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Living at The Hammond


Ballet4Boyz

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Thanks for the info, our dd would be starting in yr9(still deciding whether to accept bursary and live like paupers!) so that will be a challenge in itself as friendship groups will already be formed and dd is a quiet child until she knows people well. Has anyone else's dc started in yr9?

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Boogalou, mine started in year 9 last year, and I was also worried about them fitting into established friendship groups. I need not have worried as everyone was very welcoming, and they love every minute of it. Happy to help further if I can ????, as I appreciate its a big decision

Edited by Quest
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The phone thing can be a pain as I don't get in on an evening, often until after 9:30pm and lights out is 9pm in year 7. The boarding staff let her call me just after 9 twice a week only for a couple of minutes, it does feel a bit rushed but at least I get to say night.

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Thanks for the info, our dd would be starting in yr9(still deciding whether to accept bursary and live like paupers!) so that will be a challenge in itself as friendship groups will already be formed and dd is a quiet child until she knows people well. Has anyone else's dc started in yr9?

 

Hi Boogalou

My dd is starting yr 9 in sept. and can be quiet until she knows people

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You get a ballet uniform amount. I think everyone on an mds gets that. It didn't last all year though, nearly did. I think it would last a boy all year. Girls pointe shoes add up. You only get a school uniform allowance if you are at the lower end of the earning scale. I think earning less than 10/15 thousand a year. It did say on a form somewhere.

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At Tring vocational MDS uniform alliance this year was£720 or £750 (can't find exact figure now). So it seems the schools differ. Vocational uniform is not dependant on earnings to qualify whereas academic uniform is.

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I always found it very easy to get in touch with DD both before school and after.  They do have a very busy life which is a good thing as they can get home sickness when they have nothing to do.  The house parents for us have always been very lovely, my DD has always suffered from home sickness so often comes home after Saturday class and we take her home Sunday night.  She is unusual though as most of the other children are very settled.

 

The most important thing is Hammond is a very good school, the teaching is excellent (both academic and dance) and your children will be well looked after.  :)

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Pas De Chat, is your DD able to come home every weekend, and what time does Saturday class finish?

 

I would also like to know more about the academic side as my DS is very keen to audition for year 7 but I am in two minds as at the moment he is very academic. ????

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My DD does not come home every weekend. It would be OK if you lived near enough I suppose. Bear in mind that the ones that go home more often/ have lots of visitors, are the ones that struggle with homesickness! Homesickness is more than often caused by well meaning parents!! My DD came from an amazing academic prep school. I would say academically it is not going to be able to compete with a private school with an academic focus and all its finances targeted at that ( and no dance!) but I think it is better than most state schools. I compared the timetable when she started with three schools local to me, respected secondary schools with excellent and outstanding ofsted thingys, not that that means anything, but anyway, per subject the Hammond seem to do a tiny bit more, 15 mins more maths for example. But no PE and no DT except one term of food tech. Obviously I would guess a large proportion of their budget goes towards more dance/drama/ music things.

The things my child found difficult was the lack of technology, she was used to 3D printers, everything connected and all the latest tech in every classroom, linked to home. I do believe they are working on improving this. Sometimes the printers don't even work in the boarding. It must be a disadvantage to the teachers also.

I think the Hammond and Tring seem to be the best two for academics. Am I allowed to say that?

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It is supposed to say, shoe cleaning equipment ( they obviously haven't corrected it from last year, as I asked the same question! ) Linen bag is a laundry bag for their dirty stuff.

Edited by Snape
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No experience of learning support but SEN provision is exceptional & puts dds old school & ds's current school to shame.

 

The Hammond school is certainly inclusive.  However, one of mine had 6 classes per week on learning support at her old school and has 1/2 an hour a week now, which I pay extra for. There are only two members of staff who provide this for the whole school.  They do their absolute best however.

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