Interested Parent

Can I just add that The Hammond do now assess out in Year 9. We were advised of this at the auditions this year.

That is fantastic new SWE. Very well done to your DD. Such a great result after clearly many years of frustration and disappointment (MAs). Very best wishes to her for the future.

Karen, I notice you are from the South West, so yes, a very long drive indeed! I would have thought Swindon might be closer for you but even so, still along way.

Sorry just noticed you said next summer - duh - feeling a bit fraught today what with both MA and Hammond letters still outstanding!

We have applied this year Spanner. DD would love to see your DD there as she will also be on her own. We have requested boarding.

Especially enjoyed the acting from such young children. Very sweet.

My DDs friend received her letter today. Sadly no funding given to her for a year 8 place ))-: Anyone else received their letter yet?

Wishing your DD BUCKET LOADS of luck Fran.

I feel there is certainly a space in the market for dance schools that offer a non-syllabus class alongside any exam syllabus work. Most schools in our area do not offer this and unless your child is on an associate program, it is difficult to find this elusive non-syllabus class. Perhaps some of the forum's teachers can comment on why this may not be so readily available?

Unfortunately that is true tomuchtallent to a certain extent. The other problem is that many children who are already on an associate scheme, also audition for other associate schemes and tend to get those places too. So quite hard for a child with potential but has not yet managed to get onto an associate program. I know of one program where many of the children already attend another program because the programs are on different days, thus removing that space for a child who is not.

My pleasure Tippytoes. I also have the new Intermediate Foundation syllabus (RAD) DVD up for grabs if anyone is interested. My DD just passed with a Distinction!! Just drop me a pm.....

I have the Grade 4 - 5 DVD but not sure if they have updated it. DD took hers last June. Please send me a private message if you are interested.

We were told the funding letters should be out just before the Easter hols and that Janet will be available for the first week of hols to discuss finances.

Thanks Miracle. Sadly DD did not do the Tring audition this year so I will take the opportunity now to wish your DD every success on the 20th March.

Very well done to all those with RBS places. For those not so lucky this time, please remember there's always next year..........

Yes, best of luck from our house too and just have a lovely day.

Hi all, my DD has been offered a place at The Hammond; which is lovely. Of course she won't be able to go unless an MDS is on offer so we now wait another 3 weeks to see if there are any available for us. Miracle, hope you're DD is bearing up with the waiting; my DD is a little bit tetchy at the moment

Hello Miracle. I'm afraid no post today so we continue to live in hope ((-:

Oh what a little trooper she is for going ahead with the audition. Wishing your DD and all others lots of luck and fingers crossed for a recall.

Hi Regattah, my DD said hello to your DD and another DD who she met last year. It was lovely of them to chat with her and made her feel quite at home.

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes! DD loved the audition (any chance to perform in front of a captured audience is good for her esteem). We didn't get our letter yesterday so I may have misheard that. We were told that when years 7 and 8 have had their funding finals, they will allocate MDS and there may be some left over for years 9 and 10, plus of course the burseries. So not a huge chance, but some, and as my DD regularly reminds me, you have to be in it to win it!!! But first we have the hurdle to climb of the letter offering/not offering a place at the school - fingers crossed and thank you all again for your support.

Blimey maybe it was once!!! I had better check before my DD has no-one to drive her home!

Thank you C4D! I'm just walking the Chester wall and at Eastgate there are the wishing steps that if you can walk up and down them 3 times whilst holding your breath your wish will come true. Guess what I'm just about to do ((-:

Hi Regattah - hope your DD is enjoying her first year at The Hammond. My DD in her audition right now and hoping for a Year 9 place! We were told only years 7 and 8 go back for funding finals on 19th March. All years 9 and 10 places will receive letter today confirming if they have been offered a school place and then have to wait until end of March to be told if there are any Mds places remaining plus of course bursury offers. Keeping everything xxxxx for my girl.

Hi Miracle - my DD auditioned last year and this is how it worked for her. She auditioned for Year 8 place and was told that the majority of MDS awards would go to the Year 7 places but there could be some for Year 8 and beyond. She was invited back to Funding Finals. She was asked to joined the school but told that there was no MDS available for her and she would be on the SWL. I do know of 1 other girl who auditioned for Year 8 and got an MDS. Our finances were sent to the Finance Director and we were also offered a 50% bursury - sadly this was too much for us as we knew what we would get for the MDS and we could afford that. We had to turn down the offer. I believe the full fees are about 22k and so we were offered 11k towards it as part of the bursury.