Fair Access Guidelines for Theory Exams

These guidelines contain information for candidates with specific needs taking an ABRSM Music Theory exam starting in November 2021.

These guidelines bring together information for candidates with a wide range of specific needs in one place for convenience.

Before reading these guidelines, we recommend you also read our Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments Policy, which can be found at www.abrsm.org/specificneeds.

ABRSM is grateful to the British Dyslexia Association for their guidance relating to candidates with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs).

While we endeavour to enable access to our exams for all candidates, there may be instances where we are not able to meet your needs or where a Music Theory exam is not the most appropriate option. If you are considering a Music Theory exam in order to proceed with Practical grades 6 and above, you may wish to consider alternative prerequisite qualifications such as our Practical Musicianship exams or a Grade 5 in a solo jazz instrument.

Preparing for an exam

You should review the information in these guidelines before making an exam booking.

If none of the available access options adequately reflects your specific needs, or you are unsure what you are entitled to, please contact the Access Coordinator before making the exam booking.

Entering for the exam and selecting access options

If you have specific needs relating to the exam, please ensure you select the most relevant access option on the booking form. The option you choose should reflect the access arrangements   to which you are entitled and your usual way of working.

You are only able to select one access option. If you need to select more than one, please prioritise requesting alternative format papers such as large print. Please then contact the Access Coordinator as soon as you have completed your booking to discuss your additional requirements.

It is important that you select the relevant access option for each exam even if you have requested access arrangements or reasonable adjustments previously.

Please note that ABRSM is unable to provide reasonable adjustments or access arrangements where we are notified after the exam booking has been made.

Access arrangements or reasonable adjustments will not appear on the booking confirmation, but you will be able to see this by logging into your account and viewing your bookings.

Supporting evidence

In order to grant reasonable adjustments or access arrangements, ABRSM requires appropriate supporting evidence. Please refer to our Specific Needs Policy for further information.

Grades 1 to 5

About the Online Theory Exam

Our Music Theory exams at Grades 1 to 5 are now taken online. You can find full details and guidance on the Online Music Theory pages of our website. Here you will also find guidance on where and when you can take the exam as well as the technical requirements.

Video and audio recording

All candidates will be filmed for the duration of the exam via the webcam and exam software and all exam recordings are reviewed before results are released. Please see our Remote Proctoring Policy here for full details of this process.

Accessibility options within the online system.

Within the online system that hosts the exam, there are options for enhancing the 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.

Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments for Grades 1 to 5

Additional time

We offer additional time to complete the exam for candidates with a range of health conditions and disabilities such as specific learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders, 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 follows:

• 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 on the online booking form.

Stop the clock rest breaks

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 may be used by candidates with a range of health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, epilepsy, physical disabilities or anxiety disorders. Please select the most appropriate    option on the online booking form.

If you require 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 are not able to continue to view any exam content but stay in view of the web-cam. If you need to leave the exam room during any stop the clock rest breaks, please contact the access coordinator at the time of booking so we can make the necessary arrangements.

If you need both extra time to complete the exam and stop the clock breaks, you should choose the appropriate option on the booking form. 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.

Amanuensis

An amanuensis is someone who may either read the questions, write down your answers, or both. Please see our guidelines for working with an amanuensis available from www.abrsm.org/specificneeds.

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.

You will need to return a signed copy of the amanuensis agreement.

Prompter

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, or write down your answers, or assist in any other way.

Alternative formats

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.

Notes:

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 on the booking form and confirm your requirements in writing to the Access Coordinator at the time of making the 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 Access Coordinator ahead of making the exam booking to allow time for your paper to be produced on demand.

Braille is produced in Unified English Braille. You will receive the standard 33% extra time by default. If you routinely receive more than this, you should contact the Access coordinator before making the exam booking.

Requirements for candidates working with hard copy paper exams

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 specificneeds@abrsm.ac.uk

The paper will then be sent to the candidate in advance of the exam but must remained sealed until the time of the exam and only 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 the paper has been dispatched, ABRSM will send a link by email to download the necessary software. It is not possible 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 ABRSM and seal the envelope on camera to show it is not possible for any amendments to be made to the exam paper. This should then be returned to ABRSM for marking.

Grades 6 to 8

Our Music Theory exams at Grades 6 to 8 remain paper-based and will continue to be taken either at an ABRSM Public Venue or Private Visit arranged by the applicant.

Access arrangements and reasonable adjustments for Grades 6 to 8

Additional time

We offer additional time to complete the exam for candidates with a range of health conditions and disabilities such as specific learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders, visual impairments and candidates using an amanuensis. The additional time is as follows:

• Grades 6 to 8: 60 minutes

Please select the most appropriate option on the online booking form.

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 on the online booking form.

Stop the clock rest breaks

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 may be used by candidates with a range of health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, epilepsy, physical disabilities or anxiety disorders. Please select the most appropriate    option on the online booking form.

If you need both extra time to complete the exam and stop the clock breaks, you should choose the appropriate option on the booking form.

If you need to leave the exam room during any stop the clock rest breaks, please contact the access coordinator at the time of booking so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Amanuensis

An amanuensis is someone who may either read the questions, write down your answers, or both. Please see our guidelines for working with an amanuensis available from www.abrsm.org/specificneeds.

If you request an amanuensis, a paper copy of the exam will be sent to the address you provide. You will need to hand the invigilator a signed copy of the amanuensis agreement.

If you require an amanuensis, we shall arrange a separate room and invigilator if you are taking your exam at a Public Venue.

Prompter

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, or write down your answers, or assist in any other way.

Alternative formats

You may choose from the following alternative format exam papers.

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

Notes:

If you require a different coloured exam paper, you should select the appropriate option on the booking form and confirm your requirements in writing to the Access Coordinator at the time of making the 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 paper on demand for candidates who require customised enlargement and modification. You should send details of your requirements to the Access Coordinator ahead of making the exam booking to allow time for your paper to be produced on demand.

Braille is produced in Unified English Braille. You will receive the standard 33% extra time by default. If you routinely receive more than this, you should contact the Access coordinator before making the exam booking.

Access to the exam venue

If you require step-free access or use a wheelchair, please select the most appropriate option on the online booking form. If you require a separate room, prefer a seat at the front or back of the exam room, or have any other access requirements, please contact the Access Coordinator before making the exam booking. For candidates requiring a separate room we do require Supporting Documentation confirming this is necessary.

Other access options

For face to face music theory exams, you can also select from a list of other conditions/disabilities if you wish. This will ensure that the steward and invigilator are aware. If, for example, you have visual impairment and require large print, please select the large print option above.

• Step-free access required
• Wheelchair access required
• Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
• Sight difficulties requiring no alternative tests/paper
• Hearing impairment requiring no interpreter or alternative tests’
• Autism
• Social and communication difficulties
• Selective mutism
• Epilepsy
• Anxiety disorders
• Tics
• Stammers
• PTSD
• Emotional or behavioural difficulties
• Diabetes