Waitingmum

If you email them they will send you the specific video information they require for finals and they are very happy to have this rather than you attend.

I’ve always thought this was more a numbers game. There are many more girls dancing than boys so many more to choose from if you only want the best? Also shape, etc is slightly less of an issue for majority of boys as they have not finished growing so they give more the benefit of the doubt than they do girls?

They go in blind

No preference given to own students, the only benefit is guarantee of an actual audition. Often it is foreign students brought into year 10 that get offers for upper school. If you are successful then you may only complete 2 years and be assessed out before the 3rd and final year and from the 3rd year only a few will get offers for the company apprenticeship scheme. Each year this equates to only 1 or 2 Original JAs in upper school.

At White Lodge probably just over 1/2 girls get through all 5 years. The school believes that they give warnings in their marking at assessment times but many parents still feel that it comes as a bit of a shock. The majority of boys make it to Upper School but probably only around a 1/4-1/3 of girls get into Upper School. Parents vary in their opinion of what level of support they give when assessed out - I think they do try but it is always a difficult time especially if you weren’t expecting it. I can’t comment on Elmhurst. It is a roller coaster of a journey, you just have to hang on and try and enjoy it what ever happens!!

I shall pass your message on about the Year 10 girl - my DD will be thrilled to hear your lovely words!!

The school usually has 2-3 casts rehearsed so that all students are able to perform in something. This is one of the few chances that parents get to watch their children dance so they do try to ensure that each student is in at least one of the performances.

Sometimes aesthetic marks can change as they get older as no one in year 7 looks the same as they will when older. For many schools the aesthetic mark is much more than just appearance. My daughters has changed significantly over the years so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Also I would encourage them not to share marks - my daughters group never has, better for them. She has a long way to go from year 7 so don’t let her start worrying about marks yet, they will all have different strengths and weaknesses.

Personally I think it is very dependent on each child and family. My daughter suffered from homesickness when she went away in Year 7, now in Year 10. She came home nearly every weekend as she said she could cope with the thought of a week but not 2 or 3. Also it is so full on at school she needed the down time at weekends to be able to cope otherwise she could never fully relax. Go with your instinct and what your child thinks he/she needs, I am sure if you ask they will be rationalise their thoughts. My DD certainly could and often said despite the homesickness, she still wanted to be at school more but this didn’t stop her feeling bad. By the first Christmas homesickness had massively improved for us, I hope it will for you too. Good luck

Does he still really want to do ballet - even a vocational school is not the only route to achieving this? As you say his mental health is the most important issue. Can he sit with you when he is next home and write out all the pros and cons of either decision - may help him make his mind up? So hard at this age. X

I would agree it is an amazing experience and definitely set my dd off on the road of wanting to take ballet seriously. I didn't know Miss Lewis did private assessments but I do know she had a go at my dd's ballet teachers for not putting her forward to RB associate programme!!! 4 years later my dd is at WL, despite my protestations!!!

Also know of one dd who has been told she has to wait until York scholarships have been handed out to find out if she has one from London audition.

I was thinking that - they must divide the scholarships between the 2 locations?!

I know of a year 7 'no' letter

My DD loves it there, has fantastic opportunities and dance experiences, has some amazing friends and they are all so incredibly supportive of each other, not competitive between themselves. They are worked incredibly hard as one would expect at their level but most thrive on it. Assessments are stressful because they want it so much but there are so many reasons that they won't all make it and age 11 is so young to make these life long decisions about what they want to do, things change, some within their control and others not. My DD sometimes worries about not having a plan B - her older sister hasn't even got a plan A!!