Living at The Hammond

[angel]

I'm looking forward to meeting the new DC going into year 10 especially.  I hope that they all have a fabulous day 

[balletmum20]

How did everyone feel about induction day, my dd loved every minute of it xx

[sarahw]

Yes happy here too. Very impressed with the pastoral care.

[balletmum20]

Yes I was too! What year is yours going into sarahw?

[Boogalou]

We loved it too, DD can't wait to start yr 9 and DH and I left feeling very reassured that our dd will be in safe hands. 

Edited June 22, 2016 by Boogalou

[BalletAims]

My daughter loved it she didn't stop chatting all the way home yesterday over 2 hours drive lol. I was made to feel very at ease and my questions was answered. My daughter can't wait for September to start in year 7.

[Sadie123]

My DS absolutely loved it. He was buzzing all the way home and I felt much more at ease. Such an exciting time for them all.

[Ballet4Boyz]

Hi .... just wondered if anyone can answer a couple of questions re fees for the Hammond - sorry in advance for bringing up the dreaded subject, but just trying to fathom it all out !!

We've received notice of what our termly fees will be with an MDS award and we realise there are always 'extra' fees to be paid on top.... these being school trips, taxis, photographs, examination fees, participating in & attending school productions etc etc

The schools medical insurance scheme with BUPA is shown to be £247 per term .... is this counted as an 'extra' or is it included within the termly fees or covered by the MDS award ?? - maybe wishful thinking on our part !!

If this is the case - just calculated that the extras if you include the returnable deposit are at least £1286 for the first year and that's before adding some of the smaller extra fees....... may have to adopt a diet of beans on toast for the foreseeable future haha

My second question is are invoices actually sent out to us before the start of term as I know the termly fees are due a week before term starts. Sorry this is a bit long winded

[sarahw]

BUPA,exam fees, theatre trips are covered by MDS. The email sent on 28 June by Marsha Dutton has a list of what is and isn't included in a doc called MDS 2016-17. Yes beans a good idea!!

Edited August 13, 2016 by sarahw

[Ballet4Boyz]

Thanks Sarah ...... had completely forgotten about that email, makes us aware of how lucky we are to have an award !! Maybe stretch to a bottle of wine with the beans on toast now

[straceydor]

when do we get the invoice for those who don't have a mds ? I received some letters today about singing/music lessons and extra drama lessons and need to know how much is this terms fees are before I commit

[Ballet4Boyz]

Yes .... We received the same letters today - might be worth giving the school a ring to enquire about the invoice, especially as you've not been informed of your termly commitment.

[Miracle]

The term fees are on the website.x

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Non MDS holders may at least be relieved to know that unlike other private schools including my son's. Fees rises have been fairly negligible over the past few years. Also unlike most other private schools lunches (for day students), personal accident insurance & academic exams are included.

 

There's the good news, now the hard line:

 

Full fees for next year are £5995 per term with an extra £2715 for boarding. If you are fortunate to have a bursary work out the percentage.

 

Extras I've had to pay for last year (not including the bi-annual optional French trip are RAD exams (you can find out the costs on the RAD website)

 

£47.75 for a theatre trip

£13 for a weekend boarding trip (dd is a day student but boards occasionally so factor in this a few times each term)

£15 for an academic trip

£98 for Healthy Dancer screening (Autumn Term)

£45 Show Fee (Summer Term)

Plus the odd £2.50-£5 per ticket to attend various PTA events & of course end of year show tickets.

[kcoom75]

Just wondering, if you have an MDS award, do they allow monthly payments for fees or do they have to be paid termly?

[GillyM]

Fees can be paid by School Fees Plan - I think there is a link on the school website to apply

[Ballet4Boyz]

Does anyone know if the younger students have help with ironing their clothes when necessary? I'm not sure whether I should be giving my DS a crash course - but still feel he's a little young to be left to his own devices with a hot iron !

[Karen]

Don't think Dd has used an iron there in 4 years! I think the laundry comes back 'ready to wear!'

