Anon2

Last year we had our MDS form just before half term and were asked to return it by 12th June. It was mid August when we had letter telling us how much our contribution would be for the year. You are then billed before each term and any extras (theatre trips etc) are added to the following terms bill. I should imagine this summer is going to be horrendous for the financial departments in vocational schools because for the first time they will be working out the means tested DADA for the new sixth form on top of all the MDS. We did the same as Cotes and worked out roughly what ours bill would be and it was fairly accurate.

That is wonderful news C4D.

Our local Morrisons had a revamp last year and now has a very interesting fruit & veg section. They sometimes have red bananas.

Billyelliot, have just pm you with details of uniform.

Swanprincess Elmhurst has a new Artistic Director and this is really the first intake of students he has auditioned fully so I think it is impossible for any of us to answer your question. It will be after a few years worth of intake that we might be able to see trends for preferring a particular type (or not!!).

Fingers crossed

Boys wear a navy blazer with school logo (£96) and tartan tie (£20) to coordinate with girls skirts only available from school outfitters. White school shirt and ?black trousers from high street stores. They wear formal for end of term concerts/prize giving and theatre trips. On average probably 6/8 times an academic year.

Amethyst Pleased to hear that others do get an opportunity to attend, may be hope for next year. Hope your dd enjoys it.

http://www.rad.org.uk/files/ART413_Focus_on_Exams_June_2012_web.pdf Section 3, page 13 really interesting article by RB physio (Moira McCormack) about split sole shoes and young dancers.

Thanks Millie, I am aware of girls that got in last year for the first time but what I am trying to establish if from now on you stand no chance once you reach 14/16 as a UK girl unless you have been before this age. They are making a big thing on the site now about their graduates and filling those places with younger children.

Out of interest for future years - did any dd training in the UK, who has not attended YBSS before get offered a place in the 14 - 16 year group?

Munchkin where are you based? You can be fitted with Suffolks at their workshop in Leicestershire. Can also recommend Sophie at Porselli in Norwich if that easier for you but would phone and check her availability for fitting - we had poor experience of another fitter there.

DD applied for this in March and we had a confirmation of receipt of application. Contacted them yesterday to ask if DD could attend the scholarship audition and in the reply it said no places on the SS are allocated until after the auditions. Question for anyone who has had a dc attend before - do they normally leave it so late to let you know if you have a place? Their website says you will be told by mid April.

It may be clever but it makes me shudder when you see how much she hyperextends her knees.

Sounds to me like your dd's friend has a bad case of green eyed monster. You and your daughter should be very proud - two offers of places with DaDa funding is a fantastic achievement, there will be lots of children chasing the places that fit into the funding category. Someone is going to get lucky too and be offered one of her 'places' off a waiting list. She has been offered the places on merit. We were told by one sixth form that the providers have a duty to only take those that they believe stand a good chance of gaining employment in the field.

No experience of this at GCSE level but if you can find out what exam board your dd is studying then you can download the course specifications from the exam boards website. Some parts of the specification may be compulsory and others the teachers choice.

This year have US not offered half the WL boys places plus at least two from another British vocational school? Not bad surely. As hfbrew says bodies change etc. some of the children that passed year 9 appraisals will no longer be suitable for classical training or have lost their passion for ballet and wish to pursue another path.

Last year it was the end of March.

The year 11 Elmhurst students will need to pass their appraisal before being considered for a sixth form place alongside the outside candidates. Appraisals were last week in front of the artistic team plus a number of external assessors. They will be informed of the appraisal result over half term.

If your dd is still in pain tell her to go back to the medical centre and ask them to look at it again. In the meantime ask if they will allow her to soak her foot in warm salty water for 10 mins or so every evening - 3 different chiropodists have given us this as their standard cure all advice. Plenty of padding around the toe until after the appraisal then see how it is. Where are you based? School should know a good chiropodist/podiatrist to give advice on foot care. Also try to get all shoes checked over half term, maybe her pointe shoes are not quite right anymore now she is doing more dancing en pointe.

Aside from the DADA issues I would like to know how anyone has managed the maintenance side of sixth form. Having tried to search last night it appears because of age student can't apply for any help but even if parents on lowest income the DADA maintenance allowance is really not going to make any impression on living costs. Notice on the RBS website it lists yearly 6th form fees of approx £18,000, maintenance/boarding £10,000 and then boarding £5 -6000 (don't understand why boarding listed twice?). ENBS fees currently £17,000 but obviously would have to arrange own accommodation, food etc - not cheap in London. Elmhurst for 2011/12 quotes termly 6th form fees of £8300. I am assuming this is the fee for 6.1 boarding with food - how much is it for subsequent years when the boarding house is no longer available and you are funding own accommodation etc? I know Central course means you can apply for student loan to cover fees - can you also apply for maintenance grant to help cover living costs?

Evie, I hope the boarding house parents made the day special for your ds. I think a lot of us can empathise with how you are feeling today. I always feel jealous of the parents who are close enough to take their dc out on for tea on their birthday!! Take care

We saw this in our small local cinema yesterday and as a family enjoyed the film. I however was on the edge of my seat worrying who might sit near us. Not a month ago we went to see The Hobbit at the same cinema, all through the adverts that precede the film we were annoyed by a middle aged man rummaging through his popcorn container very noisily to take each handful. As the film started my teenage son turned to him and asked him to either be quietly or save his popcorn for after the film. The man was stunned into silence as the rest of our family sunk into our seats. It worked though as he stopped his popcorn munching! Luckily we got through Les Mis with no events - you can borrow him next time you go to the cinema Spanner.

Taxi, What about trying Bob Martin? My daughter had a pointe shoe fitting with him and I mentioned she also needed demi pointes and he fitted her for those too. Have not yet got the pointe shoes right but she has been happy with the demis and after that initial fitting I just email him when she needs some more and he orders them for her. Her feet have stopped growing so as the lead in time is around six weeks I just order a few pairs each time to keep her going. Think she may have tried every brand before going down this route!

Are the open days at White Lodge not just for the 'Friends'? I can't see anything else listed but might be looking in the wrong place because would be interested to know if any coming up for Upper school.