JulieW Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 There's a thread on that somewhere 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 My grandson has just been given an MDs for Sept for yr 7, as a boarder. We could are the opposite of a rich family and when I found out this funding to help the most talented children regardless of income levels I cried. My grandson lives for dance and is so thrilled to be going to Tring Just wanted to say that without this funding he would be stuck in a failing state school at home and hiding his passion for dance from his friends. He has had to dance in secret already. The MDs will change his life. There are lots of good boys I think from what we saw, at the audition. bettyballerina, I can absolutely understand where you're coming from. Wishing your grandson and his cohorts all the very best. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyballerina Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Thank you Ellie and the other people who have posted. I am just so relieved that he has got into a ballet school where he can dance all day and not worry what other boys will say and make friends with other dancing boys too. He now cannot wait to start and wants to go now. All those ballet lessons in secret have paid off! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Bettyballerina, sent you a PM. If I can offer any advice/assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymum Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 I have received a call from Tring today offering my DD an MDS place :-) We didn't accept it as she is now going to Elmhurst and it would be a day place because all the beds are taken. But hope someone from the forum who lives close or is at Tring already will receive some good news today :-) 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaybackSapphire Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Happymum, delighted for you, yes hopefully someone will be getting a call!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 After having decided we would apply to tring I feel a little disappointed after reading many of the above posts. A little confused, I noticed a few mention that no mds awards were actually given after the funding audition this year as all places were taken earlier by those who could afford to pay fees and didn't need mds, and they were told this direct from the school? As well I see another lady who has tring experience says she can well believe it in another post. Then I also read a couple did get mds? Which is true? Surely they should hold back so many awards to give at the funding audition? I will be extremely weary about applying now... Do they not offer any funded places after the first set of auditions? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busymum Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 Balletqueen MDS were awarded after the funding audition. They had the actual places but for the MDS kids The problem was, apparently, that they didn't have enough beds this year for all the MDS's that were given. I believe now though that problem has been resolved. I am sure I will be corrected if that is wrong. I think they had 8 or 9 MDS's this year and they were all given out. Obviously some were offered to children that were also offered elsewhere, when they are refused then they start to go down the reserve list. I know of one DC who is now starting in September from that list and who also has a boarding space. The school has to use the money each year otherwise they lose it for the following year. There is no way the school would allow that to happen. After all they are after the best and not everybody can pay. I think the issue that Tring have less MDS places than other schools is annoying but I don't think that's the school's fault. Funding is a massive problem for parents and I hope that wouldn't put you off applying for a school, especially if it is a good 'fit' for your child. It's all very stressful!!!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hi Balletqueen. I think it's very fair to say the funding issue at Tring is not very transparent. They do not have a set number of MDS awards to give out every year and in the last few years that I have been looking at Tring closely/been connected to the school, there has been anywhere between 3 and 9 MDS awards given each year. RBS can obviously provide 100% MDS if required and it appears that Elmhurst also has a large % of MDS places, though not all. Tring do not hold all their MDS for year 7 and are happy to give them to any year group, if they feel that child is right for them. This year, children did get boarding MDS places - don't know how many. In the last few years, MDS have only been awarded after the funding audition (don't know if this has always been the case). So clearly they DON'T use all their boarding places for full feeing paying students. It is safe to say, it is very rare to get an awarded place at any of the vocational schools. Many talented children do not get offers (as a rough estimate, possibly 50 MDS awards for dance each year for the whole country!). Clearly, that is not enough for all the talented children to get one. My view is to try. Go for a wonderful day out. All these schools have the most amazing energy and auditioning children are made to feel very welcome. It is a lovely day to spend with your child and put in the memory banks. There may be disappointment but it will be short lived, and the potential opportunity is amazing. Your child may just be that one they want! Please don't be put off by other people's experiences, while of course they are valid, our paths are not all the same. