Mae989 Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hi I was just wondering if anyone had received any paperwork yet for the MDS and how does it actually work/ what are you entitled to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeafterballet Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 What is included in the MDS varies from school to school. Dds school includes a uniform allowance, dance and day wear, BUPA cover and a music lesson etc. I know others at other schools have to pay separately for certain things. The finance dept at your Dds school may be able to help you. I know we had lots of questions. It's an anxious time. Good luck xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeafterballet Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Oh and the more you earn the more you pay !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Usually by induction day the finance staff will have Sent out your forms and will be able to give you a fairly accurate idea of what your parental contribution will be . If You look on the school website there is a scale of contributions according to your salary . There's is one on the Elmhurst website under funding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mae989 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Share Posted June 5, 2015 Thankyou! I have roughly worked out the contribution it was the 'extras' really. I don't want to stat buying things if they are covered by the MDS and I was getting worried we hadn't heard anything yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) All I know is that vocational uniform ( not formal ie blazer etc worn for posh occasions) is covered by MDS for Elmhurst but not White Lodge , not sure about Tring and Hammond ! If you do buy in advance just keep receipts and submit them against your MDS uniform allowance if you get one ! Edited June 5, 2015 by Billyelliott 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) I'm confused about the comment re white lodge school uniform as I've always claimed it back no problem. Edited June 5, 2015 by angel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Really - so sorry then I've been misinformed .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I'm confused about the comment re white lodge school uniform as I've always claimed it back no problem. Some people can claim back White Lodge uniform if they fall below a certain income threshold. This is how it differs from other places such as Elmhurst or Tring where all MDS students have uniform allowance. So Billyelliott you have not been misinformed, its just that most folks don't qualify for uniform allowance at WL! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAIRBELLES Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Thankyou!I have roughly worked out the contribution it was the 'extras' really. I don't want to stat buying things if they are covered by the MDS and I was getting worried we hadn't heard anything yet [/quote Hi Mae989 At Hammond dance kit up to £650 is covered A music instrument / singing lesson a week Bupa Vocational exams Compulsory theatre trips If your dd has any difficulties academically MDS covers the cost of learning support. If on a very low wage you are entitled to a uniform allowance and travel costs. You can also use a company ,through school ,that spreads the cost of your contribution over 12 months . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Tring is similar to Hammond. Vocational uniform - this year was £680ish Music lesson BUPA Music theory lesson has also been at a reduced rate RAD Saturday classes ISTD tap classes on Saturday Travel and academic uniform dependant on earnings level Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mae989 Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thankyou all! Its all so confusing right now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 It will all become clear soon. Ring finance at school. They are really helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harwel Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 It is quite a worrying time but also very exciting, so try to enjoy your DC achievement without worrying too much. As Angel says, it will all become clear soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofdance Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I have read through the comments and looked on the Elmhurst website. I am still unsure about how much a family can expect to pay per year if their child is accepted at a vocational school. My daughter dreams of auditioning, we have been told by her dance teacher that she has all the right physical attributes to be a ballet dancer and that she is talented and has potential. We are a family on a low income (under £20,000) so we have explained to our daughter that going to full time ballet school is not within our means so have discouraged her from auditioning. The strange thing is when I read the information about finance on the Elmhurst website the cost (If she was accepted) seems really reasonable and affordable. Can anyone help, am I missing something? The yearly fee,s are far less than we pay for her current dance classes (she does other dance genres as well as ballet) It just doesn't seem to tally up with what I have been told by people ie its very expensive and similar to the cost of private school. Any comments, experience and advice would be very much appreciated as if there is any possibility that we could afford for her to attend then we would love her to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 My daughter does not have MDS funding, she is on a bursary so what we pay (non boarding) is equivalent if not less than the cost of her previous private school plus dance classes. The MDS scale does seem to mean that some families on a low income will be better off, especially when you consider the dancewear allowance. The academic uniform is expensive, but nowhere near the cost of the PE kit alone at our local state school. The complication comes at schools such as Hammond & Tring where there are not enough MDS awards to cover all the available places. So each year at those schools children have to turn down places if their families can't afford it & they ARNT awarded an MDS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) The fees shown are accurate if your child is awarded an MDS. Dance and day uniform is covered as has previously been mentioned. Formal is an added extra. For those on low income you may be able to claim against travel costs. Full fees are comparable to a public school. There are in house trips at weekends but not compulsory and some don't go, not always because of cost but wanting down time after busy week. Trips to watch class and end of year shows are an added extra to budget for as parents. Edited June 9, 2015 by Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofdance Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Thanks I will look in to it more. We are obviously too late for this years yr 7 intake so have some time to consider the pro's and cons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfbrew Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I have read through the comments and looked on the Elmhurst website. I am still unsure about how much a family can expect to pay per year if their child is accepted at a vocational school. My daughter dreams of auditioning, we have been told by her dance teacher that she has all the right physical attributes to be a ballet dancer and that she is talented and has potential. We are a family on a low income (under £20,000) so we have explained to our daughter that going to full time ballet school is not within our means so have discouraged her from auditioning. The strange thing is when I read the information about finance on the Elmhurst website the cost (If she was accepted) seems really reasonable and affordable. Can anyone help, am I missing something? The yearly fee,s are far less than we pay for her current dance classes (she does other dance genres as well as ballet) It just doesn't seem to tally up with what I have been told by people ie its very expensive and similar to the cost of private school. Any comments, experience and advice would be very much appreciated as if there is any possibility that we could afford for her to attend then we would love her to do so. Like you we thought that vocational training would be beyond us. Then someone directed us to the information about the MDS scheme and we quickly realized that it was actually cheaper overall than getting him to our preferred state secondary school daily. And we were allowed to pay in instalments which also helped. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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