Fine Arts Subjects
Dance
- Bharathanatiyam
- Kuchipudi
Vocal & Instruments
- Vocal
- Violin
- Veena
- Carnatic Key-Board
- Flute
- Guitar
Percusion
- Mirudhangam
- Tabla
- Morsing
When
OFAAL’s examination board consists of 5 distinct processes, occurring for the April and September Semesters.
Portal Timing
OFAAL Application Semester:
April Open: 5th January – (All Europe)
September Open: 1st July (UK only)
Portal Closes: 1 calendar month before Theory exam date.
Late Applications: 7 days after portal closure at an additional cost.
OFAAL Semesters
April – All OFAAL European Centres
September – OFAAL – UK Wembley, New Malden and UK other centres.
OFAAL Admission Semester
April & September: 2 Weeks before semester Theory Date.
OFAAL Theory exam
1st Saturday in April – all OFAAL centres in Europe.
Last Saturday in September – OFAAL UK centres only.
Practical exam
Generally follows the OFAAL theory exams. Dates Published on the OFAAL portal.
OFAAL examination Review
April: 2nd week of June.
September: 2nd of November
OFAAL Results
April semester: Available on OFAAL portal 2nd Week of July.
September semester: Available on OFAAL portal 3rd week of November.
OFAAL Policies
AIM/Goal
To Maintain, evolve the South Indian Fine Arts subjects onto our fine arts community of candidates, teachers, examiners and Institutes in Europe without any prejudice to culture, race, religion, personal profile or disabilities.
OFAAL exams are important and allow individuals to learn and measure their ability efficiently for self and the teacher/school/Institute. It prepares the candidate from an age of 5 onwards to be involved in the exam process to improve confidence, ability to express Fine arts knowledge and movements through a measured theory and practical sessions.
OFAAL has been conducting exams as an Examination Board across Europe since 1994 and is continuing to expand in centres and candidates every year.
OFAAL has structured the fine arts learning program for the European fine arts community by establishing an OFAAL specific syllabus for each of the fine arts.
The Syllabus is divided into 9 key learning stages to cover the candidate from an age of 5 onwards. The stages are defined as Grade 1 to 8 and then onto Post-Diploma.
Appropriate Title Sheets are as a check documentation to support the exam candidates learnt requirements of that subject for that grade.
Grade 7 and 8 (Diploma) exams are timed to coincide with the candidate’s age for the higher national curriculum studies and National exams. To support the candidate, September OFAAL semester has been enabled for UK candidates only.
Post-Diploma is aimed at candidates, who are incentivised to progress further on their chosen fine arts subject to become an accomplished career performer or and teacher, whilst increasing the span and depth of the knowledge. This also prepares and gives confidence and skills to be able to research, analyse, and write their thoughts into a 5000 words dissertation. The candidate is then required to perform two of the advance practical pieces and then professionally present detailed key aspects, contents and personal summarisations and findings of the dissertation to aOFAAL Post Diploma Panel of learnt subject matter experts.
The OFAAL Post-Diploma panel is only held in Wembley centre and is open to fine arts teachers and any senior OFAAL candidates.
Processes
Application Process
OFAAL committee agree on the centres, dates for that semester and the portal for Application admission opened. An email broadcast is sent to all potential candidates, teachers and Institute of the OFAAL portal opened for Applications.
Candidates, Teachers and Institutes using their unique userid and password are then able to select fine arts subject(s), grade, exam centres and their own fine arts subject teacher to complete the OFAAL application form online. Application request is successfully submitted to the OFAAL applications Database on payment completion or on selected payment option. An email of OFAAL Application submission email is returned to the candidates registered email address.
Closure of the portal will occur a month before the theory exam date, with an ability for late Applications at an additional administrative cost. Any payments made by personal or Institute cheque will incur a further £20 or equivalent surcharge for administrative overhead.
OFAAL also apply additional travel charges per candidate for centres outside of the London M25 orbital route. Details of this are visible during the candidates OFAAL application review process prior to submission.
Admission Process
Information from the valid Application Submitted are then analysed for each centre, following which a process is applied to each exam room:subject, time per grade,candidate, age, registered disabilities, siblings,(emailed) preferred time,examseparation and examiner-candidate conflict avoidance.
Exam room timings are scheduled to start from 09:00 and to close and finalise by16:30.
Admission data is made available for the candidates on the OFAAL portal. An accompanying notification communication by email is sent to successful applicants, toinform of Admission card and Title sheets readiness and for retrieval.
Presently Paper format of the Admission card and completed Title Sheets are required to enter the exam centre.
Theory Examination
Theory examination is conducted on the same date across all OFAAL participating centres.
The Theory papers are set into 4 parts and are authored by OFAAL Fine Arts committee and are of OFAAL intellectual property. The OFAAL theory papers are reviewed to ensure that the subject matter meets the 60% of that grade relevance. The remaining can be formed from the syllabus gradesbelow.
