On the day offers at Hammond.

[Petruska]

Have most people been waiting for an email regarding an offer at Hammond (lower school dance)? Just wondering if it’s usual to get an in person firm offer on the audition day or not? And what this might

mean in terms of funding? Tia

Edited March 7, 2023 by Petruska
Spelling error

[tutugirl]

I have heard of this , this year . Perhaps it’s a new thing .

Usually there is a funding final , so it appears things are changing . 

[Petruska]

Yes, they explained on the day that students were scored and if they met a

certain mark, they won a place at the school. Above a certain mark they used to be invited to the funding final, however judges scores rarely changed from initial audition to funding final. So they’ve scrapped it! - 

[tutugirl]

Interesting . I wonder if the ‘ on the spot ‘ offers equate to funding as well. One would assume so . 

[Dancing.shoes]

Did they offer a place with funding on the same day as auditions? Or just a place with no mention of funding? 

[Exhausteddancemum]

 

3 hours ago, Dancing.shoes said:

Did they offer a place with funding on the same day as auditions? Or just a place with no mention of funding? 

As far as I could work out they did both - kept some children behind & sent others home. Of those they kept (about 7-8) I think on our day they then called them in 1 by 1. The first few were offered MDS funded places, the last group were offered immediate places but no funding offer. Just a wait for a letter funding. 

[Dancing.shoes]

1 hour ago, Exhausteddancemum said:

 

As far as I could work out they did both - kept some children behind & sent others home. Of those they kept (about 7-8) I think on our day they then called them in 1 by 1. The first few were offered MDS funded places, the last group were offered immediate places but no funding offer. Just a wait for a letter funding. 

Crikey! So some people were told explicitly that they would be offered funding there and then?! 
I was hoping being offered a place on same day of auditions would mean a funded place. Hopefully letters will come out soon! 
 

[tutugirl]

I had assumed the same as you Dancing Shoes 

[Petruska]

6 hours ago, Dancing.shoes said:

Did they offer a place with funding on the same day as auditions? Or just a place with no mention of funding? 

I was so surprised and she was so delighted with the lovely comments that I wasn’t really listening. I think they said something about our letter with all the information about funding. But I don’t remember hearing ‘you have an MDS’ - so we probably haven’t 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Exhausteddancemum]

11 hours ago, Dancing.shoes said:

Crikey! So some people were told explicitly that they would be offered funding there and then?! 
I was hoping being offered a place on same day of auditions would mean a funded place. Hopefully letters will come out soon! 
 

I hoped the same but personal contacts & some social media observation made it clear that people just ahead of my daughter had been offered MDS scheme and we had a vague “funding will be explained” in a letter statement. At least it meant we could prepare her for realistic worst case  

[Petruska]

Do you know you haven’t got funding then? I mean when was your audition and have you heard already?
I think if no funding is definitely being offered, then why do that to them? We were well prepared for the eventuality of potentially getting an offer but not funding. But after saying to her ‘in our mind you are

already a Hammond student and we’ll see you in September’ and using the

word  ‘exceptional’ numerous times, we have come away with our hopes raised much higher than they would have been…… this could be painful. 

[Exhausteddancemum]

I didn’t take it as a definite no for ever, I’m just presuming they’ve offered some MDS already and they’ll rank everyone else based on their audition scores and then start a waiting list I suppose. Some of the kids they offered MDS too that we knew have also been offered places at Tring & are into the finals at RBS & Elmhurst so I suppose there will be movement. But yes it’s very hard because as you say when they’ve personally kept them behind and given them lovely compliments the pupil is all geed up and even more excited and thinks it’s even more likely they’ll get to go and this forum alone is showing us that actually they’ve said the same to quite a few others and so chances are realistically quite limited. 

[Dancing.shoes]

I’d best start talking my daughter down then! Seems exceptionally hard that 10 year olds have been told by the school they’ll be there in September, then us parents have to say no to the kids that have let themselves get carried away. At least I can start prepping her for bad news now. (Whilst keeping everything crossed for her!)

[tutugirl]

There is always a lot of movement on the waiting list . Sit tight 

[Peanut68]

Number one golden rule in my book is the schools should not discuss money with the children….awful if hopes of joining school get falsely raised & parents put in uncomfortable position of giving children a reality check re: can they or can’t they afford a place (& even with funding this can still be exceptionally hard & not always possible…) 

I would however very much recommend Hammond & Chester (though am aware many changes since our time with them).

Wishing all the best of luck to all awaiting offers x

[Petruska]

@tutugirl definitely understand about the movement and happy to sit tight, but the false hope given to my daughter on the day seemed unnecessary. We were happy to wait for an email. They made her feel like she already was an asset to the school and that she belonged. They shouldn’t have done that if they weren’t sure we could afford it without funding and hasn’t decided to offer her funding. Cruel 

[Taximum]

Waiting on Hammond news too! DC auditioned on Monday this week so imagine we'll have a while to wait still. The children were told that they are ranked with points and highest points get funding. Our DC knows that if there's no MDS they can't go, even if a place is offered. It's a tough gig!

[Petruska]

My daughter knows this too and we’ve had the same with an offer from Tring but not the MDS. She handled that ok! I just think it was unfair to build her up like that and offer a place In person if it’s not a given she has funding! 
Good luck to you 

[Jewel]

We’re you not in this meeting?  One place my daughter auditioned age 16 (so obviously much more aware of the issues) offered places on the day but the parent was invited into the meeting and funding or not was explained to us both. 

[Dancing.shoes]

Has anyone heard any more about sept entry? 

[BalletBelle]

Nothing yet - although we did have to complete the initial funding paperwork the other week. Hopefully we will all start to hear soon 

[Mum to a boy dancer]

Hammond students finish up tomorrow for Easter but the admin staff work through so you may find out once the school is quieter. 
when DS got his MDS we found out on March 19th then didn’t hear anything about how much we had to pay till June. 

[Taximum]

Do they tell you even if you don’t get offered a place? We’ve not heard anything at all since the audition nearly 3 weeks ago 😬

[Ballettap]

We had our audition for Y10 entry back in February, got a letter offering a place, and when I rang re funding they talked about the ranking once all auditions were completed. We have filled in  the financial forms and have heard nothing back. The final day for lower school auditions  I was told was 22nd March so people would get notified after that re MDS etc. Hoping to hear something soon. 🤞🏻

Edited March 23, 2023 by Ballettap

[Dancing.shoes]

11 hours ago, Taximum said:

Do they tell you even if you don’t get offered a place? We’ve not heard anything at all since the audition nearly 3 weeks ago 😬

Our audition was the same day as yours and we got our official acceptance on Tues. hopefully you’ll hear today to save another weekend of anxiety! I wonder (and there’s no factual knowledge on this), whether they offer certain amounts of places and wait for yes/no to see how many left there are to do second round of offers? No idea, but may be why some people hear before others? That said - it doesn’t seem like many have heard from them yet?

hope you hear soon!