened in front of the camera once the exam has started. If the paper is opened in advance of this then we cannot accept the completed paper and the mark will be void. 

Once we have sent the paper, we will send a link by email to download the necessary software. You won't be able to launch the exam via your ABRSM account. On the day of the exam, you should run through the usual pre-exam checks including completing a room scan and showing your candidate ID. At the end of this process, you will be taken to an instruction page at which point you should open the sealed exam paper in front of the camera. You should show all pages to confirm they are blank. Once this has been done, the exam can start. 

Once you have completed your exam, you will need to put your completed exam paper in the return envelope provided by us and seal the envelope on camera to show it is not possible for any amendments to be made to the exam paper. You should then return the paper to us for marking.