angel

53 minutes ago, Picturesinthefirelight said:

I have to say it’s very re-assuring to read so many positive comments about dd’s School (& where she is hoping to stay for seniors) from other parents especially as she decided not to audition for some of the bigger names. 

I had two at this school and our experience of pastoral care, particularly in the boarding house, was abysmal.  One day when my DD was unable to attend school in great distress, she was left all morning on her own with only a cleaner in the house.  I was genuinely concerned that she wouldn't survive the morning.

Other DD experienced bullying behaviour for two years with nothing done, even though I had made boarding staff aware.  In fact when I had a meeting, before deciding to change schools, the dance staff were supportive as well as the Head but the boarding staff praised the bullies exemplary behaviour in the boarding house and made us out to be liars.  Counselling was offered but no support in the boarding house?!  DD's are Much happier now.   

56 minutes ago, Jane said:

I’m reading this thread wondering why I didn’t put my foot down and insist my dd leave vocational lower school. She had some very difficult times and at one point I was told by a house parent ‘they all have problems but unless the child makes a fuss and noise it is easier to ignore’. The quiet child suffering doesn’t impact on the rest of the house as a crying, dramatic one does. Unfortunately for the management I was less easy to ignore. Some problems were resolved but it took a lot of determination and perseverance and if I worked full time I don’t know that I would have had the energy to keep fighting. Always my dd insisted she want to give it one more term or next year would be better because it was a different teacher and after all it was all she wanted to do. 

 

We looked at European sixth forms but naively believed information feed to us by the senior management about their new plans for the sixth form training and decided that it was a case of better the devil you know ...

Im sorry to say I regret letting my dd begin this journey. We are slowly getting back our daughter and she is beginning to enjoy life, make proper friends and not worry about what others think of her constantly. Her confidence and self esteem has grown in the few months she has stepped back from dance. 

I can identify with this.  My DD wanted to leave at Easter in her first year.  The Director at the time persuaded us that we had no option for her to stay...that I would have to pay the full fees for the rest of the year if she didn't at least complete the year and threw in that DD had a promising career ahead of her.  Then we were in a cycle of, next year the teacher might be better, student relationships more healthy, I've started so I'll finish etc...damage done during this time is immeasurable.   

2 hours ago, Kat09 said:

It would be interesting to hear if anyone has experienced excellent/supportive pastoral care within the UK vocational system .... 

I Very much doubt it!

Ashleigh was in my DD’s year at WL.  

So sad the read this. Praying she had somewhere safe and warm to go to. 

I spoke to them yesterday.  The woman said beginning of March.

Where do you live balletmum20?

Hope she’s better but if not, ring them and change to another centre. They won’t mind. 

The little red spots could be foliculitis (inflammation of the follicles which can become infected if products and sweat remain on the head). 

The hair follicles can become irritated due to the hair being continually pulled tight. Trying different styles (a sweep over sideways at the front or a cane row) can help lessen the stress on the follicles while the irritation goes down. The pharmacist can also recommend medicated shampoo. 

I watched the show last night.  It really was a mixture of all that is great about the Hammond school.  I much preferred it to the usual dancers show (although there was a great deal of dancing in it).

Very proud of my DD but also really enjoyed seeing all the young people I've watched develop over the last four years.  End of an era for us.

Well done the teaching staff!

My DD's used to go there.  Taught by Eve Leveaux.  She was fantastic.  

On 16/06/2017 at 19:15, w445403 said:

There is a great class in Derby if you're ever in that neck of the woods

Where is the Derby class?

On 6/10/2017 at 11:23, MrsMoo2 said:

As an ex dancer, I can answer the what do you do after it all ends? Well the answer is, go back to college and retrain! ?? 

I'm a psychiatric nurse now, I fix the dancers who have been traumatised by years of audition let downs and nasty ballet mistresses! 

What does my son do in his spare time? Oh yeah he's a ballet dancer!!! The irony! ????

Oh MrsMoo2 I need your number 

3rd years at Tring have to live out of school.  The school do have a list of host families etc.  

I have no idea if these are all gone and the school won't get involved in any way but they might be happy to send you the list at least?

Good luck   Maybe a boarding place will come available 

3 hours ago, Loulabelle said:

We have just received a very exciting email, DD has a place at Covent Garden Summer School from the waiting list! 

She's not an Associate but did get to Upper School finals this year.

Fabulous news

I think they have a list of landlords for under 18's. Under 18's aren't allowed to live independently.  

Hopefully someone who is giving up their place can give you details so you can get in quickly?

Or give school a call to ask?

Always worth going along to these things. You never know what will happen.

Which Summer course is your DD going to?

Will your DD do the Musical Theatre course or Dance course Pictures?  My DD loves Musical Theatre but is put off because she hasn't been able to dance whilst at Hammond.

Thanks for your reply and yes I understand regarding using Tring as a meter for potential.  My non dancing DD did the drama Summer course last year and absolutely loved it!  She will do a drama qualification (Cambridge rather than Btec I think) as well as the Commercial Music course.  She will join the lower 6th.

My other 2 DD's are at Tring so I am thrilled.  I'm exhausted with all the driving up and down the country.  Just one journey, even though it is a 210 mile round trip, will feel like a stroll in the park to the past few years 

On 2/10/2017 at 16:32, afab said:

For the old forum members who've been following us for years and even though it's not ballet, I'm very proud to say that DD3 has been offered a place at Tring for 6th Form Acting Course! :-)

Hi,Afab, I have been following your story for years.  Congratulations to your DD.  Will she be at the Taster day on 29th June?  My non dancing DD is starting in September and will be there.

She'd fit in well ?

On 05/05/2017 at 19:51, Picturesinthefirelight said:

I guess it depends if they like you enough. Worth a try I guess. She likes the look of there as they also offer the academic subjects she's interested in but she'd have to board (ive looked up train & bus timetables & they just don't work!)

I was very impressed when I went to have a look. I also know of a few very talented you d dancers who have left there to go onto top 16+ schools. I don't know as much about the 6th form apart from the fact that there are lots of opportunities for study/choir/ballet/MT and the school staff are very welcoming. 

She could catch the bus from my house

On 5/4/2017 at 19:32, Picturesinthefirelight said:

She did RAD before at a small but good school, however I reckon about 80% of local dance schools are BBO. She started off with BBO when very little but moved due to location/timetables. 

 

Yes I have thought about KS, even vaguely thought about applying for 6th form college in that area but would need to check train timetables etc. 

 

What makes it a bit difficult is that the options she really wants to audition for (Abbots Bromley, Arts Ed 6th Form or Tring MT) are not financially possible.  

 

 

Abbotts Bromley can offer very generous bursaries

4 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said:

Actually, I would have thought the reverse.  RBS may take offense if you try to arrange anything without contacting them first.   

By all means try contacting them and IF you are lucky enough to find that someone the same age as your DD drops out at the last minute, then you will be very lucky indeed. 

I don't see how a discreetly worded message saying please inbox me if you would be willing to swap would offend anyone

You could try asking them but it is very unlikely that they would be able or willing to find a young dancer the same age/sex as yours to change.

You are doing the right thing by asking on here.  You could also post on the RBS Facebook page??

1 hour ago, sarahw said:

Glad to hear that Angel.

Hammond physios missed the problem but to be fair, so did the ankle specialist in Chester.  I found a top surgeon who diagnosed the problem immediately.  BUPA paid for it all, operation and all of the follow up treatment.   We did run out of physio allowance in the end.  A new school year meant it started from scratch.