Nana Lily

That makes sense as they are verticle streaming by exam achievement. It's the same situation at Elmhurst during their Saturday RAD classes.

Yes I was!!!Looks like for RAD the year 10's are all in Advanced 1. Dont see any issues there....Main ballet classes are by year group

Hi Regattah! I now realise who your DD is! She must abbreviate her name at school? Haven't had a phone call yet, just two short text messages!

Hi Regattah! I now realise who your DD is! She must abbreiate her name at school? Haven't had a phone call yet, just two short text messages!

Thanks Angel, a brief text but no call so expect that all ia good, she is busy and enjoying herself! Lovely to see the photo of your lovely DD on FB this morning! Clearly happy and excited! xxx

Thanks for the info, not heard a peep from my year 10 DD. Lovely to see some photos of other yeat groups on FB as I $ay imagine what my DD looked like today. Assuminhg no news is good news.

Positive thoughts and energy sent your way!!! I do believe very strongly!! Prayers from here too! X

Think about what a year 7 is going to need..... Actually at Elmhurst in year 7 neither. If they want to play games..... Your choice, bothnmine like Skype or FaceTime for keeping in touch, but laptops or iPads aren't needed at all for school work. The Internet connection isn't always great depending on which house you are in and how many kids are accessing at any one time so we have gone for weeks not being able to Skype or FaceTime. Dont spend money on expensive gadgets they aren't required. Your choice, it's your family. NL

My girls have adapt accounts with Nat West. Debit card and no overdraft facility. However BEWARE even though there is no overdraft facility my 13 year old when ordering an item from Amazon (with our permission) accidentaly clicked on a special "free" delivery programme. 3 months later was charged £36 for the privielage and at the time she only had £12 in her account. The bank let the payment go through and she went over drawn. Initially I though she had a fraud on her account and contacted the fraud line at the bank. They were really helpful and gave me advise on how to reclaim the amount back from Amazon, and her account was credited with the £36. I was furious though that the bank had let the payment go through when she didn't have the money in the account and didn't have a overdraft facility. Apparently for point of sale or internet transaction £36 wasnt enough to trigger any kind of alert. Not very helpful, so the message is keep a close eye on their accounts as the banks cant be bothered! NL

Thanks for your review Mum in a spin, very informative. NL

I agree that I was surpised at the size of the A2 class at YBSS, but equally surrised how Mr Ramos was able to give so many individual corrections even during the barre work. Once the students were split into groups for the centre work it seemed they had more attention. Its not unknown for classes at vocational school to be around 20 students for the ladies. I personally think its too many, but apparently they need to fill the places to make the courses finacially viable. For some its motivational, for others its disheartening...... NL

Had to smile when I saw your post LinMM, our dance teacher put the "best girl" in for Pre Elementary and she didnt pass, so the rest of the class all just moved up to do Elementary...You did so well!!! NL

I'm not sure what percentage of students were vocational or non vocational, I don't think it matters, If your DC gets a place they will have a fabulous learning opportinity. With their application you do have to send the last report form from their most recent exam, so presumably along with age and experience this is taken into account when deciding on which group they are allocated to, or maybe its just to make sure the children have passed the exam the parents say they have on the form NL

Karen I think you will find the classes are challenging! My year 8 DD was in A2, just 13 and at vocational school. She was one of the youngest is this class and though used to daily classes at Elmhurst found it very challenging. They really push the children, the teaching is excellent. I watched their general ballet class on the last day and it was tough, but insipring and encouraging. I don't see that the B class would be any different. Got to watch a small amount of their rep and pointe class too, same here. So Karen if your child is lucky enough to get a place next year dont be concerned about your DD not being challenged it won't happen! A lot of the children are from vocational schools so being challenged is what it's all about.... We are hoping for a place next year...fingers crossed. NL

On the second part to your question regarding "safeguarding young people" All the vocational schools have policies in place regarding "safeguarding young people" which you can access if your child has a physio. A few years ago when my eldest DD was selected for physio at Tring, I accompanied her. For White Lodge, Elmhurst and Hammond I didnt, but was confident in their policy at the time. Has your DC or is your DC about to have a physio assessment? NL

Don't get me started on this topic....other than...we used to send children up chimney's, down coalmines and into factory mills.....we don't any more...just because that how it was when "I was at voccatinal school or in a dance company" doesn't make it right, clever or good. How on earth it can be motivational or inspirational heaven knows....in any other area of education it would be regarded as cruel and bullying. Yes it's ok to put some reality their way, but only when its balanced with encouragement and support as well, and too often that lacking. There are great programmes in place on dance phsychology, but it will only work when its practised broad scale, not just preached. NL

Pas de Chat, shame the NHS didn't use the available money it was allocated last year...they had a surplus of £1.2 Billion!!!! Its not managed and controlled properly....I have sent you a PM. NL http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2013/07/nhs-recorded-12bn-surplus-last-year/

Just to clarify the HPV programme, the vaccine is only offered to girls. Currently it's not offered to boys, which is quite scandalous. A number of my friends have paid for their sons to have the vaccine privately.

