Jump to content

The conspiracy of silence


taxi4ballet

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, Bluebird22 said:

Thank you for this insight @Pas de Quatre & @Anna C I think in the mad dash to try and get places student finance has probably been way down the list of priorities. I really hope they can offer some financial support to those who have had to swap to a level 6 course because the majority of similar degree courses are already full. 

 

I think the latter will depend upon who funds the Level 6 courses, Bluebird - if they attract Student Finance then it should be straightforward.  If they are funded by DaDa then that’s going to be more complex and SFE/SAAS might suggest people speak to the receiving school. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 159
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

It’s sad it has come to this. But I am not surprised. 
I read somewhere over the weekend that the HNC/HND Qualification had ended/stopped. 
I feel very deeply for ALL Students, past and present. Even those who where about to embark. 
However, if there’s a Story to be learnt out of all of this. Playing “GOD” with lives, esp the innocent impressionable ones - this has to be it. 
Let this be the Wake Up Call to ALL Performing Arts. Regardless what Discipline. 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a very stressful and worrying time for all current and incoming students - my thoughts are with everyone affected.  I’ve just posted this on another thread but thought it might be useful for those incoming first years and their parents who find themselves looking frantically around for alternate courses. 

 

I would read the terms and conditions of schools - especially new(ish) ones and private ones - in minute detail, to check for things like:

  • Penalty clauses for withdrawal from the course
  • Injury policy - things like does the school assume any responsibility for injury during training
  • Accommodation providers - are these independent and inspected
  • Qualification offered and by which board. 
  • Pastoral care - if you can get views of this from current and past parents, so much the better
  • Accountability - is the school “owned” by one person/family, is there an independent Board of Governors, is the school inspected and by whom, what do these inspections *actually* inspect, and so on. 

Also worth remembering is that there are other options, especially at 15/16, even if one option is going back to academic school or college, then applying for 18+ dance training, so do speak to the Head of 6th form if your child is currently at an academic school. 

 

Wishing you and your dc the very best of luck going forward.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • alison locked this topic
  • alison unlocked this topic

When researching Upper schools as Anna C says if there are Terms and Conditions read them carefully. If instead they have a Contract I strongly suggest you send it to your family solicitors and contact the local Education Authority to ensure that the studios are a safe environment where they follow Health and Safety, UK Government Safeguarding policies and promote the welfare of ALL children and are not just a private company with beautiful studios and expensive private accommodation your child must stay in.   

Feel free to PM me with any further questions. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Canary.  Be very careful and get a solicitor to check the contract. Do NOT be rushed into signing something without careful scrutiny first and tell your child that they can  and MUST report to you or a trusted adult any bullying or abuse whether physical or emotional. Enough is enough

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Canary said:

When researching Upper schools as Anna C says if there are Terms and Conditions read them carefully. If instead they have a Contract I strongly suggest you send it to your family solicitors and contact the local Education Authority to ensure that the studios are a safe environment where they follow Health and Safety, UK Government Safeguarding policies and promote the welfare of ALL children and are not just a private company with beautiful studios and expensive private accommodation your child must stay in.   

Feel free to PM me with any further questions. 

You will be on a hiding to nothing if the school is offering a degree qualification. The school will not treat the under 18's as children as other schools would, they go purely by the university's terms and conditions, which unfortunately were written with adults of 18+ in mind. Students of 16 and 17 will be treated as adults. And that means that the school will not talk to parents. 

 

Edited to add: Which is all very well until there's a big problem or crisis. And 16-17 year-olds need a far greater level of pastoral support than they are going to get from the school. They need their parents' help, but the school won't discuss anything with the parents.

Be aware.

Edited by taxi4ballet
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Latest news on how itv investigation led to the closure of a well known vocational ballet school.  This is an essential read.

if anyone has further information about this school or any other schools please check my posts for contact details or message me directly.

 

Together we are making positive changes for safer dance. 
 

No comments here please (moderators you may wish to turn off posting). This is information only. Hit like and get this shared! 

 

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-08-27/how-our-investigation-into-a-prestigious-ballet-school-led-to-its-closure

 



 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

taxi4ballet: Yes. At 16 young people need a greater level of pastoral care and as you say the places in my experience which offer a degree do not seem to take this into account. I was appalled on the audition circuit when my dd who would only just have turned 16 was expected to be as mature and accountable as an 18/19 year old...coming from a small town and going to a large city, I was not happy when the principal of one school said that they took no responsibility for the pastoral care of their students once off the school property. The school had no dedicated accommodation or facilities other than beautiful studios. She went elsewhere

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • alison locked this topic
  • alison unlocked this topic
On 27/08/2020 at 20:56, pointetheway said:

Latest news on how itv investigation led to the closure of a well known vocational ballet school.  This is an essential read.

if anyone has further information about this school or any other schools please check my posts for contact details or message me directly.

