Music Qualifications in South Wales, UK

GCSE

A GCSE is available through Mayzmusik in Music, Drama and Dance through the WJEC and AQA examining boards, please click onto the links below to find out more about each course.

GCSE Performing Arts

For more information, please contact our Head of Curriculum Lisa-Marie .

AS and A-Level

A levels are made up of the AS level and the A2. Each part makes up 50 per cent of the overall A level grade.

AS level

The AS level can be either a free standing qualification, or be valued as the first half of the full A level.

At the end of the AS year, you have two options (depending on the preference of your school or college):

* take the AS level qualification only

or:

* continue to the second year and go for the full A level

Year two: the A2

In year two of a full A level, you take the A2 - this is not a separate qualification, but the second half of the A level. The A2 is designed to deepen the knowledge you gained during the AS level.

WJEC

The Welsh Joint Education Committee is the Welsh board of vocational exams. The majority of state schools in Wales are varified by the WJEC for both GCSE's and A-levels.

Currently available through Mayzmusik is the GCE & GCSE Music, GCSE Performing Arts and GCE & GCSE Drama Qualifications.

AQA

The Assessment & Qualifications Alliance is one of the UK's boards of vocational exams. Many schools throughout England, Wales & Scotland are varified by the AQA for both GCSE's and A-levels.

Currently available through Mayzmusik is the GCE & GCSE Dance

Rockschool

Individual, Performance & Band Performance

Rockschool Ltd Individual Grades are exams based on Rock, Pop & Funk music. A large emphasis is put on performance and individual style in the exam. All Rockschool Individual Qualifications above a Grade 6 are currency towards UCAS University applications.

Rockschool Ltd have devised a method where by students can gain performance-only qualifications, as opposed to the full graded qualifications. These are ideal for candidates who would still like to gain a music qualification without the added pressure of the technical work being examined.

Both the individual and band grades involve the performance of 5 pieces of either Grade 3, 5 or 8 standard. Please not that performance & band grades DO NOT have a currency with UCAS.

ABRSM

The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) is one of the longest standing awarding bodies in Music. Syllabuses are available through the ABRSM in both Classical Music and Jazz.

2007 saw the launch of the ABRSM Jazz Flute syllabus which is available through Mayzmusik.

All ABRSM Exams above Grade 6 are currency towards UCAS University applications.

London College of Music

The London College of Music (LCM) is part of the University of the West of London who are based in Ealing & Slough. The LCM offer both classical and jazz syllabuses as well as courses in Musical Theatre.