Anon2

That’s wonderful news @Kat09 My daughter remembers yours as their paths often crossed. She will be pleased to hear she is now thriving.

I was horrified when my daughter told me one of her peers had a bust reduction in 2014/5 at the request of her school. To learn since that this isn’t uncommon and was being pushed 30 years ago too is just dreadful. Your comments about not wanting to say you were unhappy because of the financial implications to your family touched a nerve too. My daughter had a DaDA, we often talked to her about whether she should leave, her response flipped between ‘it’s not that bad, I’m tired …’ or ‘it will be better next term when we are …’ I’ve since found out the teaching staff often reminded the students that if they left their parents were responsible to pay the full fees for the full 3 year course. I can’t imagine there was anyone on a DaDA who thought well my parents will just pick up the bill.

Sold

£3 to cover postage?

Have a bag of unused Bloch mesh elastic, pointe shoe satin ribbon and some Merlet canvas ribbon. If anyone would like this please let me know.

And I notice there is only a registered mental health nurse on the staff list now.

Yes this. How difficult is it to know your students when the cohorts are so small. We laughed at the time but my daughter went through the front door of Elmhurst in her 7th year as a student of the school and the receptionist asked her if she was there for an interview. On the day she graduated we walked out of that school without any members of staff interacting with her, they were too busy with the chosen few, their own VIPs.

To add to taxis list Medical centre being closed at break times and students not being able to go during lessons Being punished for using toilet in night Racist comments made to students by teaching staff and other pupils Inappropriate touching of students by other students without permission and staff reluctant to act Dance rehearsals taking preference over scheduled GSCE revision class

Thought the same

I think the schools can mention weight but in a situation where the student is not in class. How does it help to humiliate in the class? How did it help Jack telling him he was too heavy to get off the ground? How did it help Padua tell her she had put too much weight on to wear a costume due to her medication? Having sat through numerous watching classes these children are not fat or overweight in any way but the constant digs make them think they need to make drastic changes to their bodies to get teachers approval. My daughter never got out of a child’s size 2 leotard even at graduate year but still she got comments about losing bulk, toning up, lengthening lines. No advice ever about how to do any of that.

A pianist once intervened when my child was being humiliated in class by a male teacher. The pianist left the school not long after …

Nurses that have qualified overseas are tested in certain competencies before they are able to join the NMC register. Once registered every nurse regardless of initial training has to revalidate every 3 years and this includes CPD, reflections of practice and feedback. To be a registered nurse in either NHS or private practice you would need to meet the above criteria. My impression was the school was employing staff in the medical centre that may have qualified as nurses, not kept their registration active but we’re still using the title.

Your last sentence I’m sure is how the majority of us feel. I had numerous meetings with senior management and pastoral team over the years. They’re all good at the fluff but not actioning what they promise. One conversation that I have just remembered with a houseparent was ‘all the children are unhappy in one way or another, X just shows it by being quiet and Y shows it by being bolshy and loud’ I had no response at the time because was flabbergasted.

Six years on the program and discussion among peers was very triggering for my daughter so I can’t imagine how difficult it was for yours who sounds like she is recently out of the system. I know my daughter follows the IG accounts that have been mentioned further up the thread. She finds it difficult to keep in touch with most of her cohort as wants to put that life behind her.

I was very sceptical of the ‘expert’ that spoke on the program about training methods changing. I can’t remember her exact words but how does she know things are changing? What is she measuring this on? Who is telling her? So interesting to hear you say the same teachers that were toxic 40 years ago are still out their teaching.

My child left the school a number of years ago, at some point I searched the nursing staff on the NMC register because I had concerns. I couldn’t find some of the team that were at the time listed as qualified nurses, it may be they were registered under maiden names and had never updated? It was at a time when we were dealing with a lot of bullying in house and wasn’t something I had the energy to pursue.

The saddest thing about this comment for me is I’m not shocked. I know that graduation party wasn’t that long ago, I hope your daughter has started her journey of recovery from the trauma.

The comments made by Jack’s parents about how he was called out in class touched a nerve for us. My daughter will now say it was a very rare class if at least half of the students wouldn’t be humiliated by the teacher. You could be praised at the start of class but then the teacher would turn on you. You never knew what made them flip. These are children are 11, 12, 13 years old living away from home. And as Taxi says the children live in fear of mentioning it, the ballet world is very small. They are told constantly how privileged they are to be at the school, there is someone in the wings with more potential just waiting for their place if they rock the boat. They watch it happening to their peers so why shouldn’t it happen to them too. It is after all the normal behaviour of the staff within the school. Ofsted visit and tell your child that what they are reporting about how they are treated in class and house ‘is not that bad and aren’t they lucky to be at the school’

This are very small year groups, the dancers all know each other. I didn’t report your post but know exactly who you were referring to.

Isn’t the problem more that the school teaching and pastoral staff should not be encouraging and causing the eating disorders and mental health issues? How is it right for a teacher to tell an 11/12 year old boy he is too heavy to get off the floor in front of his classmates? How is it right for a teacher to stand a 16 year old in front of a mirror and tell her what she would cut off her body? How is it right to tell students there are treats but imply they shouldn’t have them? I remember hearing a similar comment said at a Christmas Service to students and parents about not over indulging in treats over the holidays.

I agree the program does concentrate on the body shaming issues but in light of the fact it is only 30 minutes long I can’t see how they would cover other topics. This program hopefully breaks the ice and will start those in ballet and education thinking about their practices. I’m not holding my breathe on that one though.

Having just watched and sadly knowing the trauma these young people have suffered, I applaud them for finding the strength to speak up and hope all are now getting the support they need to heal. And the parents of Jack, so courageous. I hope the schools are changing but I don’t think I will ever be convinced they can be whilst the teaching and pastoral staff have been through the same system and think they are un damaged. It is a toxic environment.

An article has just appeared on the Guardian website about the problems with Avanti trains.

Once term starts I would request a current year assessment again, I can’t see how they can refuse you.

😂😂 I’m going to carry on with the getting them out of the house. The puppy is at the stage of nose into everything so don’t think it would end well with a hornet. Cat reached stage of life where he really can’t be bothered with anything unless it involves food.