Post-transmission: BBC Panorama documentary/investigation into vocational schools

[Harwel]

2 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

As an ex Elm from the 1980’s era a while back I thought it’d be interesting to see if there weee any ex alumni groups out there….found one on Facebook with a photo including recognised dancers  of my year group (clearly the mid 80’s in shiny catsuits & ankle warmers!!) 

The make of the group?

The Elmhurst Survivors….!!

says it all….

And I thought everyone but me was having a great experience there!! 

One of my dear friends trained at Elmhurst in the early 80’s.  She told me that one of her teachers told her she danced like a flea on a drum and that her legs looked like they had been put on backwards.  Just a couple of choice comments made to a 12 year old. 

[littledancer99]

After watching the documentary it has confirmed my belief that these schools are not currently fit for the purpose of nurturing young children’s mental health.

Imagine- the pressure day in day out for 5 + years.  

It takes a very special skill set to work with children and young people and to bring the best out in them. Just being an excellent ex ballet dancer doesn’t meant you are a  brilliant teacher.

if you teach and rule from fear, shame methods then you will not bring the out the best in the child. Their nervous system shuts down and they may comply but be so scared and it makes it more difficult to learn or be creative

if other sports can produce elite level kids who live at home they why can’t ballet be the same ? 

[Anon2]

2 hours ago, Peanut68 said:

I too have often wondered at the qualifications/regulatory bodies that so called school nurses belong to…. My suspicion is that independent  schools can quite likely employ anyone in the capacity of school nurse much as they can employ anyone as a teacher. No qualifications are legally needed though of course one expects that they would necessarily have them & that schools would only employ suitably qualified/registered staff in any capacity. I certainly found at one school a great many nurses seem to be from overseas…. Do the qualifications match up I wonder? Would there be any redress/oversight available from UK nursing bodies for these staff? I’m told someone is a nurse & I believe that’s what they are…. Based on my child’s experiences I seriously question the suitability of sone of these staff & time again I think I would’ve asked a few more questions of the school on the suitability if these people in role. They wield much power (eg. could sign you off dance) & act under a veil of ‘student confidentiality’ (well - when it suits them…) & actually I felt there were sone slightly on a power trip to create drama/add to their own self importance/ ruin kids lives… It felt gossipy, totally inappropriate, no real ‘nurse’ care & no accountability save to the senior leadership team…. And therein lies ever more questionable behaviours & practises…. 

Nurses that have qualified overseas are tested in certain competencies before they are able to join the NMC register. Once registered every nurse regardless of initial training has to revalidate every 3 years and this includes CPD, reflections of practice and feedback. To be a registered nurse in either NHS or private practice you would need to meet the above criteria. 
My impression was the school was employing staff in the medical centre that may have qualified as nurses, not kept their registration active but we’re still using the title. 

[Anon2]

39 minutes ago, Farawaydancer said:

Because none of it is changing what happens in the room with the teacher. I sit in lessons in mainstream schools on a daily basis and regularly see teachers who just don’t think the policies of the school apply to them. If I see anything inappropriate I report it to senior management before I leave the school, and on some occasions I’ve left the classroom immediately to find someone to deal with it. I’d love to know whether any other adults ‘in the room’ in ballet classes ever do the same, I’m thinking of the pianists in particular, who could support the students’ accounts of what is happening. 

A pianist once intervened when my child was being humiliated in class by a male teacher. The pianist left the school not long after … 

[BisforBallet]

6 minutes ago, littledancer99 said:

Just being an excellent ex ballet dancer doesn’t meant you are a  brilliant teacher

No it certainly doesn’t and perhaps the majority have been taught in this manner themselves and therefore think it’s acceptable - the cycle continues. 
 

[littledancer99]

34 minutes ago, BisforBallet said:

No it certainly doesn’t and perhaps the majority have been taught in this manner themselves and therefore think it’s acceptable - the cycle continues. 
 

