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Tring Park School - Director of Dance to retire


Pas de Quatre

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21 minutes ago, taxi4ballet said:

Perhaps that might be about to change...

 

Yes, of course that’s just the way it’s been done at Tring up to this point.  No requirement for it to stay that way.  They had a fantastic head of dance in position after Terry Wright left, would really have transformed the ballet at Tring, particularly for the upper school.  Unfortunately, there was trouble with the appointment (I suspect I know where the trouble lay but supposition only) and they lost an amazing teacher who would have been perfect to take over the director role.

 

I also was under the impression RR was a physiotherapist.  I know she trained at Hammond but no idea up to what level, but know she did not dance professionally.  I think all the preparation for life after school comes from Mr Dowson, Miss McIlroy and Miss Samii.  Not to mention all the choreographers they bring in for workshops and Encore - all very highly experienced. 

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I had an extremely vague recollection of reading an article in the Dancing Times mentioning Rist being involved in the MSc Dance Science course at Laban and when I first read this thread I thought that was the answer. A brief search reveals that she has been involved in the teaching and/ or assising of the course but no mention of her studying on it, and obviously it's not an MA.

So, I'm joining you all in your curiosity about where the MA is from! B)

 

I do agree it is a little odd that there are many, many links mentioning her credentials but none of them saying where the MA is from. Normally, this is something that is stated. How many places are offering an MA in performing arts?

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RR is not a physio but she's fairly well-known person in the Dance Medicine and Science field, particularly in how to take recommendations and ideas that come from DM&S research and integrating them into teaching and training. This article is an example of this http://www.4dancers.org/2014/06/integrating-best-practices-from-dance-medicine-and-science-to-the-faculty-of-a-professional-dance-conservatoire/. She is also involved with Safe In Dance International (SiDI) and the safe dance teaching qualifications, although I heard a few years ago that all of the staff at Tring failed to pass the course (!)

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On 08/02/2019 at 12:14, Anna C said:

Announced on Tring Park School’s Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/90757035753/posts/10156063094980754/

 

The text reads:  “After 36 years at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts with 30 years as Director of Dance, Rachel Rist will be retiring following a year's sabbatical which starts at the end of the Spring term.  We all wish Rachel well as she completes her final term at school.”

 

No announcement yet on who will be replacing Miss Rist. 

 

Did Rist’s sebaticle follow directly after Ofsted or Isis inspectors had been in, has she been back on the school premises since? Before anyone jumps in about making assumptions, these are reasonable questions. 

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24 minutes ago, Tulip said:

Did Rist’s sebaticle follow directly after Ofsted or Isis inspectors had been in, has she been back on the school premises since? Before anyone jumps in about making assumptions, these are reasonable questions. 

 

No idea Tulip, sorry.  This was published on 6th December:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tring-park-school-for-the-performing-arts-warning-notice

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The original report was in November, the Notice in the link above was at the beginning of December and states an action plan must be submitted by Tring by 7th January. The announcement of Miss Rist's departure was a month later and made public on 8th February.  This would seem to be a logical chain of events allowing time for scrutiny of the documents and meetings to be held to decide what to do.

Does anyone who auditioned this year remember who welcomed the parents and was generally in charge?

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A damming report that makes me feel very sad.

I myself had deep concerns in the past, My husband and I raised some serious concerns, afterwards our daughter suffered the consequences. Other dance teachers were very supportive and would comfort and reassure our daughter, who worked very, very hard.  People May wonder why we allowed our daughter to stay there, she herself felt she needed to carry on to become a professional dancer, and also coming up to GCSES and during them is a very difficult time to move anyone. As soon as she got to sixth form she secured a place at a well known ballet school in London, which was totaly different. 

I am very pleased that serious issues have been identified and are now finally being addressed. 

Safeguarding is a huge responsibility with a lot of branches eg, emotional, neglect, abuse etc, professionals must adhere to rules and responsibilities. Adults must not presume or cover things up by saying ‘Oh a lot worse will be done or said in the professional world, best toughen up to that’, or ‘ its just another bad day again’. 

Let me also add from an experienced mother of a now professional dancer, that in the professional world dancers work hard, they are determined, they accept disappointment that’s the nature of their job. What isn’t normal in the adult world is emotional abuse, which can come in many forms. (Or perhaps thankfully my daughter hasn’t experienced it yet). 

Tring will now hopefully go forward in addressing these serious findings on their unannounced inspection. 

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6 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said:

The original report was in November, the Notice in the link above was at the beginning of December and states an action plan must be submitted by Tring by 7th January. The announcement of Miss Rist's departure was a month later and made public on 8th February.  This would seem to be a logical chain of events allowing time for scrutiny of the documents and meetings to be held to decide what to do.

Does anyone who auditioned this year remember who welcomed the parents and was generally in charge?

