Exam FAQs

Before the exam

Question: How do I know that my students are ready?

We encourage you to consider the following:

What has their process been like?
Are they meeting the intention of the exercise?
Are they embodying the material fully with understanding?
Do they meet the assessment criteria?

Remember to return to the relevant specification which outlines grade descriptors and grade benchmarks for each level;

Pre-Primary and Primary Specification

Level 1 Specification
Level 2 Specification
Level 3 Specification

In addition to this using the levels of attainment within the Teacher's Handbook to pre-assess your students can be really helpful.

Our online library of syllabus videos found here in your members area. Please be mindful not to compare your students to the pre – professional students in these films.

Question: How can I best to prepare students for the exam process?

In advance, we suggest:

Rehearsing every element of the process
Introducing filming in an earlier class so the camera isn’t new to your students. They may sense another eye watching when filming starts, and so familiarity will help them feel more comfortable.
For filming purposes and for ease, we encourage establishing rehearsed actions or roles for your students. For example, do the dancers enter from one side and exit from another each time?
Pre-organise who might be assisting with music or operating/monitoring the camera to capture the material

Preparing on the day

Get your students warm and mentally ready to go, just like you would for a performance.
An audience may be present if you wish. Some teachers find that an audience encourages a great sense of performance.

Question: Do you have any guidance on filming?

When you register for the exams, you are putting forward your specific date that the exam films will be submitted. The time you take to film this footage in advance and when you film is entirely up to you. You might capture this over the course of a term, or a year.

Other options might be to arrange an ‘exam day’ and shape this as you wish, or you could allow time over multiple classes to film footage. You can repeat material and submit when ready on your submission date, it’s up to you.

Question: What camera should I use to film with?

As long as all candidates can be seen clearly, you may use any camera or mobile devices. This includes your phone, tablet, a digital camera, digital camcorder etc. You may wish to purchase a small tripod which can be really helpful, but this is not necessary.

Question: How should students be presented?

Clothing and footwear: Students should wear something they feel comfortable in. Clothing and footwear must be safe to dance in. Socks are ok if the floor is suitable, but safety is paramount here. Students can wear identical uniform if this aligns with your school policy but we also celebrate everyone wearing what they are comfortable dancing in.

Identification: We do not require students to wear ‘numbers’, but we do require an aspect of presentation to assist us to identify each dancer clearly. Examples include: each student wears different coloured clothing, letters, numbers. You and your students may choose this together.

During the exam and submission structure

Question: How should I structure my submission?

Please insure that all introductions in the filming are clear.

Examiners would ideally like to see a video for each of the following components:

A video for the Technical material (filmed as a group)
A video for the Creative material (filmed as a group)
A video per student for the Performance material (filmed individually)

The examiner will always take the best example of the students work. We aim to celebrate your students' success.

Question: What if space is too small for my group to perform an exercise together?

If space is tight, you may film an exercise more than once to facilitate smaller groups. Safe practice is our priority.

Question: What is a 'set'? How do I use them?

A 'set' is a group of students being assessed.

There is a maximum number for each examination. Please refer to the Teacher's Handbook to find the minimum and maximum numbers of student in a set for the relevant grade.

You should always make use of the maximum set number. For example, if you have twelve Grade 1 students, this should be filmed as two sets of six students. If you have seven Grade 1 students, this should be filmed as two sets, divided into these sets as you see fit (e.g. three students in set 1 and four students in set 2) .

Question: Can my students who are not being examined participate?

Students who are not taking the exam may be present in footage. We will just need to know who is being assessed and who is not. Non-assessed candidates do not need to give their name in the intro.

Non-assessed candidates can be useful if you have a small set and you want to create more energy in the creative section.

Question: What do I need to film?

For Technical:
Please film eight exercises for each set. The chosen exercises should cover warm up, centre work, travelling and jumps.
Ideally you and your students will choose the exercises together, taking into account what shows their very best work. This may be different from set to set.

We do not require you to show us all exercises within an exam. However it is essential that you teach your students all the material as these are skills which will be required later in their progression.