Yes exactly continuing the trauma 

these adults do not know how to regulate their own emotions correctly 

 

I really hope some ex dancers can speak out and help bring about some change 

[dancefanatic]

38 minutes ago, BisforBallet said:

No it certainly doesn’t and perhaps the majority have been taught in this manner themselves and therefore think it’s acceptable - the cycle continues. 
 

As a parent of a vocational DC myself who has recently left one of the institutions mentioned, I have been reading this topic with interest and immense sadness, particularly as I approached the school in question with a number of concerns last term shortly before my child graduated.  The principal tried to address my concerns but I feel there is still a lot of things happening in the studio that is not shared/admitted to by the staff when questioned.  However, my real reason for commenting now is that my DC has moved on to a grad pro programme where the teacher is a former student from the other institution and is definitely perpetuating the experience/appalling teaching manner in the studio.  My DC is doing their best to rise above it but it is concerning, all the same.

[BalletP]

Having watched the panorama programme and reading through all of this thread I do find myself wondering exactly what the consensus is here that people want. I see hints of it but there seems to be a clash of what the realities of what the industry actually needs and the idealism of how the educational experience should actually be.

I don’t think that the shapes of dancers we have today have arrived by chance ,its just been borne out by the needs of the profession itself to fulfill what’s asked of them.

Dancers are fighting against  gravity ,what's aesthetically is pleasing to the audience (which is made without prejudice) and the needs of their own and potential partners physical strength to dance to the required standard.

The very fact they are sometimes using coded language appeared to me they are trying to communicate realities in some cases as nicely as possible.

Please don’t misunderstand me and to be clear NO abuse of a child is acceptable. Creating eating disorders also NOT acceptable.

But

How do you all want institutions to handle this ?  do you not or do you not want them to . It seems like some points of view ,are that weight just can not be mentioned.

So should RBS, Elmhurst just carry on taking money ( accepting it from funding or a parent) from someone that they know will not go further in the industry than the school due to physical attributes? . Then set the child up for an even bigger fall at the end and also the parent  having invested a considerable amount in fees that would have been better spent elsewhere. All due to the fact they were not allowed to speak about physicality and the needs of the industry that are hard baked into the industry by gravity,  aesthetics and strength.

I find myself thinking that there needs to be overhaul of communication with parents and child prior to the child joining the vocational school with regards to the needs of the industry and why those needs are as they are.

So that if they do need to come and talk to the parents about this issue its not going to cause a huge problems as it has.

 

No bullying/abuse should be allowed by ANY teacher though, if its happening that has to change.

 

As a parent of a child at vocational school I’m now worried they are going to be frightened through fear of potential backlash of telling me the truth

on my child’s potential prospects due to their physical attributes.

 

I find that very concerning because that vocational money may well have better spent following another path .

 

Hiding from realities till they hit employment age and letting them find out for themselves is not a solution either IMHO.

 

So I’d like to know what all those who have been affected by the issues brought up in the panorama programme would have found as parents an acceptable and fair conversation to have on this issue in their end of year appraisal for example.

 

As I don’t think asking a school/teacher to no longer speak about the needed requirements of the industry and just carry on taking my money is a good solution in any way.

 

Hopefully all of this has come across with intended sentiment , as I’m not in anyway out to offend any posters on this thread. I’m just seeing more a cry for change without solutions . Which feels like another form of cancel culture

(a thread elsewhere here has been made asking whether or not we should support these institutions anymore for example) rather than accepting this is a very nuanced conversation that really would be best served with better communication and understanding all round. (parents and school)

 

The bullying in class that some of those dancers received in the programme due to this lack of communication is obviously not the solution. Are

the teachers doing this as they don’t have any other what are deemed to be none offensive tools to tackle this issue ? what would those ideal none offensive conversations be like ?

 

Ultimately these institutions are not setting out to destroy our children and it would seem to be struggling to navigate the parent child relationship

without causing issues.

