Why take the 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test?

At Guitar Teacher Bushey, we understand the importance of a great education; not only as a means to future success and prosperity, but also for its own merits – to enable students to realise their full potential, to objectively form new perspectives and to enhance their understanding of the world around us. Indeed, as our maxim “growing in harmony” asserts, development itself is at the heart of what we do with students receiving a rounded music education with the instrument serving merely as the vehicle to achieving this goal.

For parents, helping their children get into the best school possible is extremely important. The 11 plus music aptitude test is a viable route. We offer support for students seeking entry to schools in the South West Herts Consortium. This includes:

• Croxley Danes School
• Parmiter’s School
• Queens’ School
• Rickmansworth School
• St Clement Danes School
• Watford Grammar School for Boys
• Watford Grammar School for Girls

Other schools, such as Dame Alice Owen’s School, also run the same test.

How the 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test Works

Unlike with independent schools where more emphasis is placed on technical proficiency (typically with a recommended standard of grade five and above) the members of the South West Herts Consortium instead seek to identify innate musical ability. This is done in two stages.

Firstly, an aural paper where students are asked to identify different aspects of music, such as if the second of a two-note phrase is higher, lower or the same as the first.

Successful candidates will then be invited back to perform on their chosen instrument with the onus on musicality and feel. In this way, the schools seek to remove or at least diminish the advantage some students may have gained from years of instrumental study, thereby making the process as meritocratic as possible irrespective of previous opportunities.

There is a very helpful FAQ on the South West Herts Consortium page that we would recommend reading to get a better understanding of what is involved and help answer any question you may have.

Our 11 Plus Music Aptitude Workshops and Mock Tests cover the aural section of the test only. We recommend all students to select and practise a performance piece with their instrumental tutor. 

 

Who are the sessions for?

We offer both a workshop and mock tests to help prepare year 5 students for the first step of the 11+ Music Aptitude Test for SW Herts Consortium schools, including Croxley Danes, Parmiter’s, Queens’, Rickmansworth, St Clement Danes & Watford Grammar School. The sessions are not instrument specific and are suitable for students of any instrument, including drums and voice.

 

What students will learn in our 11+ MAT workshops

In our 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test workshops, students will focus on the first, aural stage of the 11 plus music aptitude test. We will guide them through the four areas of the test, give tips and techniques to help approach them and give learners the chance to practise and take mock exams. These lessons are NOT instrument specific. As such, all students are able to benefit from these sessions regardless of their previous experience.

We finish the course with a mock test so that students may practise what they have learned and assess their strengths and weaknesses. We also run additional mock tests throughout the year that students are welcome to sign up for.

“𝐽𝑎𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝐴𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑒. 𝑆ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘. 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐴𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑓𝑢𝑙.” 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑎, 𝑚𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟

 

Workshop Format

The 11+ Music Aptitude Test Workshop is a 9-hour course spread over three consecutive days during the school holidays. We run public groups but may also form private groups for friends or family members upon request.

 

Ongoing Support

We offer regular supervised practice sessions throughout the summer holidays. These are booked in one at a time and are completely optional so you won’t miss any lessons you’ve paid for if you go away.

The practice sessions are charged at £33 per class. Individuals receive 30-minutes, pairs 2 receive a 1-hour lesson and group of 3-4 receive a 90-minute lesson.

11+ MAT Mock Tests

We offer both digital and live 11+ Musical Aptitude mock tests so that learners can get a sense of the feeling of the exam and monitor their progress.

 

Digital 11+ Mock Tests

Our digital tests include:

• mp3 audio files
• blank answer sheets
• the answers
• music notation of what was played to help build understanding after the test

Digital mock tests may be purchased at:

• £50 for 9 tests
• £40 for 6 tests
• £30 for 3 tests

Get in touch to purchase digital mock tests

 

Live 11+ MAT Mock Tests

We run live mock tests where just like the real things, students will take 2-3 mocks in real time in our studio. In our opinion, whilst the digital mocks are a very useful practising tool, this live practise is irreplaceable in giving students a feel to taking the test in exam conditions.

 

What next?

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to purchase digital 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test mock exams to take in the comfort of your own home. To sign up for this years 11 Pus Music Aptitude Test Workshop or our live mocks, please click the sign up button below.

 

FAQ’s

 

About Us

Who is Guitar Teacher Bushey?

Peter Elliot formed Guitar Teacher Bushey in 2014. Since then, it has flourished into a larger music school with a team of 18 tutors offering tuition in most instruments in Bushey and surrounding areas for over 150 students.

How long have you been running 11 Plus Music Aptitude sessions for?

We ran our first session in 2019 so we’re now in our 6th year of running the sessions. The course has evolved a lot over this time as we’ve discovered what works and what doesn’t.

Where do the workshops and mock tests take place?

All workshops and live mock tests take place in our studio at 1 Trundlers Way, Bushey Heath, WD23 1GW. Parking is on the road with no permit required.

Who delivers the workshop?

All 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test workshops are delivered by our director Peter Elliot. Peter has been teaching guitar for 17-years and was the guitar tutor at Parmiter’s School for 8-years.

 

Preparing for the 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test

Does my child need to play an instrument?

Technically it is not a requirement of the first part of the test that a student is able to play an instrument or sing. However, it essential for the second part of the test where students are invited to perform a song on their instrument if they are successful in the first round.

Does it matter which instrument my child plays?

Not at all. Our workshop is aimed at students who play all instruments. The instrument the student plays will likely result in them being stronger in particular areas, such as the rhythm section for drummers.

Does my child need to be able to read notation?

Students do not need to be able to read the pitches. However, it is vital that students know the basic note values and can read simple rhythms.

Does my child need to understand music theory?

