Has anyone set up an online ABRSM Music Theory test?

[JudithS]

Hi, my sixteen-year-old is due to do her grade 5 ABRSM Music Theory test, which can now only be done online. Her music theory knowledge is good and she is not worried. However! I, the 'responsible adult' am an IT dunce and the instructions for setting up the exam are gobble-de-gook.

Has anyone here managed this? The instructions go back and forth and the 'helpful' videos repeat themselves, so I don't know what order to do things in.

We are planning for her to do the exam tomorrow (Thursday 1st August) to fit around other family events/holiday and I have spent the past WEEK trying to understand the instructions, but I am getting more and more confused. I am an older parent, we had her late so computers came late into my life and I don't know anyone who could help us (I've tried e-mailing ABRSM to no avail.)

It says do the PSI Bridge Test first to check your computer system is OK.
Then it says create an account and log in.
Then it says start the exam.
THEN it says 'download the PSI software'! Haven't we already done that? How can she start the exam if we haven't already downloaded the software?!

I have many other questions but those are the main ones!
Thanks and sorry if these sound stupid questions but please humour me.

Hopefully my daughter will comprehend the instructions better than I'm doing!

Roll on grade 6, when she can just do the exam in a hall, like normal.

DD did it last week. Good lord, it was confusing. Took an hour to set up and an hour to complete the exam.

I had to re-enter the room several times to help with the set up before the questions began, so I hope that didn’t disqualify her.

It's now 28 days since my daughter sat the exam but the ABRSM portal still shows the results as 'Pending'😶 which is annoying as she needs the result for Sixth Form College next week when term starts. Obviously I am worried that ABRSM will say we did something wrong e.g. the room scan wasn't quite right!

FINALLY! The result came in yesterday evening, several hours after the 28-day mark passed. She passed and was one single mark of a distinction!

Great news and Congratulations !!
Thanks for coming back to update us.

I had been wondering how she did, OP. It's been 28 days now for DD too, so hoping for a result soon.

Any news?

She got a distinction, onwards to grade 3 now and we get to do it all again! Thanks for checking in.

Hi, I realise that this is an old thread, but we are in the position of DC being supposed to do the Grade 5 theory test, but not understanding how to set it up.

There are various issues about setting up the webcam as they want and also husband and DC (who are the tech ones) think the laptops we have, though quite recent ones, have some issues with the systems needed to run.

DC has been revising for other exams which have more consequence in their outcome and I have been trying to get this sorted for the whole holidays.

I even looked into hiring a room in the local library in case that would be a better set up.

Their school has a policy of not disturbing teachers outside working hours, which I agree with, so I didn't contact the school. I did message ABRSM some days ago, but not reply yet, fair enough it is a holiday/ bank holidays.

Then on Easter Sunday we got messages from the school asking about the ABRSM exam.

The final day for the exam to be done within 28 days of booking is today.

I messaged the school back and explained, but haven't had a reply yet.

I am wondering if there is anything else I ought to do. DC (who is neurodivergent) is adamant they aren't doing the exam at this point. It all seems a bit unsatisfactory in all sorts of ways. Wouldn't it be easier for them just to do an exam like this in school in a free period, which they have in their timetable? Why would it need to be done at home?

And is it likely that ABRSM can just reorganise the exam for a better time?

Most schools won’t facilitate it. ABRSM need to provide a better service!

I think ABRSM has deteriorated a lot. It was such a hassle when my daughter did it last summer and the fact it's impossible to just pick up the phone to them and ask someone straight away is unprofessional. Even some of their practical exams are online now which strikes me as not fit for purpose. My daughter went on to do grade 6 piano and passed but what they didn't tell us (are we meant to be psychic?) was that they don't now send you a nicely printed certificate to put on the wall, you have to go online and order and pay a few quid more.

Sorry, Gunnersforthecup, none of this answers your questions. I wonder if there is another school in your area with a strong music department (maybe a private school even?) where perhaps they host group exam sessions that your child can attend. I believe some schools do this.

Quite a lot of people are switching to Trinity's music theory exam as a lot less faff.

ABRSM accept that in place of their own one for practical exam grades 6+

We couldn't manage to get the software to work at all and DD then refused to do it again (ABRSM did refund the exam fee). We don't do exam grades for instruments, so I got her a music theory tutor 1:1 for 6 months instead to focus on really nailing the bits of theory she actually really needs for what she does (music theory for song-writing with a focus on pop and electronic music).

https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/music/grade-exams/theory