Just catching up on this thread, had a very busy and hectic time. My DD returned on Friday from a fabulous week. She loved everything about the SS, teaching, environment, ecouragement, very friendly atmosphere, much learned and may new friends made. Thanks for posting the web page for the photos' I has assumed it was the same photographer from last year. A couple of gorgeous photo's of my DD, have placed my order in the shopping basket, but DD thinks there may be more to be posted on the website yet. Loved watching on Friday, it was a real treat to see my DD dancing and loved the end of week display, what very talented dancers!Sorry to hear about those with sad news, sending you best wishes Hope all have a fabulous week, its certainly a very special SS. NL

I really wouldn't stress too much about them being completely white. My DD's have had a selection of trainers over the last three years. We were originally encouraged not to have canvas converse, but my girls tell me lots do use them, more to do with the foot support. Don't bother with the black trainers they aren't needed. Clarks do leather white trainers with good support and of course fitted to your DC's feet at around £25. One tip is NIKE trainers worn all the time smell terrible like cat pee. Actually my fell running husband had a new pair of NIKE fell shoes and even he was complaining about the smell after one run and we had to put them in the garage. Addidas do mainly white trainers, also if your kids have hot and sweaty fee the Asics style with a bit of colour are good as they are mesh like and breath very well, remember they are in these shoes most of the day.

Thank you Stirrups!

Well done to your student Flowerdew . Best wishes to those still waiting. Keep trying those who dont get a yes just yet. NL

Just returned this evening from watching my daughters in the Elmhurst Lower School Summer Show and what a wonderful extravaganza it was! This afternoon was the final perforamce of 4 shows and I was fortunate to watch 3 out of the 4 as we dont live too far away and they were over the weekend. This year has seen a change in the format of the Elmhurst show. Previously the Upper and Lower School were combined with performances over 6/7 days and for a lot of the dances there were also two casts. This had meant that if you were in Lower School generally you were in one dance, and often only in half the perfromances due to casting. This year has seen a change. Robert Parker together with the Artistic Staff and Leadership Team separated the Upper and Lower School, giving the school individual shows. Though this meant fewer overall performances, it has meant that all the children have had a much better perfornace opportunity, with most children being in three dances across the four shows and fewer dances where there were two casts. I do love to watch the sixth form students and so I had it in my mind that I would really miss them from the overall experience. I couldn't have been more wrong. The show was vibrant, energetic, excellently executed, had an extremely high level of performance, whilst still maintaining a very classical biase. One thing that struck me was the childrens ability to communicate with the audience, which really took me by surprise in dancers of such a young age and I believe that that three elements contributed the this. First the choreography by the artistc faculty, which surpassed my expectations...its always wonderful, but this year it was exquisite and so in tune with the year groups, skills and personalities and we saw wonderful choreography from artistic faculty who have in previous years hid their light under a bushell!. Second it was that the children appreared to "own" the show, its was theirs, it was their opportunity and they took ownership and delivered and they danced with their hearts. Third the inspiration and changes brought about by new artisctic leadership whilst still influenced by the legacy of the legend of Desmond Kelly. The year 11 graduate year are outstanding with extremely strong men and ladies, some staying, some moving on to other highly regarded ballet schools at sixth form. I loved their Rachmaninov Concerto ballet choreographed by Miss Grogalato and Mr Robinson. There were oustanding pas de deux, but as the young people involved weren't identified in the programme, I feel I can't name them on this public forum. Also five of the men in the Schumann Piano Quintet, breathtaking virtuosity, flexibility and performance! Miss Lewin choreographed two enchanting National Dances, Gopak and the Tarantella and it was lovely to see this traditional form of classical dance so well executed, important in dance heritage preparing the children well for dance styles in the classical ballets. Carnival of the Animals, included all the lower school chidren, was varied and very engaging. Favourites of mine were Tortioses and Aquarium, and the wonderful Dying Swan, so creative, moving and passionately danced by the year 10 ladies. Creative was the word.... they danced with one pointe shoe and one bare foot, it worked so well!! This year the Flamenco dancing took on a new dimension with a live singing band and audience participation, dancing was passionatley excecuted and reminiscent of Madrid! A sign of how highly valued the skills of the children are valued at this school was demonstrated by a year 10 dance which was their own choreography, This was the haunting Shenandoah, a galic dance which opened with Rachel Walker (she was named) singing this haunting piece.... Gorgeous A mixed year group gave a vibrant and very believable dance from Seven Brides and Seven Brothers, the strongest of this classical jazz style of the last three years with wonderful Choreography by Miss Mountain, complete with atheletic and balletic jumps and tricks to please the crowd. The final dance was a new ballet choreographed by Mr Ho for the children at the school who had previously been PVP's or Associates from year 7 up to 6th form. "Scenes de Ballet" and was very fitting to celebrate 90 years of Elmhurst. Mr Ho was supported by Miss Whiteman and Miss Rowwan as ballet Mistress'. Four movements of delightful classical ballet. A poigninat and personal contribution to the rich Hertiage of the school. It was enchanting, engaging and inspirational and ended the lower school show on a complete high, embelished with exqusite costumes and delectable tutus. Quite a number of the children had joined PVP's at aged 8 and were still dancing together at sixth form, a tribute to the success of the PVP/Associate programmes. The Grande Defile was missing from the Lower School Show, but the parents will be blessed with that at the parents only final combined upper and lower school show on the last day of term. Cant wait, but will be with mixed emotions as one of my dancers is moving on.... I will be watching the Sixth form show at the Gala on Tuesday night, with dancers from BRB, really looking forward to that! NL Please note, my spelling isn't great and my spell check isn't working on this lap top, so aoplogies for any typos!

I have a Childs 3 blazer, which may help.

That's very interesting Actsingdance, we often forget those children that won't be boarding but will be changing schools. Sounds like you have all bases covered on the friendship side. NL x