Harwel Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Really hope the RBS year 11's had good news. Must be heartbreaking to get that far and then have to leave. Obviously I know it's not the end of the world, and some will actually do better in another environment, but 15/16 year olds who love it there, will take time to see the positives in the situation and in the meantime feel very upset. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sadielou Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 These are the RBS year 11 statistics which when put together make pretty sad viewing. 6 girls from White Lodge have been offered places at the Upper School. From the original 13 intake in year 7 only 3 of these original girls will be carrying on to RBS - one girl from the year 8 intake has been offered a place, one girl from abroad, year 10 intake and one from abroad year 11 intake ( YAGP competition winner). Throughout the 5 years, 8 girls have been assessed out, 5 have not been offered Upper School and 3 have decided to quit dance in year 11 to follow a different route. That is a total of 16 girls not carrying on with RBS training. 6 Boys have been offered Upper School places all from original year 7 intake of 12. Throughout the 5 years 3 boys have been assessed out, i quit in year 10 and 4 have not been offered Upper School places. One boy is turning down his Upper school place in favour of training elsewhere. That is a total of 9 boys not carrying on with RBS training. Huge congratulations to those that have been offered places, but to those that haven't please remember that the RBS is definitely not the only route to a successful career. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afab Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Can you tell me at what time the Central finals are on Saturday and Sunday please? DD2 is doing her preliminary audition on Saturday and I'm trying to get organised in case she's offered finals... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 That makes very interesting reading Sadielou, thank you for that. I wish them all good luck in the next stage of their careers, wherever that may be. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Thanks Sadielou, that's interesting. It's a bit sad but still much better/brighter that last year's results. Huge well done to all who got RBS upper school places and huge well done to all who were studying at WL for any length of time - fantastic achievement and opportunity. Are there similar statistics for Elmhurst? I wonder if anybody knows how many (ish) students go from lower to upper school? How many got to RBS or ENBS or others prestigious upper schools in the past or this year? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleNutcracker Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 We're at central at 12 on Sunday, imagine there will be a few groups. Good luck to everyone at finals this weekend. X 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Sadielou thank you so much for those stats! I have a particular interest in that particular year group as I taught a couple of them and it's intriguing that out of those 14 lovely young ladies who spent longer than 2 years at WL that only 4 are progressing to US (although this doesn't take into account how many didn't want to). Very well done to anyone achieving places at vocational schools, at any stage during their schooling. It's clear that from year 7 upwards nothing is ever certain! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabitha Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Thanks Sadielou, it is sad as you say, but that sounds like a fairly typical year to me. Some years have been better and some worse but overall, getting a place at WL is by no means a guarantee of anything. It's even more heartbreaking for the ones that do make it to Upper School and then fail to make it through to the third / graduate year, or if they do make it through to the end, not to find employment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimum6 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Too true, Tabitha. My dd was at an audition for a short term contract in Copenhagen at the weekend and hundreds were invited...all of a great standard...and 5 were kept behind. It is soul destroying. I realise the journey is worthwhile for the journey's sake...but at a high cost when there is so little likelihood of employment at the end and often at such a great financial cost to the families. I believe we are training too many dancers and that many of them are set for disappointment at the end of it all....not that I do not value the skills and qualities that dance offers them along the way. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimum6 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Am feeling very cynical at the moment and I wouldn't encourage anyone to embark on the roller coaster.....as if we had a choice! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletdancer22 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Royal Ballet Stats are very interesting . I still can't get my head around after Five year of training some students are not up to the required standered for Royal Ballet upper school ! Do White lodge and upper school work together?? Or do they even communicate ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Royal Ballet Stats are very interesting . I still can't get my head around after Five year of training some students are not up to the required standered for Royal Ballet upper school ! Do White lodge and upper school work together?? Or do they even communicate ?? When Paul Lewis (1st Year U/S Teacher) spoke to the Ballet Association, he mentioned that Christopher Powney was very keen to make the RBS 'one school' and that there were now exchanges of teachers between the two sites. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 One lad assessed out of WL has just been accepted for US! That I find slightly crazy!!! Not on his part, but on theirs for letting him go in the first place, or not being able to nurture the talent that is clearly there. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Am feeling very cynical at the moment and I wouldn't encourage anyone to embark on the roller coaster.....as if we had a choice! I feel for you Kiwimum! Such a hard road, especially for the girls. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat09 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Royal Ballet Stats are very interesting . I still can't get my head around after Five year of training some students are not up to the required standered for Royal Ballet upper school ! Do White lodge and upper school work together?? Or do they even communicate ?? The statistics make harsh reading. I think it is a reminder that acceptance into RBS at 11 holds no guarantees. As all candidates come together at 15 for those all important US places, those that weren't suitable at 11 may have matured and progressed through further training and will be chosen over those that may not (in the eyes of RBS) achieved their predicted potential. Also the female form changes a lot in the intervening years and may longer fit the RBS ideal. There are so many variables and the net for candidates is very wide. Realistically the chances of not making it, are higher than getting through. Even when you have that place there are no guarantees. Good wishes to all affected in this year auditions . