Hammond

[Karen]

Hi Miracle,

I think there were about 25 and a few (4/5) were for yr 8. I know of 2 who had the offer of the funding audition but had accepted offers from elsewhere so did not attend - presumably there were more, so the grop could have been bigger, but this audition was the last in the yr 7 round. Xx

[Miracle]

Thankyou Karen.XX

[wilderflower]

do any of you know of anyone that has been offered an mds at hammond but likely to turn it down to go elsewhere? i know it happens, just wondering if there were any floating around yet!? lol!!

[famcandance2]

Don't lose hope. Some people will wait till the last minute to decide. I know it's hard to wait, but have heard numerous stories from kids in ds year and other years about mds becoming available literally the week before school starts. So, anytime from now until school starts really. Here's hoping for good news soon. x

[balletbun]

hi all

 

this is my first post so hope this works !!

 

just returned home after the Easter break to the dreaded letter and it is a dreaded letter no mds for my dd, trying to keep an open mind because i know last year of awards being offered days before start of term, but the letter we received was very vague and no offer of a bursary just an invitation to ring on the 16th just wanted to know if others had the same kind of letter x

[mimi'smom]

Hammond did say at the first round auditions that all children offered a place are given some sort of financial assistance (ie if not mds then a bursary of up to 50%) It is a shame they haven't been more specific in their letter about the size of the bursary and that you have to wait until next week to speak to them - as if the waiting hasn't been long enough! Fingers crossed for a generous bursary for your dd x

[balletbun]

thanks angela

 

it would have to be very generous for us but i've bought a lottery ticket and i'm back on the vino after lent thank goodness xx

[JulieW]

Welcome to the forum balletbun and sorry to hear it wasn't better news for you. But we're all keeping everything crossed for our balletcoforum'ers who are waiting to hear whether any MDS places come up later - as others have said, they can come up quite late but I feel for you all waiting in a kind of limbo. I hope you've all got nice secondary schools lined up so your children still have something to look forward to (if going into year 7) - don't let your disappointment take away from the excitement of this next milestone.

[charlie4dancin]

Sorry to hear that dreaded letter came to you too balletbun

 

But I hope you enjoy this lovely ballet forum

Cx

I have sent you a pm!!!

[charlie4dancin]

Hammond did say at the first round auditions that all children offered a place are given some sort of financial assistance (ie if not mds then a bursary of up to 50%) It is a shame they haven't been more specific in their letter about the size of the bursary and that you have to wait until next week to speak to them - as if the waiting hasn't been long enough! Fingers crossed for a generous bursary for your dd x

 

Your so right Angela MORE waiting till the 16th... and what a day to have to ring its our dd 11th birthday and she is performing Swan Lake with EYB!!! I am dreading the call

good luck

Cx

[Interested Parent]

The MDS awardees have until the Tuesday to accept/decline their offers so there would be no need to ring on Monday. The letter also mentions plenty of time to sort out finances. Last year we spoke to the staff on several occasions throughout the week and their final offer was a 50% bursary making our contribution £11k per year. Alas we could not stretch to that but just wanted to share some info for everyone waiting.

[twinkletoes]

Do you know if all the funding was issued? they don't always offer all the MDS available out it depends how many meed the exacting criteria, its hard i know but sometimes you have to be quite harsh and objective and ask "do we meet the requirements?" I know of a few years when we've not offered all the funded places we have available because we just didn't have enough people who met the requirements.

 

its a harsh world and not fair at times but at least there are bursaries to at least help and most schools accept monthly payments, i would contact the LEA and see if they will contribute as they often have funds they can release depending on the area you live in, even if they match funds with what you can raise you may find that possible at a push ... its worth a try

[spooky]

 

 

i would contact the LEA and see if they will contribute as they often have funds they can release depending on the area you live in, even if they match funds with what you can raise you may find that possible at a push ... its worth a try

 

Many years ago when we were offered a bursary and I was trying to obtain some additional funding to allow our dd to go to the Hammond our helpful MP looked into this for me but the answer was that if a child was not attending a local authority school the LEA didn't actually recieve funding for them from central government as funding levels were based on pupil numbers therefore they would not make any 'saving' by not educating my dd and if they were to fund her it would take money from other pupils!

 

I was successful in obtain some small amounts of funding and these were one-offs and in the end we decided not to pursue the vocational route until sixth form.

[Anna C]

Yes, that's exactly what our LEA told me too Spooky.

