angel

Thank you, she certainly seems to be. Having oldest DD there has been a real bonus for her although they look so alike she's been told off twice for not being in 6th form class

Yeah, My DD has made some wonderful friends at Hammond. My younger DD however walked away completely dry eyed

I saw a few tearful new DD's when dropping my now year 11 DD last night. Hoping that they have begun to make friends and are having an exciting first day

My DD is much happier in her new school. Younger DD has just joined her so I am hopeful that she will feel the same very soon The advice you give is standard text book. I have heard it so many times. The problem is that children are all individuals and handle things differently. The staff never took the time to get to know either of my girls when they had problems, from bullying, to exhaustion, homesickness, you name it. Especially in the funded schools, children come from a wide variety of backgrounds, socially, financially and culturally. They are thrown into a totally alien environment where they are constants on their toes (excuse the pun). There is no respite. Going home regularly and talking to me each night was the best way to deal with it but if somebody had just listened to me and taken time to help, I might have had a happier child, or a move of schools. The vocational school environment has so little to do with a Summer school or indeed normal boarding school, unless that academic pressure is intense. It isn't that they lied to me per se, they just never got to know her.....

Dr Dance I could almost cry reading you advice. My older DD was miserable practically from the moment I left her that exciting and proud day until at least the end of Year 10. Whenever I called the school to ask how she was they said she was fine. She wasn't fine but she got very good at acting like she was fine by the end. In my view, it is very similar to the behaviour of a child who is being abused. Listen to your children. Talk to your children.

They are also given the option of Jazz and a fitness style class (can't remember what they call it) so making the trip worthwhile

Vmmom they offered full time places in the red group. Assume there are no spaces in school in the other years of none were offered.

Yes dd did two weeks. I genuinely think it was to make sure everyone saw their child dance.

Red.

ah sorry, didn't see them. Not sure if anyone from other years were offered places

The girl in turquoise was offered a place (tall) and the one in grey (much smaller). I liked the girl in red too

We missed coffee again vmmom! Mine was in red. I would love to chat again to the lovely Australian lady whose daughter did so well ????

Cheaper than the b word (ballet in case you were wondering) ????

I was just thinking of some of the young dancers I know who would love to go to vocational school but, often for financial reasons or choice not to leave home or academic schools yet, have stayed at home but continued training hard. Or those who were training vocationally but were assessed out. You make a good point about outreach and encouraging new audience members. I'm all for that. I never would have been to the ballet if my dd's didn't dance.

When you said 'Not saying that they couldn't provide something for serious students too' I thought that's what you meant. I do understand the frustration of those who don't have opportunities to perform or train with professionals. My dd has been vocational for three years but has also not had opportunity to performer train with a professional company.

I agree that vocational students wouldn't be able to take part in the Cinderella one (apart from Elmhurst students but I would imagine they wouldn't be allowed anyway) There are some lovely non vocational dancers in the Birmingham area who I would imagine are very happy and excited about the prospect. I doubt that many of those who attend the audition would say they weren't serious As for the one off days; these days have always been poorly attended (mostly because BRB didn't advertise them).

We cut the neck off DD's white sweatshirt

I emailed them last year expressing my feeling that they should be encouraging the ballet dancers of the future...and most..not all..are at vocational school.

I think a lot of the girls felt a little like that from listening to them. I remember how exciting it was being introduced to the Director of the school and seeing them all receive their certificates and awards. My older DD still has the mug they gave her

Really sorry to hear about your experience Swanprincess

Have loitered (hazards on) on those double yellow (along with other parents) for the last three years with no consequences even with police cars passing

My older DD did WL summer school years ago and it was really special at the end with all of the classes performing what they'd learned. This time with three, hour long classes, I felt that all of the girls were tired, the class was very easy and there was no sense of occasion at the end. That said, DD had a wonderful time and appreciated all of the corrections. I do know that, in the past, parents have complained that they had hardly seen their child during the performance so I suppose that this is their compromise.

I really enjoyed watching four times, from different angles. I saw dancers who I felt stood out on each occasion and not always the same ones

Thanks HAIRBELLES, it was nice although I would have preferred it as it used to be when they had a performance. Three hour long classes in this heat was a bit much. It was good to see how all of them had a little something different to offer. I love that about watching a class. One thing I do like about some schools as opposed to others is that they do at least differentiate with RAD classes. At WL, where they take no exams, everyone is in the same class as their year for every class.

Having just been to watch the Royal Ballet summer school classes, two girls were offered places in school. One beautifully tall and strong girl and the other much smaller, also very strong girl. Grade wise, I doubt there was much between all of the girls in the class