Peanut68

The amount received is income related but the initial awarding is based on talent. Some awarded MDS may find in the end income too high to amount to much or any fees 'subsidy' - hence some schools ask finance Q before finals I presume. It would be so much better if all the schools accredited in the MDS scheme could offer it to all the year 7 places (& any replacements in older groups). Again, once forms filled in then amounts will vary but at least once passed finals, the money hurdle is cleared too....in an ideal world....sigh

Oh dear! Rather important anything confidential is kept that way.....Hands up though to being guilty of that one & CCing rather than BCCing....but luckily only about some PTA timing thing or other - not money Just to add to my first post on this......same can happen in any area of schooling/training/hobbies....there will always be talk of over inflated grammar test scores/SATS results/placement on gifted & talented/offers of county places/offers of free training etc etc etc Anyone guilty knows the truth themselves & if it is parents - poor kids....they must just cringe. Truth will always out....maybe not the details (& lets's face it, who really cares?) but in terms of the long term result with the achievements & happiness of the kids involved being the true test of success! Now I'll stop pontificating & try to get back to being more PV in my postings.....

I think we all have heard lots of truths, half truths & some out & out lies over the years about offers of places, offers of funding, offers of this & that as a school really wanted someone....even stories of top schools engaging in what sounded like a bidding war to 'win' a child!!! Hmmmmm.....all sounds to me like the drama has got to some of us & serious doses of salt may be needed whenever hearing about audition results! Frankly it is distasteful (not to mention very bad form & as pointed out by others contravenes most schools policies) to discuss individuals offers/awards.... Suffice to say those of us whose kids are lucky enough (& who have worked so hard too) to be offered places should be able to feel rightly proud. This should be regardless of whether a place taken up is to be paid for by family, friends, government funding, school bursaries, philanthropists, crowd funding, selling the family silver etc etc etc. the money aspect is no ones business but the individual families & schools concerned. I truly hate this unspoken competition that seems to exist....not only to be offered places, but funded places & then even to what level!! This kid got offered more money that that kid....yuck. Even heard a 'rumour' that a UK kid has been offered a 100% scholarship to join a top lower school from first round auditions.....again, hmmmm....really???? As this is a school which is to a large degree publicly funded I would've thought that very tight audits are conducted. As all those offered places (UK residents certainly....will not comment if current EU included) have the opportunity to be assessed for MDS - the value of which is determined by (rigorous?) means testing then surely this offer would be financially unnecessary? & if it is just a sweetener to 'get first dibs' on super tallented child then it would surely be woeful misuse of either public money (& unfair if other forms of funding are not public knowledge) & in flagrant disregard for own schools published selection policies....but of course, this could all boil down to porkie pies, economy of the truth, mind games, competitive boasting etc etc. Again, yuck.

remember too that not everyone you auditions for WL will apply for MA's as geographically it may be impossible for families!

Advice sought....DD been wait listed for WL SS last 2 years so wanting to apply with the hope of 3rd time lucky! Trouble is, I was ill over Xmas & didn't get round to taking photos....she has now done them on phone with a friend (boarding ) & sent to me but they are not doing her justice at all (or her teachers!) and contradict her distinctions in major exams too. Her physique shows fine but I really do expect that 13/14 year olds need to look spot on technique-wise too to get selected....esp as this year they are encouraging full time White Lodgers to apply! Deadline 5pm tomorrow so no chance to get photos re-done...really troubled as pretty sure these photos will mean the no pile when actually she shows potential this year more than any before.....I am also having computer nightmare which means not able to upload even if I wanted too - aghhhHH. Maybe fate is saying save £25? & also telling me to get more organized with timings in future :-)

Quick Q - can someone describe what these long ones are/look like? DD has used on advice of physio round knobbly plastic balls of various sizes to prevent dropped arches but I am interested to see uses of foam rollers....will search other thread too b ut not very savvy at finding way around computer

More description of these 'Fench roll' & 'Geisha' pins needed please....am intrigued!

Was that via a Vocectomy rather than a Vasectomy......????!!! Apologies for the sick pun - couldn't resist! Good luck with your talented (& expensive...) brood!

