Examination General Regulations

Categories of Examinations. There are three categories of examination:  

A. Accordion Playing- Solo      D. Accordion Playing –Duet                T. Theory of Music

Categories A and T are in eight grades (plus a Preliminary Grade), and Category B in five grades, as follows:

Qualifications to Category A - Solo Examinations:

In every case a “Pass” in a higher BCA Theoretical Examination grade than that specified will be accepted.

Qualifications to Category D - Duet and Category T - Theory of Music Examinations:

No entry qualification is required. Candidates may enter these categories without previously having passed any other examination.

Entry.  Examination entries will only be accepted in accordance with these Regulations, and on the understanding that in all matters the decision of the Governing Council is final. The Governing Council reserves the right to refuse or cancel the entry of any candidate, in which case the entry-fee will be refunded. There is no age limit for grade examinations.

Entry Forms.  Entry for any examination must be made on the official Examination Entry Form. The Entry Forms must be completed and sent, together with the appropriate fee, direct to the College. Entry Forms are obtainable from the College. The Fees are as per current Entry Form, and should be remitted by cheque or P/O, made payable to “British College of Accordionists”. Cash and Treasury notes should not be sent unless registered.

 Closing Dates for Entry.  All Entry Forms must reach the College at least FIVE WEEKS before the advertised date of examination.

 Late Entries.  Late Entries will be accepted up to FOUR WEEKS before the advertised date of the examination, on payment of a Late Entry Fee.

Examination Appointments.  A Notification Card with details of the examination date, time and place will be sent to each candidate TEN days beforehand. This card must be produced at the examination: and no candidate will be examined unless the notification card is produced. Appointments for Practical Examinations can be fixed by the College only after the entries are complete and the Examiners’ tours arranged. Individual requests and preferences for days and times will be considered provided they are declared  in the appropriate space on the entry form, but the final time allotted must be decided by the College. The College will do its utmost to avoid dates and times inconvenient to candidates, but cannot give a prior undertaking to examine on, or avoid, a particular date or time, and must reserve the right to arrange the examinations to suit the majority. Examination sessions are normally in the Morning, afternoon and Evening.

Withdrawals.   Withdrawals will be accepted only if made in writing and received at the College at least THREE WEEKS before the examination date. In this case a candidate may enter for the examination at the next session held at the same or an alternative centre on payment of a Re-Registration Fee (see entry form for details). Failure to comply with this rule will result in the Entry Fee being forfeited.

 Absence. Candidates who do not present themselves for examinations at the appointed times will automatically forfeit the Examination Fee. In the case of illness a doctor’s certificate must be forwarded to the College within TWO WEEKS. The candidate may re-enter for the same examination within twelve months on payment of a Re-Registration Fee.

 Re-Registration. Any candidate may re-register by payment of the Re-Registration Fee because of illness or incapacitation or withdrawal . When applying for Re-Registration a new entry form must be submitted.

Examination. Every candidate must be prepared to carry out ALL the requirements contained in the syllabus for the examination for which he or she has been entered. The examiner is empowered to ask any reasonable questions bearing on the subject of the examination, and may also stop the performance of any item when sufficient has been heard on which to judge the candidate’s ability.

Examiners Decision. In all examinations the examiners decision is final, and no appeal to the result can be considered.    THE EXAMINERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE RESULTS OF EXAMINATIONS TO ANY PERSON PRIOR TO THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE COLLEGE. 

Marks.   The total mark obtainable is 100.  70% of this total is required to Pass, 80% to pass with Merit, and 90% to pass with Distinction. Certificates specifying the grade and manner of passing will be awarded to all successful candidates. These certificates will not certify that the holders thereof, are qualified to teach, nor entitle them to append any letters to their names.

Report and Mark Sheets. As soon as possible following the examination, a report and mark sheet - with the examiners remarks (of which no duplicate is retained by the college) and the marks obtained, will be sent to the person indicated on the appropriate section on the Entry Form. The college cannot accept any responsibility for the non-receipts of any reports or mark sheets after their dispatch. On application, the detailed marks (but NOT the examiners remarks) can where necessary be re-issued by the college. A payment of £5 must accompany each application.

Disability or learning difficulty.  If a candidate has a physical disability which requires some modification of performing technique or a learning difficulty such as dyslexia, a letter should be attached to the entry form so that the examiner may be advised. It should be understood, however, that although the examiner will be sympathetic to the candidate, no special allowance in marking will be made and the candidate’s performance will be judged according to the standard normally expected for the grade.

Privacy.  Local Representatives are under requirements to ensure that absolute privacy during an Examination is maintained, including the forbidding of loitering by any person outside the Examination Room door.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES. The BCA is committed to providing equality of opportunity and treatment for all, and will not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly on the basis of age, ethnic origin, gender or disability in all matters.

CHILD PROTECTION.  As many of the Candidates for the BCA examinations are children, the BCA accepts it has a responsibility for the welfare and safety of children undertaking its examinations, or otherwise under its temporary care. All persons working on behalf of the BCA are required to accept this responsibility and are committed to practises which protect children from harm.

 N.B. Teachers and candidates are reminded that the Copyright Act 1988 forbids the making or use of photo-copies or manuscript copies of Copyright Works, and that all College Examination Representatives are under explicit instruction to debar all such copies from entering the examination Room, in order to protect themselves, the Examiner and the College from possible prosecution as Accessories to an infringement of the above Act.