[Astrid]

On 12/09/2023 at 09:31, Neverdancedjustamum said:

Bearing in mind, this is probably not isolated to vocational boarding schools. I also know of concerns in local dance schools. Perhaps not so much the body shaming but definitely the verbal jibes and what can be constituted as bullying. And just like those DCs, often the child would be scared to tell anyone about it (and often the parents too), feeling they have no choice. I’ve witnessed parents who know full well that this happens in the schools but opt to keep their child in there as they feel they have no choice or because the teacher is brilliant. I’m sure a child can make it without being abused but it is a tricky one to manoeuvre. 

Agree with this entirely.

[Jewel]

My child never wanted to be a classical ballet dancer, she just wanted to be a dancer.  But it is drummed into you that the industry needs this, the industry needs that, this will happen to you if you don't do this.

 

When actually she has found that the industry itself is far more inclusive.  Yes, you need to be fit, athletic, have stamina etc etc.  But you don't need to tell an already thin dancer that they are fat and should starve themselves, put up with being screamed at and worse.

[Anon2]

11 minutes ago, BalletP said:

Having watched the panorama programme and reading through all of this thread I do find myself wondering exactly what the consensus is here that people want. I see hints of it but there seems to be a clash of what the realities of what the industry actually needs and the idealism of how the educational experience should actually be.

 

I don’t think that the shapes of dancers we have today have arrived by chance ,its just been borne out by the needs of the profession itself to fulfill what’s asked of them.

 

Dancers are fighting against  gravity ,what's aesthetically is pleasing to the audience (which is made without prejudice) and the needs of their own and potential partners physical strength to dance to the required standard.

 

The very fact they are sometimes using coded language appeared to me they are trying to communicate realities in some cases as nicely as possible.

 

Please don’t misunderstand me and to be clear NO abuse of a child is acceptable. Creating eating disorders also NOT acceptable.

 

But

 

How do you all want institutions to handle this ?  do you not or do you not want them to . It seems like some points of view ,are that weight just can not be mentioned.

 

So should RBS, Elmhurst just carry on taking money ( accepting it from funding or a parent) from someone that they know will not go further in the industry than the school due to physical attributes? . Then set the child up for an even bigger fall at the end and also the parent  having invested a considerable amount in fees that would have been better spent elsewhere. All due to the fact they were not allowed to speak about physicality and the needs of the industry that are hard baked into the industry by gravity,  aesthetics and strength.

 

I find myself thinking that there needs to be overhaul of communication with parents and child prior to the child joining the vocational school with regards to the needs of the industry and why those needs are as they are.

 

So that if they do need to come and talk to the parents about this issue its not going to cause a huge problems as it has.

 

 

 

No bullying/abuse should be allowed by ANY teacher though, if its happening that has to change.

 

 

 

As a parent of a child at vocational school I’m now worried they are going to be frightened through fear of potential backlash of telling me the truth

 

on my child’s potential prospects due to their physical attributes.

 

 

 

I find that very concerning because that vocational money may well have better spent following another path .

 

 

 

Hiding from realities till they hit employment age and letting them find out for themselves is not a solution either IMHO.

 

 

 

So I’d like to know what all those who have been affected by the issues brought up in the panorama programme would have found as parents an acceptable and fair conversation to have on this issue in their end of year appraisal for example.

 

 

 

As I don’t think asking a school/teacher to no longer speak about the needed requirements of the industry and just carry on taking my money is a good solution in any way.

 

 

 

Hopefully all of this has come across with intended sentiment , as I’m not in anyway out to offend any posters on this thread. I’m just seeing more a cry for change without solutions . Which feels like another form of cancel culture

 

(a thread elsewhere here has been made asking whether or not we should support these institutions anymore for example) rather than accepting this is a very nuanced conversation that really would be best served with better communication and understanding all round. (parents and school)

 

 

 

The bullying in class that some of those dancers received in the programme due to this lack of communication is obviously not the solution. Are

 

the teachers doing this as they don’t have any other what are deemed to be none offensive tools to tackle this issue ? what would those ideal none offensive conversations be like ?

 

 

 

Ultimately these institutions are not setting out to destroy our children and it would seem to be struggling to navigate the parent child relationship

 

without causing issues.