But to be honest, WL children already benefit from RBS training......surely the whole point of a SS should be to reach out to others & give as many the chance to experience it as is possible? I think by encouraging their own students to apply they are alienating others & surely many will come to the conclusion that if your child has already been rejected for WL full time to then have the rejection yet again & possibly for the same lucky talented WL kids they auditioned alongside before to get the places.....My conclusion is really I should save the money & avoid the (inevitable?) disappointment fro my DC...but you know I'll still be filling in that form & paying the £25 for that golden chance - however slim - to see the joy on my child's face if the chance to live out their long held RBS dream came true just once in their life!

had meant to say before how that phrase made me smile as it took me way back to schooldays - not heard it in ages!......am wondering if we come from same neck of the wood Originally?? I love the posts that make me smile & laugh out loud

i agree about the Lion brand ones....really old fashioned looking packaging (yes - I remember them from my youth ) They are 'tighter' so good for the folically challenged (oh God....please do not let a certain Presidential candidate go for a 'footballer' bun look ever or he'll commandeer these vital supplies too!!!.....oh, I now have made myself ill at the picture that has conjured up in my head first thing on a Sunday morning.....yuck, yuck, aghhHHHH!!! )

Thanks Amos73.....fingers crossed for all us wait list old hands!!

Really hope that these longer dates whereby it looks like there will be double the overall spaces for each age group does indeed give more UK kids the chance to attend.....2 years running DD has been on the wait list with no place materializing....maybe this year could be her year Fingers crossed!

I agree with Bloch warm up booties - my DD loves her funky paint splodge design ones whioch were an Xmas present last year. If fi=unds will stretch, what about saying she can book for a weeks Summer School course (either day/residential courses are run all over the country) as a birthday present she can look fowrad too! One year I booked DD onto a morning ENB Romeo & Juliet workshop followed by tickets to watch the matinee at our nearest regional theatre.....we even had lunch in between at lovely theatre restaurant so it was a very special mother/Daughter day.....a cherished memory as she is now boarding at vocational school!

The Hammond offer a degree course....not so far geographically from Scotland which might help financially! Currently appears to be MT focussed but there may be options to tailor course to suit a dancer...worth asking them anyhow! www.thehammondschool.co.uk

I am a little confused...there seem to be 2 York Summer Schools...Is YBSS a different one to the York one talked about here? Anyone experience of both to compare? Thanks in advance.....

Personally have found Gaynor Mindons last my DD pretty well...better than Bloch have. I do drill into her good tight etiquette alongside lectures about not wasting money..... Ensure toe nails trimmed & filed smooth - finger nails too! When in transit....roll tights into balls so less likely to snag on bag zips/other stuff in dance bag Just be careful putting on & off...place toes in & 'shimmey' (!) an inch at a time up the leg &remove slowly in reverse (do not pull from toes til they pop off!!) If they are getting damaged in wash, then place tights into a named net bag before adding to wash. Also agree with Pictures about going for a size larger than the size guide suggests....means a little less stretch so they are likely to retain more strength & be less susceptible to snags. Good luck!

Uh oh.....looks like I may need to join forums for Rugby, Rock Drumming & Quantum Physics (yes, really....!!!) if I am to have a clue about my 10 year son's life!!

Wow - I thought we were cutting it fine arriving home on the Saturday night with son starting new localish school & DD returning Wed! Hope all went well for you all & am sure the excitement of being back at school will have kicked in to overcome the tiredness!!

Hi - thanks fpr info...prob does sound best suited for 14+ so good luck to those that attend & enjoy!

She'll be year 8....

SS are a struggle to do as finances stretched & also lots of family pressures which make travel/residential difficult. There seem to be lots if Midlands & Northern based SS but very few in the South West....in the past RAD did day SS at Pavillion Dance in Bournemouth - great studios, great location & pretty local for us :-) I do feel our area is lacking....I even think that it could sustain a full time vocational school! We have beaches & nice weather much of the time......could DrDance or TutuGitl or others be tempted to consider a trip down here? We'd make you very welcome & kids & parents would be so grateful!

"On exeat weekends you collect from school. The children just take a small weekend bag into school with them that day" Ha - Wishful thinking.....my DD seems to have so much stuff....dance bag, school bag (+ loads of homework which does seem harsh for boarders on exeat weekends when much if it can be spent in the car...) as well as washing & usual clothes!!! Reckon most not needed so hope in time she learns to cut down!! Usually you can collect stuff from boarding house (left on bed by my DD) then go get them from school....in my experience best to check via email with houseparents rather than relying on accurate timings from my DD!!!

Last year I was so grateful for the advice & help from a current Hammond parent - it really made making the decision fior DD to go easier & that decision has proved excellent! Good luck to the newbies & ask away! Must also add how fantastic houseparents have been & also help from other parents when the curse of the M6 has made my timing for pick up less than perfect.....A cup of tea put in my shaking hand by houseparent after a really stressful 8 hour drive was just wonderful - esp as I felt so guilty being almost an hour after collection time & so making them late.....& parents have helped with bringing DDs bags to school to save me being late twice - thank you all & look fwd to seeing more of everyone as the years progress!

Do you think any younger Hammond students could go? If perhaps there were a few boarders together would they arrange a chaperone - do you know if this dirt if thing happens? My DD would love it!