[Interested Parent]

Do you know if all the funding was issued? they don't always offer all the MDS available out it depends how many meed the exacting criteria, its hard i know but sometimes you have to be quite harsh and objective and ask "do we meet the requirements?" I know of a few years when we've not offered all the funded places we have available because we just didn't have enough people who met the requirements.

 

its a harsh world and not fair at times but at least there are bursaries to at least help and most schools accept monthly payments, i would contact the LEA and see if they will contribute as they often have funds they can release depending on the area you live in, even if they match funds with what you can raise you may find that possible at a push ... its worth a try

 

Having been 'harsh and objective' on every occasion, I can say that we would not have spent the money we have on travel, hotel, audition fee, registration fee (after being offered a place at the school) if we did not think our DD has a chance at gaining an MDS place. In fact, I doubt any parent would go through the whole process unless they felt their child had a chance. I've also found The Hammond far more open about your child's potential when discussing this on the phone, may be that's not the case for others, just my experience.

 

With regards to the LEA, ours does not offer this type of funding anymore. The LEA does not transfer the costs of a child as that is not how they gain the money in the first place. Our LEA does offer group funding for dance troupes, clubs etc but not for individuals.

[charlie4dancin]

 

 

Having been 'harsh and objective' on every occasion, I can say that we would not have spent the money we have on travel, hotel, audition fee, registration fee (after being offered a place at the school) if we did not think our DD has a chance at gaining an MDS place. In fact, I doubt any parent would go through the whole process unless they felt their child had a chance. I've also found The Hammond far more open about your child's potential when discussing this on the phone, may be that's not the case for others, just my experience.

 

With regards to the LEA, ours does not offer this type of funding anymore. The LEA does not transfer the costs of a child as that is not how they gain the money in the first place. Our LEA does offer group funding for dance troupes, clubs etc but not for individuals.

 

I pleased you have said what I was thinking interested parent

Cx

[wilderflower]

Can anyone tell me what the bursary cost covers? is it 50% of educational fees only or 50% of educational and dance fees? or 50% of fee + boarding? this will obviously make a significant difference to the amount we'll have to find. Any help or advice from any parents that are already in this situation would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[wilderflower]

twinkletoes,

 

just wondered what you meant by "meet the requirements"? surely by being offered a place, whether funded or not, they see the potential in the child? they wouldn't offer places to children they didn't think met the requirements - are you suggesting/informing that there are other "requirements"? like what?!

 

Thanks, A

[twinkletoes]

every child offered the place by a school is obviously recognised for potential otherwise they wouldn't have been given a place, funding bodies do sometimes have additional requirements though as many are separate from the schools, sometimes these are socio-ecomonomic aspects such as means testing sometimes they relate to the top x% of pupils this means that they can have funding for a certain number of spaces but less people meet the requirements than there are places offers, it all depends on the funding body. The means testing levels are quite low in most cases and looks at household income and family responsibilities rather than disposable income in the household which is quite hard and unfair, i know some funding bodies actually as you to justify what the home equity is and then why you haven't released it etc.

 

by harsh and objective i was referring to these financial elements this not the child ability

 

i don't necessarily think its fair either, i personally think that any child offered a place should at the very least have the LEA contribute what they would have paid out in schooling costs as obviously they don't have that to pay anymore

[Jellybeans]

This may rock the boat but I have heard that at least one of the schools offers a place to almost everyone that applies for the dance course as otherwise they would be unlikely to guarantee enough fee paying students to make the school viable. At this school, it appears that those most likely to meet the requirements for MDS are invited to a further audition to decide how to allocate funding. Is this correct?

 

Am I right in thinking, also, that MDS funding is offered on the basis of ability/potential and that only after the award is made is the level of support worked out by means testing? Ie, MDS funding is not awarded on the basis of socio-economic factors?

Edited April 11, 2012 by Jellybeans

[Janabiyah-Jane]

This may rock the boat but I have heard that at least one of the schools offers a place to almost everyone that applies for the dance course as otherwise they would be unlikely to guarantee enough fee paying students to make the school viable. At this school, it appears that those most likely to meet the requirements for MDS are invited to a further audition to decide how to allocate funding. Is this correct?

 

Am I right in thinking, also, that MDS funding is offered on the basis of ability/potential and that only after the award is made is the level of support worked out by means testing? Ie, MDS funding is not awarded on the basis of socio-economic factors?

 

No this is not true.... I know of a friends daughter who applied the same year as mine and was given a no for Hammond.... Was given a no for Trings dance course but was offered a place on the Musical theatre course..... Obviously this would not apply to Elmhurst or RBS so unless it is for another school, then I am afraid your information is incorrect...

