Balletmummy18

Just to add we found the academic side at the school fantastic (& I’m a hard person to please being a secondary school teacher!) My dd left with all grade 9s and one 8 in in her GCSEs in July despite the pandemic.

Yes PrancingMum you are right although senior teachers etc were present .This year the boys 3 rd teacher taught on course 1 & the new first year girl’s teacher taught on course 2. In addition Ms Durrante came in to watch class on Course 2 but I have no idea whether this was to select possible students. She did make a point of talking to students who are about to start full time in September .

9 out of 15 boys are going to upper school from WL year 11. 5 of those started in year 7.

2 hours ago, SissonneDoublee said:

It would be nice to see a greater attention given to home grown talent, of course, and ensuring that lower school training is in line with what is required to gain upper school places. As you say, with so much funding involved, it should be imperative, but also from the point of view of the eleven year olds that forsake so much in order to place their training in the hands of the AD.

 

However, the employability of the upper school students is massively boosted by the international renown of the school. The prizes given at international competitions and the overseas scouting for talent to ensure that the very best are being offered places is an essential part of being known as a world class training centre.

 

It is incredibly tough, especially when we are parents of vocational dancers, to look at the numbers of lower school children that don’t make it into the upper school. But I can understand why the system is what it is. For the students that make it to the end of upper school, it pretty much guarantees them an illustrious career. But this is because the school is known for being one of the best in the world, not just in the country.

..... but other internationally renowned schools who are also considered the best in the world don’t have to cherry pick ( Vaganova: POB)in such numbers.... neither do their ADS disparage publicly the value of international competitions and then recruit from them....no I don’t understand the British system (& speak from experience having had a dd just go through WL)and nope it doesn’t have to be like this ....

This year there are 7 girls from year 11 WL going into upper school in September-4 from the original Year 7.This was from a year group of 16. This is a big increase of WLodgers Into upper school from recent years.There is a good chance of getting into upper school if you have not completed WL. 

Yes my dd is doing course 1. X

Remember choosing vocational school does not mean it’s an easy ride juggling training with GCSEs demands.. my dd at voc school has just finished her GCSEs which has meant revising into the early hours and waking very early to fit revision  in .Ballet training of course was prioritised and rehearsals regularly over ran into any revision time even during the ‘mock/ assessments’ weeks. Of course this year was unusual as there was no study leave etc .... 

By post yesterday. We have until 15 th to accept.

27 minutes ago, rowan said:

Parents of older children don’t post as often as those with younger ones, as in general the journey gets harder, dancers drop out, change direction, or “fail” (very much in inverted commas). If your child has stopped dancing, you’re not so likely to come on a forum like this to explain if they, or you, have regrets or not. And I personally am very grateful to hear of all such journeys, as they are really the more likely outcome for most child dancers. Perhaps there is also a point when your child is an adult, and if they want to comment on their dance journey experiences, they can be directed here to comment if they wish. That’s not to negate the parental viewpoint, but it might provide a different view. There are certainly things that my adult dancer child and I feel and think very differently about, and I’m sure there will be things I don’t know about at all.

 Thankyou it’s very hard to know what to share if the dance journey has been bumpy. In our case people do not / cannot believe how my dd has been treated so it makes us less likely to share... you don’t want to put people off( others had a fabulous time) or come across as a bitter ballet mum. But at times it has been a very very lonely experience. 

28 minutes ago, Sunshine girl said:

Congratulations to them both, nice to hear of 2 for upper school! Assuming they are both accepting?

Thankyou so much..& I can’t speak for my dd friend but undecided at the moment as she is Very fortunate to have other choices too.

Yes my dd (& also her friend) received  one today .x 

Thankyou very much and well done to your daughter.. my dd won’t be taking the place as she has been offered somewhere else nearer home so I hope your dd gets her place ( if that what she wants.)xx

48 minutes ago, Mumofpinks said:

Hi, we’ve just received a ‘waiting list’ email from Central for my DD. I was wondering if this is a standard response for all who aren’t invited to finals? Thanks 

I presume they aren’t doing finals as my dd has been offered a place today.x

I think the OP makes a very good point and certainly in my experience of my dd doing the audition rounds for JA/ voc school 5 long years ago there was already certain pool of teachers, associate programmes  etc in London which seemed to confer an ‘advantage’ . we have all seen that explode with Covid and zoom / social media opportunities so that over training ‘becomes the norm for children. 

Having money for privates, summer intensives etc certainly helps/ confers advantage  whilst at voc school too!!
 

But the OP asks is still about potential and is it still worth applying for Year 7 without all this- absolutely.. every year at WL a ( albeit) few  children gain places with a few hours of training a week ..& . funny enough my dd achieved her JA place in yr 6 and WL place when ,in a vain attempt to get off the rollercoaster,we cut down her hours to 2 hours a week....so give it a go ... just be prepared if this dream comes true as it shockingly did for us...