 

Together we are making positive changes for safer dance. 
 

No comments here please (moderators you may wish to turn off posting). This is information only. Hit like and get this shared! 

 

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-08-27/how-our-investigation-into-a-prestigious-ballet-school-led-to-its-closure

 



 

 

Thanks for the link. Shared

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 27/08/2020 at 21:29, cornishprincess said:

taxi4ballet: Yes. At 16 young people need a greater level of pastoral care and as you say the places in my experience which offer a degree do not seem to take this into account. I was appalled on the audition circuit when my dd who would only just have turned 16 was expected to be as mature and accountable as an 18/19 year old...coming from a small town and going to a large city, I was not happy when the principal of one school said that they took no responsibility for the pastoral care of their students once off the school property. The school had no dedicated accommodation or facilities other than beautiful studios. She went elsewhere

We too may have experienced the same school. My DD would have only turned 16, just 8 weeks before the start of term. The person in question brushed off our concerns stating ‘well if they were in a ballet company it’s the norm’. Eeerr, that may well be the case but girls & boys do not join a ballet company just after their 16th birthday. They require a safe and nurturing environment to allow them to mature both physically and mentally to prepare them for what the future holds. We went elsewhere. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, balletbean said:

We too may have experienced the same school. My DD would have only turned 16, just 8 weeks before the start of term. The person in question brushed off our concerns stating ‘well if they were in a ballet company it’s the norm’. Eeerr, that may well be the case but girls & boys do not join a ballet company just after their 16th birthday. They require a safe and nurturing environment to allow them to mature both physically and mentally to prepare them for what the future holds. We went elsewhere. 


I had that said to me about my 12 year old!! Thankfully the member of senior management who was also at the meeting stepped in before I could, reprimanded the teacher and pointed out we were talking about a child! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This definitely seems to have parallels with the abuse of gymnasts highlighted in "Athlete A". What I find most shocking is that in both situations it was almost an open secret, yet the (alleged) abusers carried on getting away with it for years and years. Infuriating and sad...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly many become aware of the culture of these schools too late and often after harm has been done. 
 

That said,  there are some excellent schools and teachers out there, but in the current climate it’s difficult to know which are which.  There is no transparency.  Everything is constantly kept so secret, even on forums such as this we are all too aware of the limitations. 
 

But we don’t have to sit back and take it.  If you want to help you can message me or follow me on twitter. 
 

Sharing information is so important when making decisions that impact our children. 
 


 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 28/08/2020 at 06:29, cornishprincess said:

taxi4ballet: Yes. At 16 young people need a greater level of pastoral care and as you say the places in my experience which offer a degree do not seem to take this into account. I was appalled on the audition circuit when my dd who would only just have turned 16 was expected to be as mature and accountable as an 18/19 year old...coming from a small town and going to a large city, I was not happy when the principal of one school said that they took no responsibility for the pastoral care of their students once off the school property. The school had no dedicated accommodation or facilities other than beautiful studios. She went elsewhere

From the experience of my dd it is also a question of the level of pastoral care provided by the schools attached housing set up as well. The whole concept of pastoral care across the school needs attention. The idea a school can say we have done enough for the students - or that they had more attention than any other etc - fails to recognise that all students have different pastoral and mental health issues at different times. The system needs to be flexible and accommodating. A duty of care is a human issue and a moral one too. The schools inspectorate needs to look further and question more widely. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • alison locked this topic
  • Anna C unlocked this topic

Some good news for once...according to The Stage

 

"The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has stepped in to help students of the now-closed Ballet West continue their training by opening up last-minute audition places.

Young dancers who were studying at Ballet West have already been auditioned by the Glasgow conservatoire, which plans to offer them places for the coming academic year."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, oncnp said:

Some good news for once...according to The Stage

 

"The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has stepped in to help students of the now-closed Ballet West continue their training by opening up last-minute audition places.

Young dancers who were studying at Ballet West have already been auditioned by the Glasgow conservatoire, which plans to offer them places for the coming academic year."

 

Elmhurst has also been offering last minute places for anyone as some students cannot, for whatever reason, take up their places.

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

Indeed so, and the man in question has also been named by ITV as Mr Jonathan Barton, the former Vice Principal at Ballet West.  Until the trial has been held and a verdict reached, it would be inappropriate to have further discussion here.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...