 

Of course if they feel a student is likely to meet the requirements they will invite them for the MDS audition.

 

MDS is awarded on talent/potential... household finances are not known at this stage.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[charlie4dancin]

Household finances are known at this point right down to last penny!!!!

 

At Hammond

Edited April 11, 2012 by charlie4dancin

[KathyG]

At Tring you used to have to tick a box saying if you could pay in full or not on the application form. Come to that so did Royal. Elmhurst send you a form enquiring about your finances before you go for the final auditions. This would give them a broad idea of who can pay and who can't before they allocate funding.

[Jellybeans]

 

 

No this is not true.... I know of a friends daughter who applied the same year as mine and was given a no for Hammond.... Was given a no for Trings dance course but was offered a place on the Musical theatre course..... Obviously this would not apply to Elmhurst or RBS so unless it is for another school, then I am afraid your information is incorrect...

 

Of course if they feel a student is likely to meet the requirements they will invite them for the MDS audition.

 

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

 

I did say "almost everyone", so there are bound to be some exceptions!

 

By definition, surely if those likely to meet the requirements are invited to the MDS audition then those who are not invited presumably don't meet them - whatever they may be!

[wildflowers]

This may rock the boat but I have heard that at least one of the schools offers a place to almost everyone that applies for the dance course as otherwise they would be unlikely to guarantee enough fee paying students to make the school viable. At this school, it appears that those most likely to meet the requirements for MDS are invited to a further audition to decide how to allocate funding. Is this correct?

 

 

call me naive but surely this would be bit of a risk by the school - if everyone accepted a place, would they have enough beds? I know chances of 'everyone' accepting may be slight but given the numbers of children who apply each year, I can't imagine hundreds of unfunded offers go out?? Edited April 11, 2012 by wildflowers

[HAIRBELLES]

Unfortunately it is all assumption and guess work. I have been connected to this school for nearly 4 years and cannot fathom out how MDS awards are given.

At an educated guess it is given for potential

 

I could be wrong but I am sure an outside person from MDS is on the final panel.

 

Wilderflowers I will pm you in a few days (away until sat) about your bursary question.

[kiwimum]

I have no idea what is looked for...but there must be some degree of agreement as , with some exceptions of course, you tend to see the same faces at the finals of these auditions.

 

My eldest ds had the same experience at Tring for the dance course as Janibayah-Jane's friemd's child....an outright 'no' but he was invited back to the musical theatre final there. He was offered a scholarship but chose instead to go to the dance course at Hammond on a bursary and after a while he was given an MDS there.

 

The class aizes are generally small at Tring in the lower years....not indicative of a school who tske just anyone on the course to make the school viable. so Tring can be ruled out as a school that does this. (I appreciate Jellybeans had not directly named any one school).

[tutugirl]

Morning all ! If I can dispel a couple of myths - I have a dance school from which many students audition for places at vocational schools . Of the four schools being discussed, there is not one which offers places to everyone who applies . (Realistically this couldn't work if you think about it ). I have had pupils at the hammond on bursaries or MDS. Tring on MDS, Elmhurst MDS ,noone currently at Royal but plenty through ja ma etc. As a teacher you try to advise parents of the suitability of their child for vocational training, as do most teachers, I imagine. Therefore, the vast majority who audition, are ,in the main , talented children. It follows that many will be offered places , but I know that they have to turn children away as well - and this certainly is the case.

[Jellybeans]

The logic behind my comment (which, incidently, was based on a comment from someone connected to the school in question) is that not very many people can afford the fees. The classes are small because they have very few funded places and not many parents are able to pay £30 000 a year.

 

 

[dancemad]

MDS and DADA awards are allocated taking two things into consideration. Quote - "talent and need". In other words personal finances do play a part. If two candidates are equally talented then finances will then be taken into account.

[glowlight]

I don't think that can be the case for Dadas as you don't have to submit any financial information before being awarded a Dada. At least you used not to, maybe its changed.

 

However if you were awarded a Dada (which will pay fees) and you want to apply for financial support for living expenses, then you had to submit financial statements.

[dancemad]

Hi Glowlight. That is DEFINATELY the criteria. IF two candidates needed to be split because they were equally talented then financial statements can be requested from parents.

[Interested Parent]

Hi Dancemad. Can you elucidate? How do you equate finance with need? If 2 dancers are equally talented does the child with the smallest income get the MDS? If so why do they have a greater need than the other child whose income is greater but still far less than the schools fees? In both cases neither child will be able to get the vocational training without the MDS therefore their needs are equal.