 

I think the schools can mention weight but in a situation where the student is not in class. How does it help to humiliate in the class? How did it help Jack telling him he was too heavy to get off the ground?  How did it help Padua tell her she had put too much weight on to wear a costume due to her medication? 
Having sat through numerous watching classes these children are not fat or overweight in any way but the constant digs make them think they need to make drastic changes to their bodies to get teachers approval. 
My daughter never got out of a child’s size 2 leotard even at graduate year but still she got comments about losing bulk, toning up, lengthening lines. No advice ever about how to do any of that. 

[taxi4ballet]

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

I wasn’t going to comment here again as I now feel this thread should be for parents who have or have had children at vocational schools. 
However it is heart breaking to read that children who really loved to dance are now choosing never to dance again and can get triggered by the very mention of the word ballet. 

There can be so much joy in dancing. 
 

I do hope that for some of these children time can be a healer and even though a career in Dance (as a performer)  may no longer be happening that at some point in the future even if some way off they may be able to pick up their joy again in dancing. 
There are some lovely teachers of adult ballet out there. 
One of my favourite teachers went to RBS as a student and graduated from the school but I know didn’t have a particularly happy or positive experience whilst there but she has re found herself and her joy in dance as it were and is now a truly wonderful positive life affirming teacher. 
 

You will be pleased to know that although it took my DD five years before she even felt able to set foot in a dance studio again, she is now taking adult ballet classes once more, in a place where she feels safe, where nobody knows her, where she can be anonymous so there is no 'expectation', and she can just enjoy dancing again for the fun of it.

[taxi4ballet]

I've just read those links posted above. What a crock of ....

[Candleque]

3 hours ago, alison said:

 

Which for all I know could be a (largely?) cut-and-paste job from a press release, BTW.

Agree. I read that piece and and immediately felt it's 100% press release. 
Having worked for a global PR agency, I recognise this common tactic in a reputation crisis — the organisation under fire scrambles to get positive stuff placed on friendly sites like this to mitigate all the negative headlines. Especially as search results last a long time. Many are wondering what the schools in question are doing in response. Sadly I suspect this is it. 

[Anon2]

15 minutes ago, taxi4ballet said:

I've just read those links posted above. What a crock of ....

Thought the same 

[along for the ride mum]

And the most worrying part of all of this is that this is one part of the issues. There are other issues yet to be mentioned. Whilst I am not in any way belittling the problem these brave young people are speaking about and which I know to be true - I have huge admiration for them being brave enough to speak out - there are other issues of a serious nature which I hope can also now be addressed. 
this programme has only just scratched the very tip of the tip of the iceberg, sadly

Edited September 13, 2023 by along for the ride mum
To make my meaning clearer

[Candleque]

If you google "Royal Ballet School" and go to the News results, you'll see a few of these positive PR placed stories creeping in underneath the mainstream newspapers (Daily Mail having a ball btw). On random sites like Warrington Worldwide (no offence to the actual town) which states in its fine print: "Please note this website contains advertising and sponsored content..."

[Lindsay]

3 minutes ago, Candleque said:

If you google "Royal Ballet School" and go to the News results, you'll see a few of these positive PR placed stories creeping in underneath the mainstream newspapers (Daily Mail having a ball btw). On random sites like Warrington Worldwide (no offence to the actual town) which states in its fine print: "Please note this website contains advertising and sponsored content..."

It's not the most subtle PR tactic.  In fact some might call it comically unsubtle...........

[alison]

44 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Agree. I read that piece and and immediately felt it's 100% press release.

 

So did I.  I was just allowing for the possibility that I might be slightly wrong.  But having read this forum's Links for years, I am aware that many newspapers do just simply print people's press releases wholesale without any editing or additions.