20 minutes ago, Glissé said:

I would just like to say congratulations to all the dc who have been offered a place I know the feeling all too well when dd was offered a place for yr 7. However to all the no’s please try not to get too disheartened as dd actually told me she would have turned down her place if she would have known her experience. I don’t mean to dampen the mood just want to reassure those who have received a no it is not the end of the road because I know many successful dancers who haven’t been to a vocational school and if the love and passion is there anything is possible. Keep dancing and please feel free to pm me ❣️

That’s exactly how my dd feels now in yr 11... and want to reinforce that many  of the ‘no’s ‘for yr 7 In her year have now achieved just as good ( or better) offers for upper school training.... 

Whilst my dd had a truly horrific experience at voc school  with the AD and a ballet teacher, I can absolutely vouch for the majority of the healthcare team there. Only last week parents had a detailed zoom meeting with nutritionist highlighting the very dangers of underfuelling during puberty and overtraining .The physio team are very good and ,as highlighted in the video ,are often the people who perceive mental distress in students . This again was the case for my dd .

However I think it is important To highlight for both pupils and parents that they need to be aware of the mixed messages they may receive from a Voc school  in many areas not just nutrition and body shape . 

Well anywhere will be better than there and I have to add she also had an amazing private teacher who she saw each weekend during her time at the school and who restored her love and faith in ballet and ballet teachers . 

21 minutes ago, WrapsnBows said:

there is another post by a X RBS Student doing its rounds  she’s in her 2nd year at another vocational ballet school now after 5 years at WL and the video is all about how she didn’t believe in herself at WL and how the new school believes in her and how now she’s been entered into world class competitions and is having an amazing time and is now loving dance and not dancing in fear! 🥲 it’s so sad 

Same for my dd... as she is leaving that establishment this year ..finally after 5 years of silence we can speak out about her terrible experience there which ,of course ,is an individual one.. others in her year had a wonderful happy time and thrived .... my dd has not... I don’t wish to frighten new parents because ultimately It’s impossible to know what  the voc experience will be like for each child but it’s important to have a balanced view in the excitement of finals etc ..
 

Only asked permission for dd  when in yr 10 as she had received sponsorship to attend European SI. As the school had already made it clear in yr 9 that she wasn’t going to upper school , they were happy to let her attend in the middle of the Summer Term although we were asked to keep it quiet from other parents!😂🤣😂

Just to add that now, at least in my own son’s uni in Edinburgh accommodation for all students is in the shared flats within student accommodation but every hall has student support. Anecdotally he has seen  a huge drop out in students who start courses straight after Highers... but there are a number of different factors for that.
 

We received an email stating no later than Friday 2 April. 

Hi,

My dd was allowed to audition for yr 7 with an 31st August birthday along with other yr6s. She got a full time place so please don’t see it as a disadvantage at this point & she didn’t get in to any WL SI until she was a pupil at WL...😂 As they get older students are definitely allowed to apply for SI that they are ‘too young’ for both at WL and internationally . 
 

Nicola Katrak remains an inspirational figure at The Royal Ballet School and my dd is very very grateful not only for her rigorous teaching but also resurrecting my Young daughter’s  joy of dance,

10 hours ago, GabrielleDeV said:

Hello! Reading this thread has been so useful - thanks everyone who has posted about sizes for the uniform. In case it helps anyone else, my daughter will be 9 in September, 126.5cm tall. We've gone with the size 1 leotard and the 7-8 tracksuit top/bottoms and all fit fine (well, perhaps the tracksuit is slightly on the baggy side, but perfectly wearable). Has anyone dared to cut the belt/hair ribbons yet?! 

 

My daughter will be attending JA1 in London (yr4). She's also got a place at London Junior Ballet, which we accepted before we heard the result of JA audition (deadline was early June). Does anyone know the etiquette re doing two lots of associate classes? She's desperate to do both (assuming she doesn't get too tired with both Saturday and Sunday sessions), but do the RBS like to know if they're doing other associate classes too? The RBS approach seems so holistic, what with having to send school report, making sure that you have local dance teacher's permission to attend etc,  it made me wonder whether we should ask/tell them that she'd like to do LJB as well? Anyone else in this position? Thanks for any insights!

My dd did LJB as well as JAs. yes she was totally shattered but three of her year at LJB gained places at WL...strangely  LJB prepared her far better for the rigours and feel of WL then JAs . 

My dd is 13 and 5’8 at vocational school in UK and that has been huge disadvantage  so we feel your pain but from the other side of the fence - hope your dd finds a place at upper school .