What happens when they go on the ice at a competition?

Before she performs her routine, there will be a warm-up time for a group of skaters (known as a flight of skaters). There is an announcement of all the skaters that should be on the ice but your kid and coach should already be rink-side when the announcement is made.

Typically this is about 5 minutes when only that next flight of kids goes on the ice to practice their jumps and spins. Each kid's coach will likely be rink-side and give directions on specific things to work on.

There is usually an announcement when there is only one minute left in the warm-up.

Then the skaters are asked to leave the ice ("skaters please clear the ice") and the first skater in that flight goes on the ice to perform her program.

When she's done, the next girl goes on until all the girls in that flight have skated their routine for the judges. At lower level competitions the results are not posted immediately so there can be some lag between when the flight of skaters finishes and when you know how each skater in the flight placed.

For an elements test, typically, the kids being tested will all stand at the boards and take turns going out to do each element.