[capybara]

19 minutes ago, along for the ride mum said:

And the most worrying part of all of this is that this is one part of the issues. There are other issues yet to be mentioned. Whilst I am not in any way belittling the problem these brave young people are speaking about - I have huge admiration for them being brave enough to speak out - there are other issues of a serious nature which I hope can also now be addressed. 
this programme has only just scratched the very tip of the tip of the iceberg, sadly

 

Please could you help those of us who might be described as being 'outside' understand what the other issues are? I'm not asking out of idle curiosity but from a genuine belief that it could be helpful for everything to be 'put on the table'.

[alison]

Perhaps someone could provide capybara with links to the relevant threads to save this one going off-target?

[capybara]

 

4 minutes ago, alison said:

Perhaps someone could provide capybara with links to the relevant threads to save this one going off-target?

 

I'm sorry, I didn't appreciate that posts related to these issues were already on here. I'm not a regular visitor to the Doing Dance threads, I'm afraid.

 

By the way, the article posted on Warrington Worldwide, and clearly culled from RBS material,

is out of date. For example, Zhanat Atymtayev left this year to work with The Royal Swedish Ballet.

[along for the ride mum]

7 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Please could you help those of us who might be described as being 'outside' understand what the other issues are? I'm not asking out of idle curiosity but from a genuine belief that it could be helpful for everything to be 'put on the table'.

That’s a very reasonable question. My reluctance to put everything on the table is two-fold. Firstly I don’t want to de-rail this thread which is about the panorama report and the subject matter within it. The second is that I am very mindful to remain within the bounds of the AUP and not to create a problem which would get the moderators in hot water. I am hopeful that with the current momentum, the investigations into issues at these schools will be widened and an appropriate outlet for fur th et discussion can then be in the public domain 

[Ondine]

15 minutes ago, alison said:

people's press releases

 

Re that one...  I found this interesting. I appreciate that the new AD was appointed as the previous one sadly died.

 

However, it also sounds like there was a grand clearout and I wonder why? It's possible a number of people decided it was time to retire, all at the same time of course...

 

As PR I'm not sure it's as positive as they'd like to think.

 

In 2014-15, The Royal Ballet School:

2. Restructured all operations, taking a whole-school approach to revamp all departments and offerings.
3. Appointed a new artistic director, academic principal, assistant principal, and pastoral team. This well-trained team provides a high level of age-appropriate pastoral support to all students.

 

 

 

 

[taxi4ballet]

23 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Please could you help those of us who might be described as being 'outside' understand what the other issues are? I'm not asking out of idle curiosity but from a genuine belief that it could be helpful for everything to be 'put on the table'.

Lack of support for students recovering from physical injury.

Blatant favouritism of some students over others.

Highly critical remarks about capability in front of fellow students.

Ignoring those students needing support with academic studies.

Refusing to discuss issues with parents.

Repeatedly cancelling school physio appointments in favour of other students.

Proper procedures not being followed by staff and the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.

Telling a student that no choreographer would cast them in anything.

A lack of accountability.

Not referring an student for medical investigation.

Closing ranks and a complete refusal to accept any culpability.

Point blank denial that they said something upsetting to a student.

Accusations that a student 'must have misunderstood' what was said to them (although they denied saying it in the first place of course).

Humiliating a student in front of an invited audience of patrons and special guests.

 

I could go on - how long have you got?

 

[Anon2]

To add to taxis list 

 

Medical centre being closed at break times and students not being able to go during lessons

Being punished for using toilet in night

 

Racist comments made to students by teaching staff and other pupils 

 

Inappropriate touching of students by other students without permission and staff reluctant to act 

 

Dance rehearsals taking preference over scheduled GSCE revision class 

 

 

 

[Ruby Foo]

1 hour ago, BalletP said:

Having watched the panorama programme and reading through all of this thread I do find myself wondering exactly what the consensus is here that people want. I see hints of it but there seems to be a clash of what the realities of what the industry actually needs and the idealism of how the educational experience should actually be.

 

I don’t think that the shapes of dancers we have today have arrived by chance ,its just been borne out by the needs of the profession itself to fulfill what’s asked of them.

 

Dancers are fighting against  gravity ,what's aesthetically is pleasing to the audience (which is made without prejudice) and the needs of their own and potential partners physical strength to dance to the required standard.