Written theory papers are produced for Grade 3 to Grade 8 for each subject. Grade 1 and 2 Practical exam is utilised to validate the Grade 1 and 2 basic theory knowledge.
The written examination is conducted in a closed controlled room invigilated by an OFAAL personal. Strict time allocated to start and finish per grade/subject are observed, completed and unused theory papers are immediately proof sealed and signed and despatched back to OFAAL administrative office.
Only Pen and Pencil with the Admission card is allowed into the Theory exam hall.
Candidates are required to use Pen for all written answers for the theory answer. Use of Pencil is permitted for drawings. If a candidate makes an error, candidate must use a PEN to cross that item out and re-write fresh.
Any collaboration or witnessed evidence of dishonesty will result in the candidate(s) being removed from the exam hall and their theory paper being recovered for evidence and dismissed from the examination process.
Returned, completed Theory exam papers are reviewed and marks awarded for the correct answers. The achieved marks are entered per candidate into the Results database.
Practical Examination
Paper Admission and 2x completed Title Sheets are required to enter the exam centre and the allocated exam room. In addition to this candidate must bring along the expected sruti box , Instrument and Dance piece music CD. Candidate attending a practical exam will need to perform from memory and notes are not permitted.
Each exam subject and grade has a structured questionnaire to exam for the allocated time. Two examiners are allocated per room and assess and mark the candidates performance independently. Admission and Title sheets will allow the examiners to note the candidate userID and from the Title sheet extract candidate’s readiness on the syllabus contents for that grade.
OFAAL examiner is coached to ensure appropriate supporting remarks and comments are made for any candidates who may be below or above expectations of the norm.
At the end of the exam day, marked exam sheets are again proof sealed and handed to the OFAAL examination Administrators.
Any Candidates, who has a credible grievance from the practical exam session must notify within 2 hours to the attending OFAAL administrator(s) on the day or put in writing by email within 48 hours to admin@ofaal.org for correct grievance process handling.
Attained marks are entered into the Results Database.
Review
Results Database is then analysed by Subject, Grade, Center, Examiner, Teacher and candidate to assure impartiality and normalisation. Any exceptions are analysed including level of absence, historic performance, ratio on attained fail, Pass, Merit and Distinctions. Once reviewed and agreed it is signed off by the OFAAL committee and submitted to the OFAAL portal.
Results
Notification email of Results portal being available is sent to all candidates involved in this semester. Each Candidate, Teacher and Institute will be able to see their achievements for this semester with previous results.
Certificates for successful candidates are awarded and usually handed to their named subject teacher.
Complaints and Grievance process can be followed by the candidate if the results attained were not as expected.
Complaints and Grievance
OFAAL Committee take very seriously of any grievances or complaints raised into them and has to be in writing to be formally lodged.
Each case is investigated thoroughly, utilising witnesses, examiners, documented remarks and marks, written theory papers to analyse and reach a conclusion.
Complaints received will immediately be responded with acknowledgement of receipt.
A committee member will be allocated, who will then inform the grieved by email of receipt of the issue and will also indicate, intended response date of findings.
The assigned committee member will respond back on the intended date on their findings and any follow up that may be required and close the case.
In cases of Theory paper re-marking fee of £15 will need to be paid in advance and action taken for any changes.
Examination Process
Candidate / Teacher / Examiner / Center performance/ trends
Syllabus Review
Theory and Practical Examination questions Review,
Operating, Administration and Financial review
Financial reporting
Seminar/Workshop/Awards review
Seminar / Workshops / Networking
OFAAL has been conduction exams as an Examination Board since 1994 and continues to expand I centres and subjects across Europe. With these progression new budding Fine Arts teachers from OFAAL Examination program and Fine Arts teachers from elsewhere are being enrolled into the OFAAL Fine Arts Teachers and Examiner community.
To ensure consistent approach to adhere to the OFAAL syllabus, OFAAL Examination board annually run an active Seminar and Day Workshop sessions.
Structured approach, where Subject Matter experts recognised in their field are invited to share their love of the Fine Arts and knowledge to the OFAAL Teacher/Examiner community.
Within this Workshop, feedback from each semester is analysed and used as a learning aid into the community. Syllabus updates, new subject matters are discussed to evolve and bed-in to our teachings and examinations. Contents covered are subject theory, practical expectations and importantly expected conduct and behaviour of teachers and examiners to promote our Fine Arts learning community.
OFAAL Workshop gathering and our Examinations at each centre, present an ideal ground for networking at every level. Candidate to Candidate, Candidate to teacher, Teacher to Teacher, Teacher to Examiner and Examiner to Examiner and all to OFAAL committee members. An environment best in class enabled by OFAAL.