Certification
Four boards. One rule about when you sit.
We prepare students for graded and diploma examinations from four international boards — but only when the work is genuinely there. A pass scraped a year early is worth less than a distinction earned on time.
The boards
Which one is right depends on the student.
They are not interchangeable. Each suits a different kind of learner, and choosing well matters more than most people realise.
Trinity
Trinity College London
The board our founder examines through and is currently reading a Licentiate with. Trinity’s syllabus gives candidates unusually wide repertoire choice, which suits the way we teach.
United Kingdom
ABRSM
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
The most widely recognised graded music examination system in the world, and the most prescriptive. Excellent for students who benefit from a clearly defined path.
United Kingdom
LCM
London College of Music
Part of the University of West London. Strong contemporary and popular-music syllabuses alongside the classical track.
United Kingdom
MTB
MTB Exams
Recorded examinations, assessed from video. Useful for students who are remote, who find the examination room difficult, or who need to sit at a time of their own choosing.
United Kingdom
Board logos are displayed only where usage has been confirmed with the board in question.
How it works here
Four things that happen before any student sits.
- 01
Readiness, not the calendar
A student is entered when their teacher judges the work genuinely ready. We do not enter students to meet an annual quota, and we will tell you plainly if we think a year more preparation would produce a better result.
- 02
Forms, three to four months ahead
Examination forms are submitted three to four months before the session. The full syllabus is expected to be complete before they go in — not started, complete.
- 03
Preparation in the lesson
Pieces, technical work, sight-reading, aural and any supporting tests are prepared in the weekly lesson, alongside repertoire the student has chosen for themselves.
- 04
Mock performances
Every candidate plays their programme to an audience before the day. Our quarterly performance calendar exists partly for this — the examination should not be the first time a student has played the pieces to anyone.
Theory is not optional at the higher grades.
Most boards require a theory qualification before a candidate can enter the higher practical grades. Students who have studied theory properly all along find this a formality; students who have not find it a wall. We teach theory from early on for exactly that reason.
Theory of Music lessonsSitting examinations from outside India.
All four boards are British and internationally administered, with centres worldwide. A student we teach online can sit the same examination near them, and the certificate is identical. MTB examinations are recorded and assessed from video, so they can be taken from home entirely.
The international online programmeCommon questions
- Which examination boards are you affiliated with?
- Trinity College London, ABRSM, MTB, and the London College of Music.
- How do students enter for examinations?
- A student is entered when their teacher judges the work to be genuinely ready, not according to a fixed timetable. Forms are filed three to four months before the examination, and the full syllabus must be complete before they are submitted.
Not sure which board suits your child?
It is a genuine decision, and the wrong choice can make years of work harder than it needs to be. Talk to us and we will give you a straight recommendation.