 

The very fact they are sometimes using coded language appeared to me they are trying to communicate realities in some cases as nicely as possible.

 

Please don’t misunderstand me and to be clear NO abuse of a child is acceptable. Creating eating disorders also NOT acceptable.

 

But

 

How do you all want institutions to handle this ?  do you not or do you not want them to . It seems like some points of view ,are that weight just can not be mentioned.

 

So should RBS, Elmhurst just carry on taking money ( accepting it from funding or a parent) from someone that they know will not go further in the industry than the school due to physical attributes? . Then set the child up for an even bigger fall at the end and also the parent  having invested a considerable amount in fees that would have been better spent elsewhere. All due to the fact they were not allowed to speak about physicality and the needs of the industry that are hard baked into the industry by gravity,  aesthetics and strength.

 

I find myself thinking that there needs to be overhaul of communication with parents and child prior to the child joining the vocational school with regards to the needs of the industry and why those needs are as they are.

 

So that if they do need to come and talk to the parents about this issue its not going to cause a huge problems as it has.

 

 

 

No bullying/abuse should be allowed by ANY teacher though, if its happening that has to change.

 

 

 

As a parent of a child at vocational school I’m now worried they are going to be frightened through fear of potential backlash of telling me the truth

 

on my child’s potential prospects due to their physical attributes.

 

 

 

I find that very concerning because that vocational money may well have better spent following another path .

 

 

 

Hiding from realities till they hit employment age and letting them find out for themselves is not a solution either IMHO.

 

 

 

So I’d like to know what all those who have been affected by the issues brought up in the panorama programme would have found as parents an acceptable and fair conversation to have on this issue in their end of year appraisal for example.

 

 

 

As I don’t think asking a school/teacher to no longer speak about the needed requirements of the industry and just carry on taking my money is a good solution in any way.

 

 

 

Hopefully all of this has come across with intended sentiment , as I’m not in anyway out to offend any posters on this thread. I’m just seeing more a cry for change without solutions . Which feels like another form of cancel culture

 

(a thread elsewhere here has been made asking whether or not we should support these institutions anymore for example) rather than accepting this is a very nuanced conversation that really would be best served with better communication and understanding all round. (parents and school)

 

 

 

The bullying in class that some of those dancers received in the programme due to this lack of communication is obviously not the solution. Are

 

the teachers doing this as they don’t have any other what are deemed to be none offensive tools to tackle this issue ? what would those ideal none offensive conversations be like ?

 

 

 

Ultimately these institutions are not setting out to destroy our children and it would seem to be struggling to navigate the parent child relationship

 

without causing issues.

 

None of what happens negatively in vocational schools needs to happen. 

If the AD/ Principal and teachers worked collaboratively with the students and stopped treating them as commodities which, when no longer needed or useful or become a problem, abandon or abuse them. The key -mutual respect for each other. This means time. Time for dialogue, time for communication, time to forge relationships and time to build trust. Time to actually know your pupils as individuals. Only then, can you work out what they need, what are their gaols, who are they? and how best to teach them. It’s not rocket science. This is not about what goes on in the studio. It’s about what goes on in peoples heads. If students truly believed that teachers cared for them and ultimately strived for the very best in pursuit of their happiness and dreams then there would be less injury, less self harm, more joy and productivity. The classes are small 13?15? How can you not know your own students as individuals? 

There needs to be a clear contract between the 2 parties where schools make a promise to the student to support, nurture and bring out their full potential. This may be there in theory but it is NOT HAPPENING IN PRACTICE except for the very small minority. 