My dd auditioned Friday 11th January and the Head of dance was not at the welcome or in the audition class.

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According to the report there is more than one issue that needs addressing, but good that regulators are in to interview pupils, I hope their families are allowed in to support them if needed during these interviews. 

Tring has some really lovely staff a few years ago, excellent teachers who were very nurturing and caring. However I can understand why the school failed on their whistle blowing procedures, and why teachers felt unable to follow the procedures. 

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30 minutes ago, Tulip said:

Adults must not presume or cover things up by saying ‘Oh a lot worse will be done or said in the professional world, best toughen up to that’, or ‘ its just another bad day again’. 

 

30 minutes ago, Tulip said:



Let me also add from an experienced mother of a now professional dancer, that in the professional world dancers work hard, they are determined, they accept disappointment that’s the nature of their job. What isn’t normal in the adult world is emotional abuse, which can come in many forms. (Or perhaps thankfully my daughter hasn’t experienced it yet). 

 

The professional world is hard but it's not nearly as bad as some teachers (often those who have never danced professionally) would have you think. Some speak as if it's nothing but unreasonable demands and insults!

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The report is incredibly damaging to the reputation of Tring but I am sure these failings are being addressed and appears to be acted upon. Tring Park School will recover from this and hopefully learn from these serious failings to childrens welfare and it will become the outstanding school it advertises itself to be https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/774930/TringPark_Notice_6Dec18.pdf

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1 hour ago, primrose said:

The report is incredibly damaging to the reputation of Tring but I am sure these failings are being addressed and appears to be acted upon. Tring Park School will recover from this and hopefully learn from these serious failings to childrens welfare and it will become the outstanding school it advertises itself to be https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/774930/TringPark_Notice_6Dec18.pdf

Quite a scary read 

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9 hours ago, Tulip said:

We are all on this forum for each other, to offer advice and support. 

 

Agreed. I try to give support and help where I can in as unbiased a way as possible. I am concerned that some comments on this thread seem to be a bit of a Witch hunt - fully understand feelings running high when people have been hurt.

 

 However. I am also aware of forum members who may have children at Tring at present who are relatively new to the school and are feeling terrified as to what sort of environment they have placed their children into. The report is a concern, it is being addressed and I dont think it needs overstating. 

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54 minutes ago, Harwel said:

 

Agreed. I try to give support and help where I can in as unbiased a way as possible. I am concerned that some comments on this thread seem to be a bit of a Witch hunt - fully understand feelings running high when people have been hurt.

 

 However. I am also aware of forum members who may have children at Tring at present who are relatively new to the school and are feeling terrified as to what sort of environment they have placed their children into. The report is a concern, it is being addressed and I dont think it needs overstating. 

 

Having had a child in a (non vocational school) where there were serious issues culminating in the Head resigning suddenly in the middle of the school holidays, I'd want to know.  (I had remved my child by that point). I assume that those with children at the school would have received some communication. I have also as a parent had to make a complaint about a staff bullying/safeguarding issue at a vocational school (an academic member of staff though not vocational) which was handled very well.

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We were made aware of the report when it came out and that measures were being taken to address it immediately.  I don’t and never have felt the school is unsafe and yet from some of the comments I’m reading it is being made out to be a totally innapropriate place to be.  In many respects it is a really lovely school.  I hear many things about most of the schools with students and parents having wildly different experiences from the same schools.  A report is not the whole story. 

 

I have never had problems raising concerns and having them addressed.  That is my personal experience and I really am not making light of other people’s obviously serious issues. I can only speak to my own experience - has it all been rosy in the garden? No absolutely not, but our experiences are what I would call normal everyday vocational/boarding school issues.  

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I don’t think the way this discussion is going is particularly helpful, to be honest.  I’ve said before that if someone has not experienced a problem themselves, this does not mean that the problem is non existent.  Clearly the ISI inspectors feel that actually, the school has not been as safe a place as it should have been for some students so again, let us not minimise other people’s experiences. 

 

Tring is a lovely school in many respects and has an excellent track record for graduate employment, especially in the Musical Theatre industry.  There are and have been some wonderful dance teachers and the academics have always been extremely good.  However, I don’t think anyone could reasonably deny that there have been problems in the Dance Department.  The school, and I assume the ISI, have clearly investigated these problems and are taking steps to rectify them to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the students.  That is good and should be reassuring to parents of current and prospective students. 

 

The issues mentioned in the ISI report are serious.  Not every school receives such a report.  Had these issues happened at my daughter’s old academic school I would be concerned, even if my child had not suffered personally.   Such a key member of the Senior leadership team going on sabbatical mid year, followed by retirement, soon after a report of this nature may lead people to come to their own conclusions so to be discussing this is not, in my opinion, a “witch hunt” at present.  

 

I would however remind everyone to please bear our forum rules in mind.  

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