OG - Other General Qualification
For information on the approval of qualifications for funding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, see the links to DCSF, DIUS, DCELLS, DELNI and DENI below.
When undertaking a qualification that does not appear on the governments' lists as eligible for funding for specific age ranges, users must be aware of legal requirements. Not all qualifications are suitable for all age ranges.
Australia - France - Hong Kong - India - Malaysia - Mexico - New Zealand - Singapore - South Africa - Spain - Switzerland - Thailand
The music grade exams provide an academic pathway into the industry for performers, songwriters and recording artists. It can be argued that grade exams by themselves are not strictly speaking ‘vocational’ in that they are not absolutely essential for entry into the world of professional music. However, they remain a positive means of determining musical and technical progress and enable students to learn the necessary instrumental techniques and styles to gain entry to FE and HE courses.
Rockschool grades are accepted for entry onto the undergraduate popular music courses of the following universities: Westminster, University College Salford, Bretton Hall College, Newcastle College, and Barnsley College amongst others. Rockschool grades are also accepted by many universities onto more mainstream undergraduate music courses. They are accepted as Accredited Prior Learning in Rockschool's Awards, Certificates and Diplomas for Music Practitioners, enabling candidates' achievements in their grade exams to be recognised in the assessment if the Instrumental Units. In addition, there are over 100 colleges of further education in the UK which offer a popular music or performing arts BTEC strand (either a National Diploma or Higher National Diploma). These qualifications are administered by Edexcel. Edexcel recognises Rockschool grades as a complement to its certificate and diploma courses in Music.
Graded examinations are by their nature independently assessed since they are carried out in a manner that is demonstrably independent of any individual who might have a vested interest in their outcome. Examiners sign a declaration stating that they will not examine any candidates known to them or with whom they have a vested interest.
Graded examinations are holistic in the sense that candidates prepare for an external examination event where they demonstrate their performing ability and are assessed for each component of the examination at the one event.
Candidates must select one unit from the list in the Qualification Structure section. These can be categorised as follows:
RSL Advanced Graded Examination in Music Performance - Grades 6, 7 & 8 in Electric Guitar, Electric Bass Guitar; Drum Kit; Popular Vocals.
RSL Advanced Graded Examination in Music Performance - Grades 6, 7 & 8 (Performance Certificate) in Electric Guitar, Electric Bass Guitar; Drum Kit; Popular Vocals.
RSL Advanced Graded Examination in Music Performance - Grades 6 & 8 in Electronic Keyboard; Popular Piano.
RSL Advanced Graded Examination in Music Performance - Grades 6 & 8 (Performance Certificate) in Electronic Keyboard; Popular Piano.