About Hockerill College Music Aptitude Test
Who Can Apply?
Hockerill College selects a small number of pupils each year based on musical aptitude. The test is designed to identify a child’s natural ability to hear, understand, and respond to music, rather than how many lessons they have had.
No Prior Music Training Needed
Your child does not need formal instrumental lessons, music theory knowledge, or graded exam experience to sit the Hockerill music aptitude test.
According to the school, the test aims to assess aptitude for identifying and developing the essential elements of music:
Pitch
Rhythm
Musical sensitivity
This means children with strong listening skills and musical awareness — even without lessons — can do very well.
No Official Practice Papers
Hockerill College does not publish practice papers for this test. However, children are given a practice question at the start of each section during the test to make sure they understand what is required.
Hockerill College Music Aptitude Test – Test Format (Student Feedback)
Based on student feedback from September 2025, the test consisted of three main sections, all taken as a written aural test in a group setting.
Overall Structure
Questions on melody, harmony, rhythm and musical sensitivity (subjective part)
Format: Written answers based on recorded musical examples
Each section began with a practice question
Melody (12 questions)
This section focused on children’s ability to recognise and compare melodies.
In some questions, a melody was played twice
Children had to decide whether the melody was the same or different
Unlike some standard Music Aptitude Tests, they were not required to identify which note changed
However, the melodies were described as fairly long, making sustained concentration very important
Some subsections were referred to using different terms, such as tonality imagery or harmony, but the core skill being tested was melodic listening and memory.
Rhythm (12 questions)
This section tested rhythmic awareness and comparison skills.
Children listened to rhythmic patterns played twice
They had to decide whether the rhythms were the same or different
As with the melody section, the musical examples were longer than those typically found in standard MAT papers, increasing the level of challenge
Harmony
This tested harmonic listening and pitch awareness within texture, even though the test did not explicitly label a “Texture” section
A chord being played twice
Children identifying whether the bottom note was higher, lower, or the same
“Which Is the Best …?” (9 questions)
This final section was described by parents as feeling more subjective, but it still tested musical sensitivity rather than opinion.
Children listened to two contrasting pieces of music and answered questions such as:
Which has the best style?
Which has the best tone?
This section assessed a child’s instinctive musical judgement, listening awareness, and ability to respond to musical qualities rather than technical detail.
Scoring and Competition
For the 2025 intake, the lowest score offered a music aptitude place was 87.8%, which was almost identical to the 2024 cutoff.
🔔 This means there is very little room for error, and even a small number of mistakes can make the difference between success and missing out.
Key Information for Parents
The Hockerill test is aural, written, and listening-based
Musical examples are longer and more demanding than many standard MAT papers
Strong concentration, musical memory, and sensitivity are essential
The score threshold is extremely high, so careful preparation matters
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Want to Help Your Child Prepare?
Our Music Aptitude Maestros App is a perfect companion for independent practice between sessions.
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If you’d like to book our Music Aptitude Mastery Course, which gives your child expert support and structured preparation, click below to learn more!
Preparing for Herts and Essex, Hockerill or Moulsham Music Aptitude test? Watch Jemima’s Music Aptitude Preparation Journey 🎵