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Thank you so much to both of you for taking the time to reply- it's such a hard and difficult journey for both parents and children isn't it, such a rollercoaster ride with so few places. Dd really likes Tring and I know she would like to apply. It won't be a year 7 place we go for so I'm not sure if that makes things harder. Guess I just felt a little reluctant after reading some posts but obviously appreciate the honesty and openess of this site in sharing valuable experiences as I would hate to waste time and money if that is how tring operates. After making white lodge finals this year (which I still find hard to believe did and wonder if was an admin error!) it really did drain us emotionally and the last thing we want would be to try for something that has no mds places. Thank you for reassuring me and I guess if it's meant to be then it will be and nothing is gained by not trying! With regards to the solo at tring, does this have to be exactly 1 minute and do you choose your music? Thank you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) It really is a rollercoaster ride! I think we must all be slightly bonkers.... The solo can be anything you like, ballet, modern, tap. My ds did his ballet festival solo, a lad who auditioned with him did a tap solo. We just cut it to roughly 1 minute. I'm sure 10 seconds either way won't matter. Btw, there were 3 MDS awards given to year 9's when my son started (for year 10 entry). Edited June 16, 2015 by Harwel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busymum Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 DD did a jazz that she choreographed herself in the kitchen for her solo. It was roughly a minute, she used the same dance for her Hammond audition too. I Have spoken myself to a yr 8 and a yr 9 starting Spetember (going into) with MDS. It's definitely worth trying, especially if DD got to WL finals!! Wow! Good luck. Auditioning, waiting for results and the not knowing is all horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Thank you harwel and busy mum. Where are your two at/going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 My DS is at Tring. Started year 10 and is just coming to the end of his first year. He is very happy there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busymum Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 My DD is starting year 7 at Tring in September Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggis Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 The other thing to remember is that Tring supports some of its 6th former with MDS so that affects the number of available places too. Go see the school. It is a wonderful happy place and training fab! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 As far as we have found out along the way: It was suggested that if you are applying for an MDS place, then it is better to do a ballet solo, as the MDS's are awarded to the most talented ballet students. Also, Tring has a specific number of MDS places (I think it is 50 overall) available at any given time. Each year, the number of places on offer depends entirely on the number of leavers, which releases their MDS places for new people, and that is why it is different every year. Some of these may sometimes be given to current students who qualify and don't already have one, and they are assessed at the same time as the funding final alongside the other applicants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieW Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hi Balletqueen. I think it's very fair to say the funding issue at Tring is not very transparent. They do not have a set number of MDS awards to give out every year and in the last few years that I have been looking at Tring closely/been connected to the school, there has been anywhere between 3 and 9 MDS awards given each year. RBS can obviously provide 100% MDS if required and it appears that Elmhurst also has a large % of MDS places, though not all. Tring do not hold all their MDS for year 7 and are happy to give them to any year group, if they feel that child is right for them. This year, children did get boarding MDS places - don't know how many. In the last few years, MDS have only been awarded after the funding audition (don't know if this has always been the case). So clearly they DON'T use all their boarding places for full feeing paying students. It is safe to say, it is very rare to get an awarded place at any of the vocational schools. Many talented children do not get offers (as a rough estimate, possibly 50 MDS awards for dance each year for the whole country!). Clearly, that is not enough for all the talented children to get one. My view is to try. Go for a wonderful day out. All these schools have the most amazing energy and auditioning children are made to feel very welcome. It is a lovely day to spend with your child and put in the memory banks. There may be disappointment but it will be short lived, and the potential opportunity is amazing. Your child may just be that one they want! Please don't be put off by other people's experiences, while of course they are valid, our paths are not all the same. I've nothing to add to the discussion but just wanted to thank Harwel for a very sensible and useful post :-) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Hi can anyone remember please whether it is bare legs and bare feet for the audition photographs? ThNks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I think it is for all Y7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
along for the ride mum Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Just found our audition photos from 3 years ago in a drawer and they are bare legged/ bare feet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy11 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) thank you x Edited July 5, 2015 by balletqueen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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