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabitha Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Balledancer22 it's because chilldren change a lot, even between year 9 to year 11, but they are guaranteed two years if they pass year 9 assessments because of GCSEs. Also the pool of applicants for Upper School becomes much more international and there is a much wider pool to choose from, so a large proportion come from overseas. Kiwimum, the type of audition you describe is an absolute lottery and from what I hear these European auditions are all like that. Well over a hundred invited and half of them don't even get seen and it's more about your 'look' than your dancing. I share your cynicism and agree that dance training places at top schools across Europe are way way in excess of the number of jobs available. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Kiwimum i`m so sorry to hear about your DD`s experience. Was it for a classical contract? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 One lad assessed out of WL has just been accepted for US! That I find slightly crazy!!! Not on his part, but on theirs for letting him go in the first place, or not being able to nurture the talent that is clearly there. Rupert Pennefather used to tell the story of his being assessed out of White Lodge but being accepted into the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimum6 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 That is true and Rupert and latest boy went to Tring: the teachers there to be congratulated again. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Could we please all be aware that whilst Rupert Pennyfather has chosen to put certain aspects of his life in the public domain this unnamed student & all the other WL/US student have not. We are discussing a very small, specific group of children who could easily be identified. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miracle Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 In my DD age group only half of the children in yr11 started in yr7 across the 4 lower schools. Obviously some were assessed out or choose to leave also the year group tends to go up by two extra students in yr9/yr10. X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimum6 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 True...my apologies. Got carried away buty excitement for boy. Mods feel free to remove my post if identifying boy too easily. I agree with pictures comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwimum6 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Kiwimum i`m so sorry to hear about your DD`s experience. Was it for a classical contract? Yes Lisa...it was for a classical contract. On the plus side, she had a lovely weekend away with her sister in Denmark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletdancer22 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 What I don't understand about RBS Stats is how after five years of training at White Lodge are only a small number of students at the standered required for RBS upper school ??? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I imagine that more are of that standard but there are only limited places & students trained elsewhere & abroad may also be of that standard too. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Balledancer22 it's because chilldren change a lot, even between year 9 to year 11, but they are guaranteed two years if they pass year 9 assessments because of GCSEs. Also the pool of applicants for Upper School becomes much more international and there is a much wider pool to choose from, so a large proportion come from overseas. What I don't understand about RBS Stats is how after five years of training at White Lodge are only a small number of students at the standered required for RBS upper school ??? I think Tabitha has given a reasonable, if not welcome, explanation. Children change such a lot as they are growing up. Apart from that, it would be interesting to know how many (if any) did not want to carry on, or wanted to carry on elsewhere for whatever reason. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletdancer22 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Tabitha are you saying some students are only kept at White lodge to complete their academics ?? If so this will explained a lot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabitha Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 What I don't understand about RBS Stats is how after five years of training at White Lodge are only a small number of students at the standered required for RBS upper school ??? Didn't you already ask this in your post #209? There were quite a few replies. However, just to add that there is a lot of natural ability and facility required in ballet that just can't be trained and when you have an international pool to choose from at 16, there will be other students with more natural ability AND the same level of training. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletdancer22 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Sorry Janet I did not mean to send the same post twice . I thought the first one had not posted . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Yes, even if, God forbid a child were to have an injury during year 10 that meant they could never dance again they would stay at the school until after their GCSE's as moving schools during these two years would be devastating academically for any child in any school. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabitha Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Tabitha are you saying some students are only kept at White lodge to complete their academics ?? If so this will explained a lot . I didn't say that, I think another potter dud, but yes it is always the case that between year 9 and year 11, some students may decide that vocational ballet is not for them but they stay to do their GCSEs. It's not more than 2 to 3 usually at the very most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletdancer22 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Tabitha sorry I posted the same question twice it was done by mistake. So are you saying the students with natural ability are at a advantage ?? If this is the case working hard will make no difference in the end . Are we setting some students up to fail ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Tabitha sorry I posted the same question twice it was done by mistake. So are you saying the students with natural ability are at a advantage ?? If this is the case working hard will make no difference in the end . Are we setting some students up to fail ?? I have no knowledge of the workings of vocational schools other than what I have read on this site but my feeling is that students are not being set up to fail. From reading this board, any student selected for a vocational school has made a major achievement which should be celebrated. But children change over time and we cannot get away from that. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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