GCSE students will no longer have to send written scores to pass exams

  • Usually GCSE music pupils must send exam board a recording of performance
  • Exam watchdog plans to scrap mandatory submission for some types of music
  • Music pupils learning genres such as rap and beatbox no longer to send scores

Rules relating to music exams are being relaxed so that teenagers performing ‘rap’ or ‘beatbox’ vocals are not disadvantaged.

Under current requirements, GCSE music pupils must send the exam board a recording of their performance, with a musical score showing the notes they play or sing along with.

But exam watchdog Ofqual plans to scrap the mandatory submission of a written score for some types of music. 

Rules relating to music exams are being relaxed so that teenagers performing ¿rap¿ or ¿beatbox¿ vocals are not disadvantaged

Rules relating to music exams are being relaxed so that teenagers performing ‘rap’ or ‘beatbox’ vocals are not disadvantaged

‘We believe that some flexibility is appropriate, as not all styles or genres of music use written scores – particularly those based on improvisation and contemporary genres such as rap,’ says a consultation document just published on the proposals.

Ofqual argues that the move will ‘broaden the range of music genres available in the performance assessment’. 

But critics are concerned it could undermine the exam’s rigour, give less incentive for candidates to read music to a high standard and be potentially unfair if some pupils are assessed against a score but others are not.

Charles Hart, the lyricist behind hits such as Phantom Of The Opera and Aspects Of Love, said he welcomed the move, but he added: ‘I think it would be doing students a disservice to deprive them of the ability to read music because it is very useful.’

Ofqual argues that the move will ¿broaden the range of music genres available in the performance assessment¿

Ofqual argues that the move will ‘broaden the range of music genres available in the performance assessment’