[Ballet4Boyz]

Thanks Karen ..... One less concern ticked off

[Snape]

I don’t think they need to iron much. I bought the non iron shirts, as I must admit I was worried about DD looking scruffy and I like tidy children. The skirts are non iron, not sure about boys trousers? I haven’t noticed them looking terrible. At a lot of schools you can tell who are the day/boarding pupils. I give the uniform a good wash and iron when it comes home and it seems to look OK until the next exeat. The only time she needed to use one was when they had a party and her dress was scrupled, the matron kindly helped her. After school they wear mainly jeans and things that dont need ironing.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Well I never realised the skirts were non iron! I always iron them.

 

But dd tells me when she boards that nothing gets ironed.

[Snape]

I iron everything, I have "issues!"

I also find it annoying when some of the children wear their long socks scrunched down (I can’t look) I have to resist going over and pulling them up, it drives me crazy.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I buy no iron blouses & shirts & iron them

But yes I'm with you on the socks. I make sure all the socks dd has are long enough (I guess that's the advantage of having an aspie child - her socks & tie have to be correct)

[Boogalou]

Does each child have some hanging space for blouses and blazer etc? I can imagine dd's blazer left in a crumpled heap! and do they empty their suitcases once they are there or use suitcase as storage?

[Snape]

Hi Boogalou,

 

They hang their blazer/shirts etc. in their wardrobe ( it is small) ths year they also had a few drawers each, 4 ish. My DD uses one small suitcase for storage under the bed, cabin bag size. A lot have under bed boxes.

There really is not much space, they dont actually need that much though, some people go crazy.

[Dancing2003]

Unfortunately my dd is one of those lovely kids that wears her socks scrunched down and skirt folded over the waist band to make it slightly above knee length - drives me mental when I go and pick her up - hoping now she is going into yr 9 she will change - I wish they didn't have to wear knee length socks, she won't wear grey tights my top tip if you can buy paintent shoes another bug bare of mine she never cleaned her shoes either in yr7, so yr8 she chose a pair of paintent ones and they have been so much better, yr7 not much space, yr8 much better - they all go off shopping Saturday's into town and come back with new bits and bobs, not sure how much space she will have in yr9 at the boarding no doubt I'll be bringing stuff back home with me ????

[Peanut68]

With you on the turned over skirt waist band & scrunched down socks - aghhHH!!

Also horrified by how uniform gets stuffed into dance bag after academics to wear again later or next day.....yet I must say overall all look very smart whenever I visit school! I think all down to modern easy care non-iron materials :-)

[Ellen]

hello  - need some advcie about an item on boarding list - Linen bag ? is this for laundry ? what size does it need to be ?

 

Also - how do you name socks - especially the ballet ones!?

 

Are suitcases stored away once emptied ?

 

is it 8 to a room for year 7? (girls?)

 

plus my top tip is a glass of pimms is currently helping me get through the sewing on of name labels !!!

[Snape]

Hello Ellen,

 

Linen bag is a laundry bag, any size. My DD has a hang up one, some have a bin.

 

I name school socks with sew in label and ballet socks with clothing tattoo iron on one.

 

Suitcases are taken home, sometimes they can keep a small one under the bed.

 

Last year, year 7 girls were in a 5/6 and a 4 dorm. It could be different this year.

[Ellen]

Thanks Snape - much appreciated

[Sadie123]

Advice please

 

I am just thinking about the extra lessons that are available in drama and singing. Thinking we are going to go for extra drama but unsure whether to go for singing too. I understand that my DS will get some singing lessons as part of MDS, does anyone know how many lessons and whether he will need extra on top of that?

 

Hope that makes sense

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I think (but dd does not have an MDS so I may be mistaken) that the MDS covers tuition on one instrument/voice.

[HAIRBELLES]

Advice please

I am just thinking about the extra lessons that are available in drama and singing. Thinking we are going to go for extra drama but unsure whether to go for singing too. I understand that my DS will get some singing lessons as part of MDS, does anyone know how many lessons and whether he will need extra on top of that?

Hope that makes sense

Last year it was £550 worth of lessons ( singing or instrument) which was one a week . Unlike the dance exams the singing exams are extra . I would say it is plenty as the children come out of other academic lessons to do these classes.

Hope that helps Sadie123