I’ve been playing the piano since the beginning of 2009 and doing exams since 2014. In June earlier this year, during my IGCSE exams, I sat my Grade 7 piano exam and unfortunately scored 57/100, and the minimum mark for a pass is 60/100. This threw me when I found out at the start of Grade 11. I knew I hadn’t been playing very well in the weeks leading up to the exam, but I thought the exam itself had gone fairly well. I was clearly wrong. In regards to LO4 Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences, I signed up to retake the exam this December, and now, a month and a half before the exam, my teacher keeps commenting on how much more relaxed my playing sounds, which corresponds directly to my commitment to working hard for this exam (20-30 minutes practise a day) and persevering, not allowing stress to get in the way of my piano. I’d like to pass my exam in December, and this time round I think I’ve been working so well that I think I stand a much better chance than I did four months ago – especially since I only have three marks to improve on.