The Performance Awards and Grades are provided in conjunction with London College of Music Examinations (LCME), part of the University of West London.
LCME are one of the most innovative music examination boards in the UK, and also assess music students worldwide.
There are three levels of assessments available for ECaM pupils to take; Step 1, Step 2 and Grade 1.
In each PAG book there are five exercises, five pieces, a composition section and a glossary.
For an individual assessment, students must play three of the five exercises, and three of the five pieces, and answer three questions on the written music (all relevant information will be present in the glossary).
An original composition made with the guidelines in the Composition section of a PAG book can replace one of the pieces in an assessment.
Depending on their mark, students can achieve Pass, Merit or Distinction.
Successful students will receive a certificate awarded by the
The assessments need to be filmed for the purpose of moderation (quality control) by LCME. You will need to ask your students to have permission slips signed by their parents before they take their assessment. These are available by emailing [email protected]
These awards are a great incentive for your students to work hard and commit to practicing at home. Explaining this goal as soon as you begin teaching a group is a good way to initiate momentum and is highly recommended.
These assessments are the quantifiable output of the Every Child a Musician programme and are essential to its continuation in the future. Your role as an ECaM tutor is to bring your students to a level at which they can take their first, or next level of PAG assessment.
Booking an Assessor
When you feel that some or all of the students in any of the groups that you teach are ready to take an assessment, you will need to book an assessor.
Each of your sessions will have a designated assessor who you will need to contact. To find out which assessor is designated to your session (if they have not contacted you already), and their contact details, email an enquiry to [email protected]
You should then contact your assessor and ask to arrange a date for assessment.
The assessor will come to the school during your normal session time and assess your students one by one in a separate room, while you teach as normal.
You will need to let the class teacher and music coordinator know about the arrangements for assessments, and enquire about the use of a room in the school on the day you have booked for assessments.