About Dame Alice Owen's Music Aptitude Test
Important Dates
Please check the school’s Key Dates page for the complete timetable. Here are the key dates for this year:
• 1 September 2026 – First round Musical Aptitude Test
• 28 September - 1 October 2026 – Second round Musical Aptitude Tests
Who Can Apply?
Children must live within one of the school’s Local Priority Areas to be eligible. Registration opens when your child is in Year 5 and runs from mid-May to mid-June. Late applications cannot be accepted under any circumstances. The test itself takes place in early September, as children begin Year 6.
No Prior Training Needed
Your child does not need any formal music training, music theory knowledge, or a specific grade level to take the test. The school does not consider any certificates or other evidence of musical ability, so please don’t send these in. You’ll receive an email with your child’s test time and further instructions before the end of the summer term.
No Practice Papers
The school does not provide practice materials for this assessment.
For Stage 1, Dame Alice Owen’s uses the standard Music Aptitude test. This test format is also used by schools like: Moulsham, Chancellor’s, South West Herts schools, Twyford, Tiffin’s, Ealing Fields, Ada Lovelace, Herts and Essex, Liverpool College.
Stage 1 Musical Aptitude Test – Aural Written Test
• Date: 1 September 2026
• Duration: About 30 minutes
• Format: A written paper taken in a group setting
• Content: 60 aural questions divided into four sections
Question Types:
• Pitch (20 questions)
Children hear two sounds and indicate whether the second is the same, higher, or lower. Some sounds differ by less than a semitone, making them very close in pitch.
• Melody (10 questions)
Children listen to two short tunes of five notes each. They must decide if the second tune is identical or if one note has changed—and, if so, which note.
• Texture (20 questions)
Children hear chords (groups of notes played together) and identify whether they contain two, three, or four notes.
• Rhythm (10 questions)
Children compare two short rhythmic patterns (each four beats long) to decide if they are the same or different. If different, they must pinpoint where the change occurs.
Stage 2 Music Aptitude Test – Performance
• Dates: 28 September - 1 October 2026
• Children who score 50 marks or more in Test 1 will be invited to a second assessment:
◦ This is an individual performance lasting up to 5 minutes.
◦ Children may perform on any instrument or sing, and can choose any piece(s).
◦ More than one instrument may be used within the time slot.
◦ Candidates may not bring their own accompanist, but the school can provide one if needed, or children may use a CD backing track.
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