Appeals and feedback
Exam appeals and feedback
We hope you will not need to contact us about the quality of our exam service or your results. However, there may be occasions when this is not the case. Our Quality Assurance team is here to help with your concerns or questions.
On this page you can find information about how to submit a complaint or appeal. Please also read the information in our Marking Appeals Policy and exam feedback guidelines, available to download on this page.
Downloads
Positive feedback
We always love to hear about your positive exam experiences and pass feedback on to examiners, stewards and invigilators where possible. It’s easy to send us your positive feedback online
Practical Grades are audio recorded through the bespoke app that examiners use to run and mark exams. For Performance Grades, examiners have access to the uploaded video recording to assess the exam, but not afterwards. Our Quality Assurance team can request access to recordings to investigate any concerns and carry out a results review.
Music Theory Grades 1 to 5 – exams are computer-marked and there is only one correct answer to each question. These online exams are also video-recorded and reviewed to ensure they take place under exam conditions. Our Quality Assurance team has access to the video-recordings, providing sight of the desktop and webcam, and including audio. If needed, we can review the activity of each candidate during their exam.
Music Theory Grades 6 to 8 – exams are hand-marked by our team of examiners, who all undergo rigorous training and ongoing monitoring, to ensure accuracy and consistency of marking.
We do not return Music Theory exam papers after marking. As exam scripts they are exempt from rights of access under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR. It is also an essential measure to protect the integrity of the assessment in cases where the same paper is used for Music Theory exams in a different country at a later date.
Getting in touch
You can use our online service to send us your feedback or concerns, request a results review or submit a complaint. You can choose from the following options:
- Results review (instrumental and singing exams, Music Theory Grades 6 to 8) – request a results review
- Mark form feedback – submit a complaint
- Exam delivery concerns – submit a complaint
- Concerns about venues, customer service or an ABRSM representative – submit a complaint
You can also access these options directly using the ‘Help’ button at the top of the online service dashboard.
If you have any questions about how to send us your feedback or concerns, please email [email protected].
- Decisions about access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration
- Malpractice and maladministration penalties and sanctions
If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of an application for access arrangements, reasonable adjustments or special consideration, or would like to appeal a malpractice penalty or sanction, please follow the steps below.
- We must receive your appeal in writing within 14 days of the date when you received our initial decision. You should state the reason for your appeal and provide any supporting evidence.
- Use our online service to send us your appeal: submit a complaint
- Send your supporting evidence to: [email protected]
A senior member of staff who wasn’t involved in the original decision will review the appeal, taking into account all available evidence. You can expect to receive an outcome within three weeks of submitting the appeal.
If you have any questions about how to submit your feedback or concerns, please use the contact us form.
