school appeals panel on thursday need experiences

securityguy

Madmel wrote: »

Point A - I do not wish to come across as heartless, but given your DD has been learning the piano for 6 years, approaching grade 3 is approximately half the progress I would expect an able musician to make. My own DDs started learning instruments at the age of 4. DD1 was grade 5 with distinction plus grade 5 Theory at the age of 10, and DD2 grade 4. I would class them as able but not necessarily gifted, although DD2 is actually the better musician. These were on stringed instruments, which many schools value more than pianists because they can play in orchestras and bands which showcase the school.

They could probably be Grade VIII with distinction on two instruments plus Grade VIII theory for all the odds it makes.

Is musical ability part of the school's published admission criteria? If so, there will have been some sort of test. Such things are going out of fashion, but schools with old-style specialisms that were in force prior to 2008 are permitted to admit up to 10% of the cohort on a test (Admissions Code, 1.24, 1.29). The school has to publish all the details of the process by which the 10% is selected (1.27). As there's now no funding for old-style specialisms, it's not at all clear why school would want to do this, other than as a bit of back-door selection. Given the prospect of endless challenges it probably isn't worth the effort, and certainly all my local schools have abandoned it.

The test has to be of aptitude, not prior ability, although it's a distinction honoured very much in the breach (1.32(a)). Music aptitude is normally tested with some sort of aural test. If there were such a test, what was the OP's daughter's score? Are they arguing that she should have scored higher? In which case, it's possible that the aural test component of a piano exam could be used, although it would be pretty tenuous, especially given the nature of Grade II.

But if a test of musical ability is not part of the admission criteria, just what is the relevance? Even given impressive attainment the school cannot use it as grounds for admission, and admission appeals cannot override the published criteria. Otherwise the whole process turns into a bidding war of certificate-based appeals, a bidding war where (I'm afraid to say) Grade II piano would hardly be a winning hand.

thegirlintheattic

None of your arguments are strong I'm afraid. Good luck anyway.