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A few questions about Tring Park


amanda-w

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Hello everyone - this is my very first post despite lurking for a while  :ph34r: 

Just returned from the Open Day at Tring and DD suitably impressed to want to audition for Upper School.
Typically a few questions have arisen on the way home in the car - why do they never pop up when we are actually there ?

My DD is interested in the dance course but how many A levels do dancers usually take alongside the vocational course ?
Also someone mentioned photography as a A level but it isn't listed in the Sixth Form brochure - are there other A levels available on offer ?
Is all boarding at the school or are there other options ?

We did love the family feel and the grin on DD face at the sight of the dance studios was pure joy to behold !

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Hello everyone - this is my very first post despite lurking for a while :ph34r:

Just returned from the Open Day at Tring and DD suitably impressed to want to audition for Upper School.

Typically a few questions have arisen on the way home in the car - why do they never pop up when we are actually there ?

My DD is interested in the dance course but how many A levels do dancers usually take alongside the vocational course ?

Also someone mentioned photography as a A level but it isn't listed in the Sixth Form brochure - are there other A levels available on offer ?

Is all boarding at the school or are there other options ?

We did love the family feel and the grin on DD face at the sight of the dance studios was pure joy to behold !

I think the average is 2 because of having to also fulfill all the components needed for contextual studies.(Dance diploma)

However there can be flexibility if students capabilities and timetables allow. My ds started with 4, dropped one to get 3 respectable A levels and one of his close friends did 4 and is now an Oxbridge student. They were both on the dance course.

But this is now going back a couple of years and so I strongly advise asking the school directly as to current situation. They will be more than happy to answer questions and the more parents ask for details directly the more the school will perhaps know to bring up the subject at future open days. As you say, you dont often think of questions until afterwards!

 

Edited to add that Im talking about number of A levels. Also some boarding is off site, there was a thread about all this so its worth doing a search. Also do read the website if you have nt already done so.

 

Cant help re photography Im afraid!

Edited by hfbrew
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I think the 1st and 2nd year 6th formers live on-site and the final year students in accommodation locally, and also you can arrange your own accommodation if you wish.

 

A friend of dd's started three A-levels but ended up studying only one as his ballet took over and he just didn't have the time!

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The number of A levels studied varies from one student to another. There are many just doing 1 or 2, some 3 and even a couple of girls I believe this year doing 4. Then there are also some who do none at all. Many start off doing a subject & then end up dropping it. They also have a lot of theory work (called IPS) required for the Diploma in Dance.

 

All the 1st year sixth form board onsite, unless of course they are day pupils or have chosen to board with a home stay family. Most the 2nd years stay in boarding houses off-site but which are still owned & run by the school & supervised by houseparents. (However, a small number still board onsite with the 1st years) The 3rd years are treated as day pupils and are responsible for finding their own accommodation in town, ie private flats/shared houses etc.

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My Dd is doing 3 A levels and the IPS. It is very hard work and long hours.

It is not for everyone. The juggling required is difficult particularly when they are preparing for a dance show and have late night rehersals. The dance course have I understand the most full timetable and extra hours.

 

It's a matter of personal choice how many you do, some do none at all.However it is my understanding that if you do one A level you are still eligible for child benefit but not if you just do the IPS.

 

However much hard work and long hours she does she absolutely loves being at Tring.

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My Dd is doing 3 A levels and the IPS. It is very hard work and long hours.

It is not for everyone. The juggling required is difficult particularly when they are preparing for a dance show and have late night rehersals. The dance course have I understand the most full timetable and extra hours.

 

It's a matter of personal choice how many you do, some do none at all.However it is my understanding that if you do one A level you are still eligible for child benefit but not if you just do the IPS.

 

However much hard work and long hours she does she absolutely loves being at Tring.

 

 

My husband rang the child benefit office about this. They told him that you can get child benefit if your child is doing a National Diploma including Trinity National diploma (The dance course at Tring Park). :)

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Unfortunately they are wrong (but keep quiet about it perhaps)

 

You can only get Child Benefit for Level 3 Btec National Diplomas, not Level 6 Professional Diplomas as that is considered "advanced education) - level 3 is non advanced.

 

The CB people often confuse the two qualifications.

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/further-education.htm

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Wondered whether anyone could help. DD is on reserve list for Tring and when she auditioned she didn't take a musical instrument or sing, do you think this would have been marked against her as she really just is a "ballet girl" with a tiny but of modern chucked in!!

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Is that for full time school? My dd starts sept and is 90% ballet bit of jazz contemporary and a 1% musical theatre she said when she auditioned her and 2 others did an additional bit one did music her and other musical theatre but rest didn't do anything and most did modern dance. There was only 3 including her did a ballet piece hope your dd gets a place xx

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Morning everyone! I have just found this great forum and have been reading around it for a few days. I have been starting to feel a bit anxious for our next stage - just normal mum stuff I'm sure - my DS is starting Tring in September into year 10 on the dancers course. It was never planned that he would go away until 16 but he fell in love with Tring at summer school last year. After his first morning classes he texted me to ask if he could audition, to which I said a resigned yes (as I knew we couldn't afford the fees) but persuaded myself it would be good experience for auditions at 16. Well to my complete shock and delight he was offered an MDS! He loves his present school and is academically very good but he has had to wear 2 hats most of his life to be comfortable in all the facets of his life - only in year 9 did his school friends find out he does ballet. Not because he's ashamed of it, but because he gets so frustrated no one seems to get how tough being a dancer is.

 

I read with interest a previous comment about some dance teachers not recognising the achievements of children gaining such amazing opportunities and only recognising one school. My DS previous dance school was like that (hence the reason it's a previous school!) personally, I think that it shows some very deep seated resentment, the truth of which you will never get to the bottom of. In this day and age even classical dancers have to be incredibly versatile and I think Tring offers first rate classical training, with a variety of other styles coupled with a great education. What's not to like? And most of all, the moment we walked in we felt it to be an amazingly warm, friendly, happy place.

 

So, no real question, but I felt I wanted to make contact with the site and this seemed the most appropriate place to do it! Good luck everyone in your dancing journey, be it as a parent or student. Dancing is my passion (I come from a dancing family) and I understand fully, anyone wanting to pursue this incredible art form - it grabs you to the centre of your being. Let your children pursue their dreams, we all worry about our children but a life half lived is not lived at all. In my experience, life has a way of working out just fine if you follow what you love.

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Hi harwel welcome.......good luck to you son starting tring in sept my dd starts 1st form in sept can't wait. I find it will be good for my dd to be with people that have the same passion as she finds it hard that some of her current school mates think it's boring x

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Tring is a wonderful place. My dd is just finishing lower sixth and has been welcomed warmly and made such nice friends. They are like a family. Just watched the senior show last night and the standard is off the wall.

Get excited for what your son will enjoy and achieve.

Keep us posted!

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Dd is now at Tring and has finally found a school that inspires and challenges her not only dance wise but academically as well. She finally has friends who understand her passion for dance.

 

I agree with Guesty, it is like a family and that is how DD describes it. I've not seen the dance show yet and can't wait to see them all perform.

 

Good luck to your DS, I am certain he will love it there.

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Congrats Harwel, my DD will be a new starter (dance course) for September too, although a year younger, she'll be in year 9. It's very exciting isn't it. We have the uniform sorted, washed and hung up already ...we're that excited :-)

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That's so funny Amandalou! We don't have the uniform yet but we do have everything else that is on the list, all packed and ready in the biggest bag possible! Congratulations to your DD too! DS is counting down the days left at school :)))

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