The 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test does not ask any theory questions directly. However, we we’ll use theory and musical vocabulary to help explain concepts in the workshop. Because of this, we would strongly recommend learning some basic theory to help prepare for the workshop.

How can we help our child prepare?

For the first part of the test, the more students actively listen to and play music the better. We’d recommend listening to a lot of classical music as this will offer a lot more variety than modern pop music. It’s also a good idea to take a look at our 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test Preparation page. If your child still needs help, we’d suggest asking their instrumental tutor to go through the content of the 11 Plus preparation with them. You’re also welcome to book some lessons with us, either one-to-one or in small groups pending demand.

Do we need a piano?

Ideally, yes. We used keyboards in the workshop and would strongly recommend all students have a piano at home, especially to practise texture. If you don’t have a piano at home, we’d recommend buying a second-hand keyboard from Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree. You can usually pick up something reasonable for around £70.

 

 

Second Stage of the Test

Can you help with the second part of the test?

Yes. Generally we recommend that students prepare a piece with their instrumental tutor as they are best positioned to help the students prepare. However, if you’d like a second opinion, you’re welcome to book in an additional one-to-one session if you’d like to. Please get in touch for prices and availability.

What grade level should my child be on their instrument?

The grade level on the students’ instrument or voice is only applicable to the second part of the test. There is no official minimum grade requirement as musicality and expression are paramount here. However, we would suggest a minimum of a grade 2 piece if possible. A piece from a higher grade would be desirable if possible but it is more important to play a piece that the student is comfortable with.

Can we play music from another culture, such as Indian classical music, for the second part of the test?

Definitely. There is no requirement to play a Western instrument and I image the examiners may enjoy listening something a little different.

 

 

Passing The Test

How difficult is it to pass the test?

The first stage of the test in particularly is notoriously hard and surprisingly detached from students’ performance level in many cases. There are examples of students who have not had any instrumental lessons passing the test and grade 7 students failing. The test is very different to what most students do in their instrumental exams and even to the format of the aural test in the music exams. Some students will take to the test more naturally than others and we have found these students to find our workshops particularly helpful, some adding 10+ marks to their previous scores.

What mark do we need to get into our preferred school?

To pass the first test, students need to score roughly 47/60. The pass mark is adjusted each year and different school have different pass marks with Parmiter’s and Watford Grammar being the most competitive historically. Similarly, the pass mark for the second stage of the test is roughly 36/50.

Is it easier to get through on some instruments than others?

It shouldn’t be. The performance should be marked on its own merits. However, it’s unlikely but feasible that preference may be given to a shortage instruments such trombone as schools often struggle to fill these spaces in their orchestras.

Can my child take the music aptitude test and the academic test?

Yes, many students take both tests. You can get in through one pathway or the other but the marks are not added together.

 

 

Workshops and Mock Tests

Is 9-hours enough time to go through everything?

We think so! Since we started offering the workshop in 2019, we’ve increased the length from 3-hours to 6-hours and now to 9-hours to enable us to be much for thorough with what we offer and help students reach their potential. With the academic tests, such as maths, progress tends to be fairly linear relative to input; the student will likely feel that for each hour they put into their studies, there is noticeable improvement in that area. For most learners, this is also true with instrumental study. However, in our experience, the aural tests are much harder to improve at. Some students take to it incredibly naturally while other struggle much more. Because of this, we find the 9-hour course strikes a balance between progress, cost and time investment. Students gain valuable insight to the different parts of the test, what will likely be asked and how to improve in these areas. There is also the option to book additional one-to-one sessions after the mocks to go over any particular areas of weakness.

How do we know what will be on the test?

The SW Herts Consortium outline the 4 parts of the 11 Plus Music Aptitude Test and give some details on their website. We also base our workshop on mocks on how the test has run historically. However, please bear in mind that the format of the test may change without us being made aware.

Will I get feedback on how my child is doing?

We don’t give specific feedback for each child, though we’re happy to discuss this with you if you’d like to. However, the best indication of their strengths and weaknesses will be their result in the mock tests.

There are a few different dates for the workshops and mock tests. How many sessions should we sign up for?

For the workshops, we only recommend booking into one of the three-day sessions as we will cover the same material in all the workshops. However, each mock test will be different so we’d suggest taking part in as many as you can.

Am I able to stay in the room during the workshop or mocks?

Unfortunately not as we do not have space. If you’d prefer to be present in the room, we’d recommend one-to-one lessons instead.

What will be supplied in the sessions?

We supply custom made worksheets for each section of the test and folders to keep the music in.

Do we need to bring anything?

Please bring:

• pencils and a rubber
• closed back headphones (we have spares in case you don’t have any)
• a drink and snack if you’d like one.

 

 

Logistics

Why are the sessions only in the school holidays?

The sessions are run by Guitar Teacher Bushey director Peter Elliot. He teaches full time during the term so unfortunately is only able to run the 11 Plus Music Aptitude Sessions over the school holidays.

Can we take one-to-one sessions instead?

Yes, this is an option. However, for most students we would recommend taking the workshop instead as we feel students get more out of these sessions and they are more fun and affordable too!
One-to-one sessions may be taken either:

• in person with GTB director Peter Elliot in our Bushey Heath studio at £80 per hour, or £60 per hour for additional sessions for students who have taken part in our group workshops
• online with our senior tutor Michelle, former Head of Music at Parmiter’s School and SW Herts consortium 11+ assessor, at £36 for 30 minutes

 

We’d like to take part but are not available for any of your dates. What can we do?

Please send us an email at hello@guitarteacherbushey.co.uk and we’ll see what we can do.

When are you running the workshops and what are the fees?

CLICK HERE for this year’s dates and to sign up.