Elmhurst - year 7. Are your children happy and academically challenged?

[Jane156]

Hi

My son is thinking about Elmhurst for Year 7 next year. Would love some feedback on how boys have found it . And girls. What’s the standard of dance like compared to WL? Is the academics high enough given that class of 30 compared to 15 at WL? 
Feel free to pm me if prefer. Thanks 

[MissEmily]

My (ex-) student is currently in Year 7. The standard of dance teaching is excellent, at least for the girls. I can’t comment on the boys with any authority. Feedback is also regular and useful both to the students and parents. I am under the impression that academic class sizes at WL are similar, as boys and girls are taught their academic subjects together, just like at Elmhurst. Please correct that if you’ve heard differently. Academics are taken seriously at Elmhurst and my student, who has EAL, has been given outstanding support. If you have any more questions, do PM me.

[Jane156]

Thanks for replying. I thought WL split them into 2 classes so 15 in a class whereas taught in 1 class at Elmhurst. 

[Janeparent]

31 minutes ago, Jane156 said:

Thanks for replying. I thought WL split them into 2 classes so 15 in a class whereas taught in 1 class at Elmhurst. 

I think you are correct on this point. I don’t have first-hand knowledge of WL, but my DC was at Elmhurst and although the academic teaching was mostly very good, 30 students in their year group for academics was definitely not ideal. (They were, as you say, split for ballet, though not for other dance styles, but not for academics.) There was some disruptive behaviour, which took us by surprise. Dance-wise, we did not feel that the communication was good enough at all. This was during the height of Covid, but we didn’t get offered any conversation with our child’s ballet teacher during year 7 at all - whereas the academic department at least offered telephone conversations with all the academic teachers towards the end of the first term, which were helpful. 

[Jane156]

11 minutes ago, Janeparent said:

I think you are correct on this point. I don’t have first-hand knowledge of WL, but my DC was at Elmhurst and although the academic teaching was mostly very good, 30 students in their year group for academics was definitely not ideal. (They were, as you say, split for ballet, though not for other dance styles, but not for academics.) There was some disruptive behaviour, which took us by surprise. Dance-wise, we did not feel that the communication was good enough at all. This was during the height of Covid, but we didn’t get offered any conversation with our child’s ballet teacher during year 7 at all - whereas the academic department at least offered telephone conversations with all the academic teachers towards the end of the first term, which were helpful. 

Thanks for that. Yes I feel that 30 is too many when it’s mixed ability as it is essentially still a fee paying school. 

[Farawaydancer]

We’ve found the academics to be of a good standard, with some exceptional teaching. A class of up to 30 didn’t bother us, as that’s what we’d had in primary and it’s what we would have had at the local comp. 

[Ms Sunshine]

My dd is at Elmhurst doing GCSE's. Very small groups for academics and sets for ability in maths and english. Very pleased with how she is doing.

[Janeparent]

24 minutes ago, Farawaydancer said:

We’ve found the academics to be of a good standard, with some exceptional teaching. A class of up to 30 didn’t bother us, as that’s what we’d had in primary and it’s what we would have had at the local comp. 

I think that’s the point though - our experience was that it was equivalent to a good comprehensive, with all mixed ability classes (pre-GCSE at least) and large classes, rather than being comparable to an academic fee-paying school. For those not eligible for MDS funding the comparison is more relevant.

[Jewel]

I don't really think it is fair to compare a vocational ballet school with an academic (often academically selective) fee paying school.  

 

We did find at a different school that mixed ability classes of larger than 20 did not work very well for maths and science but it was fine when the class was split into two and set by ability.  

[Janeparent]

51 minutes ago, Jewel said:

I don't really think it is fair to compare a vocational ballet school with an academic (often academically selective) fee paying school.  

 

We did find at a different school that mixed ability classes of larger than 20 did not work very well for maths and science but it was fine when the class was split into two and set by ability.  

It would have been much better if this was done at Elmhurst. 30 children in a hugely mixed ability class is never going to be ideal for any subject, but the teachers did their best. 

[Farawaydancer]

4 hours ago, Janeparent said:

I think that’s the point though - our experience was that it was equivalent to a good comprehensive, with all mixed ability classes (pre-GCSE at least) and large classes, rather than being comparable to an academic fee-paying school. For those not eligible for MDS funding the comparison is more relevant.

Yes, we didn’t choose the school based on academics and therefore were quite happy to just compare with our local ones, and it compared more than favourably. If we were choosing an academically selective fee-paying school we would have been looking for different things. 

[Dancedreamer]

My DS is at Elmhurst year 7, he is very happy. He has always been towards the top end academically and feels both challenged and supported. The communication has been really good with regular reports, parents reviews, we are just due another. Boarding has been excellent he has been very fond of his house parents who are in contact as and when is needed. So as parents we have no complaints at all.

[WhatsThePointe]

I've sent you a message but in our experience academics were poor. My child lost both confidence and attainment while there and has quickly regained both since leaving.

[Dancing unicorn]

We were the same! We found that if you were a high achiever academically, you got more help! Our dd came out of there believing she was rubbish! She went to another Voc school and surprised herself, getting 9 GCSE’s with good marks 🤣

Our classes I’m sure weren’t as big as they are now either! 

[Dd_dance]

My dc has found academics a struggle at Elmhurst. They were always average ability during primary school and passed SATS with good marks, but since attending Elmhurst they have lost all confidence in academics. I think there is a huge difference in abilities in the class and as long as the majority of the class understand the topic, then they move on. It’s quite fast paced (due to fewer hours than a non dance school) so those children who take a little longer to understand seem to just get left behind. 
There is a lovely support teacher who works with those children in an extra class each week, but they just seem to work on how to mind map/plan out work. Not actually go over the subjects/topics they are struggling with. 
There is plenty feedback from teachers with half termly reports and twice a year zoom meetings, however I don’t feel there is any push from the academic staff to map out individual targets or highlight any issues or concerns. 
 I just don’t know if my DC would of had the same struggles in a “normal” school, and really if academics were our main priority, then a dance/ballet school would not come in to it. They lose 4 hours a day to dance so at such a disadvantage academically. 
 

On a brighter note, my dc loves the dancing side. The artistic staff are so encouraging and supportive.