If you or your child want recognised progress, graded exams are a brilliant way to stay motivated and measure how far you’ve come. I prepare students for both Trinity Rock & Pop and RSL (Rockschool) guitar exams, all the way up to Grade 8, which is the grade I hold myself.
We work through the graded pieces, technical exercises, and the listening and improvisation elements, plus techniques for managing nerves on exam day. There’s no rush. We enter you for a grade only when you’re ready and confident.
11+ music scholarships and music aptitude tests
Several secondary schools in and around North London offer Year 7 places or scholarships for musical children. Places usually involve a short music aptitude test (listening), followed by a performance of a piece your child chooses, and guitar is accepted.
How I help with 11+ music auditions
- Choosing an audition piece that shows your child at their best, then preparing it to performance standard
- Mock auditions, so the real day feels familiar
- Sight-reading and aural practice, where a school includes them
- Graded exams (RSL and Trinity Rock & Pop), where a school asks for evidence of your child's standard
Local schools with music places or scholarships
These details are for September 2027 entry, and registration for 2027 has now closed at the state schools listed. Families of children now in Year 5 should look out for the 2028-entry forms, which some schools open from January. Independent-school scholarship deadlines for 2027 entry run into November 2026. Always check the school's own admissions policy.
- Latymer School (Edmonton): up to 20 music places for children who also qualify through its academic tests and live in its Inner Area, judged on evidence of musical standard and an audition including sight-reading and aural tests
- Ashmole Academy (Southgate): 20 music aptitude places: a listening test, then a short performance
- Dame Alice Owen's School (Potters Bar): up to 10 music places for children in its priority areas, which include parts of N13, N14, N21 and EN4
- Mill Hill County High School: up to 24 music aptitude places: a one-to-one listening test and a performance of up to 2 minutes, with electric and bass guitar welcome
- Kingsmead School (Enfield): up to 10% of places across music, drama, dance or art, with an audition or workshop and a portfolio of certificates
- Independent schools such as Haberdashers', North London Collegiate, Channing, Highgate and Forest offer music scholarships and awards. Standards vary by school and award, from around Grade 3 for some awards to Grade 5 and above for many scholarships; some ask for a second instrument or voice, and schools differ on guitar (Forest, for example, welcomes electric guitar and bass), so check each school's requirements
The listening tests are designed to measure natural musical aptitude, and schools say no preparation is needed, so I don't offer test coaching. What lessons do give is a confident, well-prepared performance. Most schools ask families to register during Year 5 or early in Year 6, some from January of Year 5, so the best time to start is early in Year 5.
Can a child audition on guitar for an 11+ music place?
Yes. Schools accept a piece on the child's own instrument, and some explicitly accept electric guitar.
Do my child's guitar grades count?
Some schools and scholarships ask for evidence of standard (for example Latymer, Kingsmead and independent schools); others say grades aren't considered. Check each school's policy and we'll prepare accordingly.
When should we start preparing?
Ideally early in Year 5. Some schools open registration from January of Year 5, so check each school's dates.
Can you prepare my child for the music aptitude listening test?
Schools say it needs no preparation, so I focus on the performance, where lessons make the real difference. I can explain what the day involves so it feels less daunting.