Jewel

The OFSTED report is specifically for the post 16 course as that is DaDa funded.

Well I can't speak for Tring but I know that Hammond is inspected by ISI, not OFSTED. OFSTED do however, inspect all Post 16 DaDa provision (they have to get at least a Good to retain Dada funding, but as the OP referenced MDS I didn't include that. Hammond's last OFSTED report was 2015 & was for the post 16 Trinity Diploma DaDA funded courses only. The last ISI report on the whole school education and boarding was last year.

Ofsted inspect the boarding provision. ISI inspect the education.

Dances were rehearsed in class but there might be one or two extra rehearsals paid at normal class rate. Costumes ranged from £20-30 for a full outfit to source it from Primark for some dances. Tickets cost approx £12-15 each.

Gowiththeflow is correct, the UCAS deadline has passed for this year. I would say that Bird, Northern Ballet & LSC would fit the strong in ballet criteria. Shockout in Manchester possibly a bit easier to get in, they take in dancers who are more commercial and they are not as well known. but they have excellent, high level ballet teachers.

Well done to her. I have known several young people go through Wilkes. They have all been happy and done well.

Yes, that is pretty much the case. Some universities want A level grades taken in one sitting, some want a certain nunber of UCAS points, some will count dance and music grades towards those UCAS points, some will not.

I am fairly certain that is it not possible to complete the course online. I have heard of people changing providers, but only in the case of an institution going under and another college taking them on. Most schools say that they don't recognise prior learning and that students have to complete the full three years with them.

The think you may not realise is that most young dancers don't choose what school they go to. They apply to all of them and see whether they are accepted or not.

Why Elmhurst in particular? What you are essentially asking your parents to pay for is private schooling. I can understand their reservations especially as you have only been dancing two years (however my son only started playing an instrument aged 14 and now he is auditioning for music college. Elmhurst is a very particular type of school and anyone auditioning knows it is a very long shot. When you audition aged 11 they will take on potential. But aged 16 they literally have just 3 years to get a dancer to the standard of a professional ballet dancer. You have to be of a comparable level of dancers who have trained in Lower School and indeed internationally. As the funding is likely to be an issue you may be better off continuing in your dance classes locally, perhaps supplementing with workshops and summer schools and aged 18 look at auditioning for one of the degree funded ballet/dance courses if that is what you aspire to. Have you asked your dance teacher's advice?

It carried no UCAS points because it is degree level. Degrees and HND's also carry no UCAS points. Only Level 3 qualifications carry UCAS points.

The beauty of RAD/ISTD/BBO etc is that they are externally accredited. It's not a perfect system but there is regulation and moderation of exams.

That is great, but that route (drama school as an adult/postgrad) is only available to those with the money to finance that extra year. For most the undergraduate programme they follow is their one chance at getting the training/agent.

Do be aware that some areas have half term w/c 14th Feb and others have half term w/c 21st Feb

it seems to be an Australian exam board.

It’s considered an even bigger no than it used to be as more is known about injuries etc. The Royal Ballet school out their girls en pointe in Year 7. Some associates will have stated basic pointe in year 6. They are “elite” not some school that have given themselves the title.

There was a technical problem on NAPM. No one could post, it’s sorted now. re: Urdang. They no longer offer a diploma, only a degree. They have different tracks so you can be on a dancer/singer track or an actor/singer track. Although Bird have degree funding with no top ups there are not enough degree places for everyone offered. It’s quite common for someone to apply for degree and be offered Diploma.

In London there is a huge market of lets and sub lets in the entertainment industry. The Facebook group Hustle Homes is a good starting point. Dd's current house share she took over the room of someone who got a contract to go on tour.

For my child there were the usual ups and downs but nothing that you don't get at any school. However the major issues started part way through Year 12 and dd ended up utterly broken. Because she was also doing A levels it was tricky. I am pleased to say that she decided to continue performing arts training but with more of an all round emphasis and the institution she is at now is proof that there are some institutions where they put the person first, yet still manage successful training.

Quit a few children in my daughter's year used ISTD modern exam dances

When my daughter chose to go to vocational school we told her that if she ever changed her mind she was to say and it would not be seen as failing, just choosing to take a different direction. She stayed the course (there were ups and downs but she stuck at it and the school, on the whole was great for her in lower school) but we always gave her a get out clause. You might need to investigate what notice periods need to be given and the availability of places in your local schools.

Different schools/colleges offer different qualifications and the funding mechanisms are different for each. I am assuming that applicants are UK residents eligible for UK based funding Northern Ballet School are one of the schools who offer a Trinity Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance. The school set the tuition fees at approx £14,000 per year. The school has a certain number of government Dance & Drama Award funding. These are means tested according to parental income. The parental contribution to fees ranges from £0 for families with an income of under £33,000 per year to having to pay full fees for families with an income of over £90,000. The scale is here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dance-and-drama-awards-income-scales/dance-and-drama-awards-income-scales-2018-to-2019-academic-year There is a small maintenance grant available as part of the DaDa scheme, but only to incomes of less than £30,000 Central offer a BA Hons degree and as they are part of Conservatoire for Dance & Drama they have the same funding system as UK universities in that fees are capped at just over £9,000. A student loan to cover the fees can be taken out via SFE and there is also a Maintenance Loan, the amount you an borrow depends on family income. The website Save the Student has details of the amounts and family incomes. Some colleges offer a degree but are not their own awarding body and so they can (and do) set much higher fees and SFE sets a maximum loan amount of £6,500 per year towards those fees. An example of that kind of college is London Studio Centre. Full maintenance loans are still available.

MODERATORS' NOTE: The following does NOT relate to White Lodge: We too made complaints about what I consider to be threatening behaviour (at a different institution) by a very senior member of staff that had caused massive mental health issues and it was dismissed. There were undertones that we would be treated as a malicious complainant. As our child only had a few months left and needed the qualification in order to progress onto further study she chose to ride it out.

More lessons to be learnt and for parents to be aware of https://artsed001.blob.core.windows.net/published/Statement_from_ArtsEd_Board_of_Trustees_22_October_2021.pdf https://artsed001.blob.core.windows.net/published/Rebecca_Tuck_QC_Public_Statement_22_October_2021.pdf I had heard rumours of the lap dancing, 'naked bond' dance classes and 'wear what you dare' sessions but to see it confirmed in an official report is just unbelievable.

Knowing some of the people involved I'd say this isn't the last we have heard of this. It's worth noting that Twitter was particularly interesting to read when the production of Glastonbury Joseph was cancelled. A feeble excuse about casting diversity was made.