Hatcham College Year 7 Admissions

About our music specialism

The College offers 10% of the places available in Year 7 to applicants who show an aptitude in music. In order to ensure equal opportunity for all, the College is unable to take into consideration music certificates achieved or references.

If you would like your child to be considered under this criterion, please complete the online music application by the College closing date.

Applicants will be invited to sit a multiple-choice aural test in music. Highest scoring applicants will be offered a music audition.

Girls applying for both Hatcham College and Prendergast School will sit the music aural test at Prendergast School this year, the results of which will be sent to Hatcham College

Distance is not taken into consideration for the music aptitude criterion.

It is our aim to advise parents of the outcome of their child’s music aptitude assessment before the secondary transfer closing date.  This will enable parents to make an informed decision as to whether they want to apply for a place at the College.

MUSICAL APTITUDE TEST 

The musical aptitude test is played on a CD and is a multiple-choice paper consisting of 60 questions that will be divided into THREE EQUAL sections covering the following areas: 

SECTION 1: PITCH AND MELODY

Students will be asked to identify:

• Whether two notes played are higher/lower/the same as each other
• Whether a melody rises/falls and whether it moves by steps / leaps
• Which note has been altered in the repeat of a melody  

SECTION 2: INSTRUMENTS AND TEXTURE 

Students will be asked to identify: -

• Whether the sound heard is Woodwind/Brass/Strings or Percussion
• How many notes/instruments are being played
• Whether the sound heard gets louder/quieter or stays the same 

SECTION 3: RHYTHM, METRE AND TEMPO 

Students will be asked to identify:

• Whether the music speeds up/slows down/stays the same
• Whether two rhythms heard are the same or different  

The applicant requires no previous knowledge of music or music theory as the test is based entirely on response to an aural test.

Applying for a music place

Applications are now closed. The deadline was 4pm on Monday 22 September 2025.

Music Specialism Key Dates

GO TO VIRTUAL OPEN DAY NEXT: How to Apply to Hatcham College