Upper School destinations for Tring, Elmhurst, YDA, Hammond, and White Lodge students

[Babyballerinamum]

I’m interested to know if anyone knows, or can point me to where to find out, the Upper School destinations of these schools’ students, this  year and maybe for the past few years? I know White Lodge has been discussed on the forum for RBS Upper School but haven’t seen where they do go, and am at a loss on where to start on the others. Apologies if there’s a thread I’ve missed. 
 

thanks!

[LinMM]

I only know that you can usually find RBS destinations in the programme for their end of year show on the ROH stage in July. I don’t know about any of the other schools though but presumably they must publish graduate destinations somewhere 🤔

[Peanut68]

Do also be aware that much of the focussed info in marketing saying  ‘look how successful our students are’  from schools list the same few from the last 10 years or so as opposed to statistical hard facts for each year….. they are in the selling game to a certain extent remember so buyer beware!! 

[DD Driver]

Look at the websites

e.g. Elmhurst

https://elmhurstballetschool.org/en/about/our-graduates/

 

Or go to Instagram posts

e.g. ENBS

https://www.instagram.com/p/ChbZ_SVumW-/

Edited March 24, 2023 by DD Driver

[Neverdancedjustamum]

I think the OP is interested in the upper school destinations of the lower school ‘graduates’ of the schools she mentioned, rather than where the upper school students gain employment/end up. YDA often announces via social media the list of schools their students get offers from but there is no breakdown as such. As far as I am aware the other schools do not make public where their lower students go (and certainly no breakdown of how many students end up staying in their upper school/sixth form and other schools).  Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall seeing such info publicised. Maybe they do it internally, I don’t know.

[Mum of unicorn dancer]

7 minutes ago, Neverdancedjustamum said:

I think the OP is interested in the upper school destinations of the lower school ‘graduates’ of the schools she mentioned, rather than where the upper school students gain employment/end up. YDA often announces via social media the list of schools their students get offers from but there is no breakdown as such. As far as I am aware the other schools do not make public where their lower students go (and certainly no breakdown of how many students end up staying in their upper school/sixth form and other schools).  Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall seeing such info publicised. Maybe they do it internally, I don’t know.

YDA graduation year 2022;

Boys - RBS, Elmhurst 

Girls - ENBS - 4 girls, RCS, Rambert, Central, Elmhurst, Laines

 

[SissonneDoublee]

This year’s students won’t have all their responses yet, and are still under huge pressure, so hopefully you are referring to previous year groups.

[PrancingMum]

1 hour ago, Mum of unicorn dancer said:

YDA graduation year 2022;

Boys - RBS, Elmhurst 

Girls - ENBS - 4 girls, RCS, Rambert, Central, Elmhurst, Laines

 

YDA do not have an Upper school so they put a lot of work into supporting pupils get into their next step schools.

 

The four MDS schools have pupils who continue in the school or apply elsewhere either because they don’t want to stay at the particular school or wish to change to a school with a different focus.  There will be some who choose not to continue pursuing vocational dance and focus on academic education and some who may not be offered ongoing funding.  Changes in family circumstances may also have an impact on decisions.

 

Those from RBS WL who are not offered Upper and wish to continue will usually be successful in getting a place at another vocational school.

 

There are changes from year to year at all of the schools.  What your child wants age 10/11 may not be what they aspire to at 14 or 16.  As parents and guardians we sometimes have to make practical decisions about their future.  Some pupils don’t fill their potential for all sorts of reasons.

 

Everyones path is different and while looking at where pupils from each school go to for Upper can give you some indication of where your DC might go in five years can’t be the focus for now.  No one year group is the same and each DC has their own experience and life trajectory.

[Lifeafterballet]

2 hours ago, Neverdancedjustamum said:

I think the OP is interested in the upper school destinations of the lower school ‘graduates’ of the schools she mentioned, rather than where the upper school students gain employment/end up. YDA often announces via social media the list of schools their students get offers from but there is no breakdown as such. As far as I am aware the other schools do not make public where their lower students go (and certainly no breakdown of how many students end up staying in their upper school/sixth form and other schools).  Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall seeing such info publicised. Maybe they do it internally, I don’t know.

The sixth form destinations of vocational year 11 pupils would be very interesting I feel so probably why they aren’t publicised.
In our experience RBS year 11 students rarely entered Elmhurst US. Only two boys in my children’s time I can recall. But I’m aware of a lot auditioning. I’m not really sure as to why that is 🤔 

YDA I think would be happy to publish as they have no upper school.

Sadly again though, it’s like with graduate destinations, if you don’t get that dream contract then they don’t celebrate your children’s successes. 