Left and right sides should be presented for the examination.

For exercises that have multiple parts or versions, the following should be followed:

Grade 1 Exercise 3 either version can be presented for exam as 1 exercise

Grade 2 Exercise 6 either A+B or C. If wanted A, B and C can also be presented as 1 exercise

Grade 4 Exercise 9 either version can be presented for exam as 1 exercise

Grade 5 Exercise 6 either version can be presented for exam as 1 exercise

Grade 5 Exercise 9 either version can be presented for exam as 1 exercise

For Creative:
Use the same stimulus for each ‘set’

For Performance:
The student’s choice of solo is to be performed alone.

Question: How much help can I offer students?

Grades 1-8:

Please allow students the chance to show you how they can do things. Please refrain from trying to guide them whilst they are dancing this will not allow the students to do their best.

During Creative filming, the teacher may guide with a statement such as “we are approaching the end” as there is a time limit for this work.

Remember you do have the option to do a retake if necessary.

Creative Movers, Pre-Primary and Primary:

The teacher or an assistant may guide the students through the exercises and material as needed, and may be present in the submitted recording.

Remember you do have the option to do a retake if necessary.

Things to remember:

Members may only submit for exams which they have completed training in, and should only be teaching Grades they have trained in.
Common sense is key
It is not a showreel, it is not necessary to create slick transitions.

If you need to change facings in a room, that is ok!
BPM are for guidance and to help you, but we are not going to be checking all of these. For students to do their best with the material, the range we suggest is to guide you to find the right music. If you prefer, you can easily use the teaching videos here to listen to the bpm’s rather than try to match numbers.

Submission

Question: How to I label my submissions?

It is essential that you label your submissions correctly.

For Creative Dance for Early Years:

Date of submission _ Membership number_Qualification name _ Set 1

For Grades 1 – 8 (Levels 1, 2 & 3)

Date of Submission _ Membership number _ Set 1_ Grade 1 _Technical

Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations

Question: Do you have information on your Reasonable Adjustment and Special Considerations Policy?

Please find our Reasonable Adjustment and Special Consideration Policy here and it is also available in your members area under the ‘Policies, Procedures and Forms section.

We are proud to offer an inclusive syllabus that focusses and celebrates all different bodies and abilities. If you can see the intention of the material, then it is most likely that we can too.

An example of reasonable adjustment might be a case where a student has high anxiety, you may allow them to perform the solo alongside another dancer.

You do not need to submit a reasonable adjustment form for ‘amending the choreography’ as long as the intention is shown. If you are unsure about this, talk to us before you film.

All students are different, so we might not have covered everything here, if you have any questions about reasonable adjustments or you would like some information on how this is applicable to any of your students, please contact us at support@rambertgrades.com or join us at one of our member support information sessions (linked below)

Exam Results

Question: What do students get from Rambert Grades following their examinations?

For Creative Dance for Early Years, students will receive:

A digital certificate
A bright fabric badge
A mark (pass or fail)
A comment celebrating an area of achievement

For Grades 1 – 8, students will receive:

A digital certificate
A mark
A level of attainment descriptor
Some personal feedback or 'feed-forward', as we like to call it, which will always aim to celebrate the students work.

In some cases, to celebrate success or outline certain elements, we do offer teacher feedback. For example, we might state that a music track was too fast for the students to deliver the intention well in a certain instance.

Further Support

Question: Where can I contact you if I have any questions?

Please remember that we are here now to offer you support and so reach out now if you have any questions or need support, we’re here to help.

You can attend one of our member drop in sessions which take place at 10am on every first Wednesday of the month. You simply need to select the session you wish to join here and register.

You are also more than welcome to email us your questions or you can set up a 1:1 call with one of us. Email us on members@rambertgrades.com or support@rambertgrades.com.

Question: Do you offer exam mentoring sessions for teachers?

In the future we aim to provide pre and post exam mentoring sessions, where you can work with a delivering artist and talk through Rambert Grades exams and any questions you may have. We are not currently offering this; however we are here to support you. Refer to the answer below for ways to reach us.