WGBS

[zemruk]

Hi,everyone. I am new at forum. Just wondering who done a music test for wgbs. Which grade your kids are? Anyone done singing test,if yes, please post your experience. Would be very helpful for all of as. Thanks

[Daogroupie]

WGBS is part of the Watford Consortium, all exams are the same so if you do a search on music and Watford you will find plenty of threads on this including ones by me! You need to pass an aural test first, many students with very high grades do not pass this and many with no grades at all do. It is a test of potential not ability. DG

[zemruk]

thanks, for promt reply. I do know about tests. Just was interesting which music grades children got in Herts area.( we recently moved here).as a result don't know anything about watford. Propably only about the schools and parks.....
Thank you,anyway

[Daogroupie]

It is not about grades, it is about ability and potential. But threads here mention many students without grades getting music places. It will also depend on the instrument. The students on rare instruments will be snapped up for the orchestras. Even a student who had only played recorder in assembly getting a place at Parmiters. If you gave us a bit more info it would be helpful. All these schools want orchestral players so pianists and singers are less likely to get a place. DG

[3b1g]

My son scored 33 in the audition, which was enough for WBGS. He has his bronze award (approx. Grade 1 equivalent) on the descant recorder but chose to sing in the audition. He sang his song thinking it was a warm-up / run-through rather than the real thing. He felt that it hadn't gone very well.

[zemruk]

My son scored 33 in the audition, which was enough for WBGS. He has his bronze award (approx. Grade 1 equivalent) on the descant recorder but chose to sing in the audition. He sang his song thinking it was a warm-up / run-through rather than the real thing. He felt that it hadn't gone very well.

thanks,will try to work out what is better.... to play on instrument or singing.... hard to decide....

[Cutting42]

I would be astonished if there was anything in playing orchestral instruments making a difference. Both my DC got in the WGSB and WGGS on music and both played piano. My DS had just completed his grade 2 and played one of his grade pieces for the audition and got a mark of 42. I think my DD had only just started working towards her grade 4 so was really grade 3 standard and I do not recall her mark, not sure we ever had it, just relieved that she got in

Only you and their music teacher can judge which route to go but getting to the audition is actually quite a challenge as the music test has caught out many high grade DC with some not even getting an audition. If you look at my previous posts I have written at length on the music entry test. We did coach for it but it did not make a huge difference to their scores if I compare their first attempt vs later attempts after practicing. However it does help with confidence knowing what to expect.

I should read all DAOGroupie posts first as I have repeated what she said

[zemruk]

"Cutting 42"
thanks for reply. Even if repeat...lol. Still useful.
Interesting whst the catchment area will be this year.we r only 800 metres from school. Shell we start walking aroun and spy where is boys 9-10 years old....

[Cutting42]

You are most welcome, I remember well the pain of this process.... twice!

The distance of 800m from WGSB would have been a bit marginal a year ago but now the cross sibling policy has returned, the distance places were slashed to around 300m for 2013 entry. Who can tell for next year but best prepare all avenues, academic and music as well. We were a couple of miles away so never even considered distance.

Best of luck and you are doing the right thing getting advice here.