And when it doesn’t happen, schools must be accountable. They must. They must now be accountable for their failure every and each time it happens. Every child (not just the 2 per cent super talented) is worth the time and trouble. Every child, even if difficulties arise along the way ( we know and expect they will) should be treated with respect. 
My daughter was assessed out at 18yrs.  There was no communication whatsoever regarding gently redirecting her dance training into something more suitable. They did not know her as a person at all and had no idea what she might have liked to use all her training for. They’d never bothered. They probably already knew from the beginning she wasn’t worth the effort in their eyes. This was certainly borne out by the vicious teacher’s abusive behaviour in Upper School. In fact, my dd said later - I don’t think the AD knew my name until the Assessment. She was being truthful. She’d been there since yr 9 (5yrs) and on the couple of occasions she’d met him, he’d called her the wrong name. 

 

 

[Peanut68]

This Taxi & indeed so much more….

Ignoring parent emails 

Ignoring pupil emails…

(if they don’t respond to the email does that mean it’s never acknowledged that there is a safe guarding issue???) 

 

Amd true life real time experiences shared by posters like RubyFoo merit immediate auditing of that institution.

BalletP makes some very interesting & valid points too;- yes, reality checks are needed but I like Ruby Foos suggestion that it should be a contract between school & pupil to aim for a mutually beneficial goal. This could create a framework for an open dialogue & a feeling of safety for a pupil to speak out to be heard. But only of course of this contract has real structure with outside observers/auditors 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Peanut68

[Anon2]

5 minutes ago, Ruby Foo said:

None of what happens negatively in vocational schools needs to happen. 

If the AD/ Principal and teachers worked collaboratively with the students and stopped treating them as commodities which, when no longer needed or useful or become a problem, abandon or abuse them. The key -mutual respect for each other. This means time. Time for dialogue, time for communication, time to forge relationships and time to build trust. Time to actually know your pupils as individuals. Only then, can you work out what they need, what are their gaols, who are they? and how best to teach them. It’s not rocket science. This is not about what goes on in the studio. It’s about what goes on in peoples heads. If students truly believed that teachers cared for them and ultimately strived for the very best in pursuit of their happiness and dreams then there would be less injury, less self harm, more joy and productivity. The classes are small 13?15? How can you not know your own students as individuals? 

There needs to be a clear contract between the 2 parties where schools make a promise to the student to support, nurture and bring out their full potential. This may be there in theory but it is NOT HAPPENING IN PRACTICE except for the very small minority. 

And when it doesn’t happen, schools must be accountable. They must. They must now be accountable for their failure every and each time it happens. Every child (not just the 2 per cent super talented) is worth the time and trouble. Every child, even if difficulties arise along the way ( we know and expect they will) should be treated with respect. 
My daughter was assessed out at 18yrs.  There was no communication whatsoever regarding gently redirecting her dance training into something more suitable. They did not know her as a person at all and had no idea what she might have liked to use all her training for. They’d never bothered. They probably already knew from the beginning she wasn’t worth the effort in their eyes. This was certainly borne out by the vicious teacher’s abusive behaviour in Upper School. In fact, my dd said later - I don’t think the AD knew my name until the Assessment. She was being truthful. She’d been there since yr 9 (5yrs) and on the couple of occasions she’d met him, he’d called her the wrong name. 

 

 

Yes this. How difficult is it to know your students when the cohorts are so small. 
We laughed at the time but my daughter went through the front door of Elmhurst in her 7th year as a student of the school and the receptionist asked her if she was there for an interview. 
On the day she graduated we walked out of that school without any members of staff interacting with her, they were too busy with the chosen few, their own VIPs. 

[Jewel]

Making abelist comments 

Refusing to allow a student the time/facilities to do their specific NIDMS clinic prescribed physio exercises 

Ridiculing anyone choosing to wear a face mask during autumn term 2020

Not informing students of timetable/room changes this making them late for classes or miss classes

Punishing students for things outside of their control

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Jewel
too identifying

[taxi4ballet]

7 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

This Taxi & indeed so much more….

Ignoring parent emails 

Ignoring pupil emails…

(if they don’t respond to the email does that mean it’s never acknowledged that there is a safe guarding issue???) 

The list I provided was some of what my dd personally experienced. I can't put the rest as it is too identifying. 

 

[Jewel]

Same here taxi

[Sim]

Do these ballet schools have parent governors like other schools do?  If not, why not?