Thank you JA Dad, what you are saying is very reassuring. Our DD has a place in our local comprehensive, but we hesitate in that we feel her ballet training might suffer with just her local ballet classes (she is doing 4 a week at the moment, plus hopefully MA, and we are also trying to get RB summer course), given that what she really wants to do is ballet. On the other hand, education is very important for children at this age, so we have been struggling trying to find the right balance. I am so relieved that your DD did more or less what we are envisaging to do for ours, and she has been so successful, although she is obviously very gifted to start with.
Also i am so relieved to have found this forum, with so much experience to draw upon, both from parents and teachers and DCs (and grandparents). Thank you all for your advice, you sometimes feel lost in this very complicated ballet world!