[Neverdancedjustamum]

I think it’s a perfectly legitimate question to ponder. The same way some parents check a secondary school/sixth form’s graduate university destinations.  It doesn’t need to be the focus but surely it should be a factor. Vocational schools do not have ranking tables as such so it’s normal for prospective parents to exhaust every avenue they can to see if it’s worth investing at a particular institution for the next 3-5 years of their child’s life. Things do change and this can be either within or outside their control but it’s always good to get into something with as much research and knowledge as you can especially when it involves your children’s next few formative years. Some schools are more transparent and this is just the way it is. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Neverdancedjustamum

[Ruby Foo]

RBS yr 11 students have gone to destinations such as NBA, ESB, Joffrey, NBS Canada,  Boston Ballet School, Rambert, San Francisco Ballet School, ENB, Kings, Masters of Ballet, Basle Ballettschule to name but a few. Some have returned to their home countries Australia/ Brazil etc to continue training. Some do private training.

 

 

[Ruby Foo]

Whoops! Forgot to mention CSB - Central.

[margarite]

Hammond has a wide range of destinations for its Year 11s. Many choose to stay on for sixth form to gain the Trinity diploma while others head to Laine, Rambert, Central, Performers, Tring, NBS, RCS, KS Dance, Wilkes, from what I’ve heard over the years. This year there are finalists for Elmhurst, ENBS, RCS, Central and Tring funding - but obviously that’s still all TBC 🤞🏻

Edited March 24, 2023 by margarite

[Ruby Foo]

As far as I know, there is nothing published for WL yr 11 destinations. I stand to be corrected.

Above are purely examples of destinations for previous years graduates.

[Jewel]

Students are also under no obligation to share this information with their lower school.

[LexBallet]

4 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

RBS yr 11 students have gone to destinations such as NBA, ESB, Joffrey, NBS Canada,  Boston Ballet School, Rambert, San Francisco Ballet School, ENB, Kings, Masters of Ballet, Basle Ballettschule to name but a few. Some have returned to their home countries Australia/ Brazil etc to continue training. Some do private training.

 

 

That’s interesting. 
Any insight to why Elmhurst isn’t in there and/or thoughts on best UK upper schools (of course it’s very individual) for a classical bias with contemporary?

[Ruby Foo]

12 minutes ago, LexBallet said:

That’s interesting. 
Any insight to why Elmhurst isn’t in there and/or thoughts on best UK upper schools (of course it’s very individual) for a classical bias with contemporary?

In UK, it’s probably Central or Conservatoire.

I’m not sure about Elmhurst. In my experience, not many yr 11’s audition.

I think possibly lower down the school it’s more a considered option. 

[Babyballerinamum]

16 hours ago, SissonneDoublee said:

This year’s students won’t have all their responses yet, and are still under huge pressure, so hopefully you are referring to previous year groups.

No offence meant. I’m too early in all this to know timings and knew Elmhurst and RBS US had come out. I can only imagine the stress they are all under. Best of luck to everyone. 

[Babyballerinamum]

As @Neverdancedjustamum suggested, I was interested in progression from lower school at the end of Y11 rather than graduating after Y13. It’s a hard decision to send your child to any school. Academic or vocational. With academic, you can judge the results of the teaching at the end of 5 years by the exam results. You have to aim off for the intake, the fact some will decide they don’t want to study or don’t live up to potential or get mixed up with the wrong crowd. But you can judge, at least to an extent, the quality of teaching and whether the institution might get the best from the child and help them get to the university of choice or course. But with the vocational schools, it’s hard to know if there is a reasonable chance of a place at a classical Upper School after Y11 and therefore whether it’s worth the investment in time, money, and emotions to take the path with that school. If they rarely turn out dancers who go in to a classical ballet education, and that’s what DC wants, it would be helpful to know in the making of the decision. It’s such a shame it’s all so shrouded in mystery. It might help everyone if it wasn’t. Transparency is rarely a bad thing. 
 

Thank you for all the info so far. It is really helpful. Welcome any more views from anyone with insight. Do DM if easier than using the public thread. 
 

Thank you!

[Kerfuffle]

21 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

As far as I know, there is nothing published for WL yr 11 destinations. I stand to be corrected.

Above are purely examples of destinations for previous years graduates

[Kerfuffle]

Sorry I didn’t mean to post that again! From what I’ve observed is that there are DCs from all sorts of dance backgrounds who are successful getting through to finals  so worth exploring all options. It really is down to the individual dancer I think. 

[Farawaydancer]

My dc’s lower school class at Elmhurst a few years ago went to: Elmhurst, Royal, ENBS, Hamburg and Rambert. A couple also chose not to continue with vocational training.  

[margarite]

Over the moon to hear today that two Hammond year 11s have got into ENBS 🎉