What do I do with DD?

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Katymac
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What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

DD has always been a keen dancer - Ballroom & Latin mainly but anything latin (salsa, african, samba & endless variations)

She was accepted onto a CAT in September & has since started Ballet in addition to the CAT, is doing her Btech at school, does theatre (starred in their pantomime despite only being 13 in the 13-19 age group) & singing/choir too.

She is interested in musical theatre, but sees dance as her main talent.

We are about to start negotiations with school about GCSEs because they want her to do about 12 & I think that is unnecessary; if things don't go well with school what options have other people looked at and what works? (flexi/home schooling, private school, are there vocational schools?)

She is doing about 20 hours of out of school activity & about 17 hours of dance a week and is in Year 9 - she i doing (I think) 2 Btechs and 2 GCSE's this year
Hecouldshine
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Hecouldshine »

Hi Katymac,

You sound to be struggling to get the school to accept that dance/performing is more important to her than 12 academic exam certificates. Why can't they let her give up on a couple?

I think all the deadlines for applications to audition at vocational schools have probably gone now, but I may be wrong. Have you considered other local schools? Are there any with performing arts specialist status?

Flexischooling is at the discretion of the school head - so if they won't even let her drop a couple of subjects I suspect they wouldn't be keen on flexi schooling :roll:

Good Luck
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Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

TBH this is my first approach to the school & I don't know how they will react........I thought all the vocational schools would be ballet anyway & I don't 'think' she will be a ballet dancer

I'm not saying I don't consider academics aren't important - but I feel she only ha a limited time to dance & can study later

I hope they are flexible on the dropping of a GCSE next year at least

I just feel a bit lost in a place I know nothing about; I have a fair amount of knowledge about how a child with additional needs would approach GCSE's but this is beyond me

I wonder how other people deal with it
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STEFFYSMUM
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by STEFFYSMUM »

i dont understand why english schools feel nessecary to do so many gcse anyway. in scotland we do 8 standard grades and then highers and doesnt stop us getting into good unis or good jobs. out of interested how many hours a week do the spend on each subject??
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Welsh Mum
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Welsh Mum »

STEFFYSMUM wrote:i dont understand why english schools feel nessecary to do so many gcse anyway. in scotland we do 8 standard grades and then highers and doesnt stop us getting into good unis or good jobs. out of interested how many hours a week do the spend on each subject??
I agree, al the schools here ( and there are some excellent schools with fantsatic reputations) do 8 or 9 GCSE's. You just dont need ay more. Yiu can get into study medicine, veterinary, Oxbridge with 8 excellent GCSEs (plus excellent AS and A levels) so why do more? It must make it very difficlut for youngsters who have a lot of outside actvities.
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Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

& is her dance an 'outside school activity' or is it vocational training?

She is doing about 6 hrs a subject - 4 GCSE's a year (yr 9, 10 & 11) with English & Maths run over yrs10 & 11

I think 10 would be fine & it would be easier for her to manage & prevent making choices too early

10 GCE's would still leave plenty of open doors but 14 & giving up a fair proportion of her dance would hut down options permanently (I think)
funnygirl
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by funnygirl »

You should perhaps look at Tring Park in Tring or the Hammond School in Chester as they both offer vocational courses in general dance and musical theatre. I am sure that you would still be in time to audition for both of those if you act quickly - it is only the classical schools that have such early deadlines! There is also the Brit School in Surrey (?) which is a government sponsored day school but you obviously have to live close enough!

I think, by the way, that year 9 is far, far too early to be doing GCSEs and don't know of any other schools that require this of their pupils. In fact, I wonder if it is counter productive, partly because not many children that age have the maturity to do well and also because many universities etc are looking for how many GCSEs a student has passed in one sitting as taking them over a number of years can be perceived to be easier!
Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

The problem is when you start a school you look at what they are doing then, if they get a new headteacher & they change things you are stuffed

I don't even know (at this stage) if she would go to uni or a college or just try & get a job

Are all vocational schools boarding? I'm not sure she is ready for that yet

I am confused by it all
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Overspent »

Are universities looking at how many GCSEs a child has? Or are they looking at the types of subjects taken and the marks gained - i.e. quality vs quantity?

I ask because I know that Russell Group unis would rather candidates had good marks in three "approved" A level subjects than 4 or 5 less valuable (in their eyes) subjects. I wondered if they feel the same about GCSEs.

My DD's school gets outstanding academic results but they are very pushy about quantity, whereas the nearest Boys' school has strong links with Cambridge and the message Cambridge gives them is quality above quantity.

I wouldn't advocate home schooling as I personally feel that the social aspects of school are equally as important as academic, but Tring and Hammond would definitely be worth a look. I know boarding is not mandatory at Tring if you live within travelling distance. And I would definitely speak in plain terms to your current school about how many GCSEs you are willing for your DD to take.
Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

I'll let you know what we discuss & how it works out

I don't really see DD at Uni at least not at 18

Home schooling is my least favourite (I actually run a nursery from my home already) & flexi schooling isn't really ideal either. But the other schools locally run 'normal' GCSE schemes with 8-10 as a target

I think Tring & Hammond, while they look amazing, are out of our reach
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by peach3 »

I would just like to say in defence of Home Educating that it can be a way to fit in everything a child would like to pursue because they can dictate their own timetable with guidance from you. I realize it is not ideal but neither is school outside the home. Certainly worrying about socialization is not something that should be a big issue when deciding to Home Ed. The amount of time it takes up for a parent should be more of a consideration. My three happy home educated children see other children their own ages most days. They also have lots of friends not of their own age as they are articulate and confident in most social situations. They would probably find going into yr 7 of a big secondary school a shock but doesn't any child? They would adjust and I know the close relationship we have built over the last decade would help them through difficulties. I'm not claiming it is the best way forward, just that it shouldn't be written off for fear of them not seeing other children. That has not been my experience at all. A big plus is they don't seem to get as tired as schooled children. Great for kids who want to dance everyday.
Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

Oh absolutely Peach3

Home educating is invaluable; but the issues for me are about:

* time - I work a fixed 50 hours week
* money - I can't afford to take time off
* DD's friendship group is entirely school based - she rarely sees them outside of school due to her heavy workload in the evenings & weekend - which wouldn't change
* temperament - me & DD don't always get on

During the teenage years I feel her friends are vital & to some extent dance is quite isolating

While she is capable of independent study I feel she (& I) benefit from group interaction for working through issues, so it's our last choice for very good reasons
tikka
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by tikka »

I'm an ex A level teacher, education consultant, used to lead professional development sessions for Head Teachers, managed training for 9000 school governors (obviously not all at the same time LOL) and now mark GCSE papers ....so have always been seating in the world of formal school education ....HOWEVER....

...we home educated and ds is now doing his first year of a level 3 BTEC in Acting. Home ed was the most wonderful experience, and missing out on the socialising was never an issue.

Now ds is back in f/t education I realise how much time is spent in school having to tolerate both kids and teachers wasting your time! I get a bit cross when I hear that the teacher didn't finish all the work they wanted to cover in a session because x or y couldn't behave or keep quiet (even at the age of 17) !!!

Home ed gives you the time to fit so much more in, and TBH I'm always surprised more 'acting' families don't do it. It is, though, a life style choice and not something that suits everyone.

School children take so many GCSEs these days, 8 or 9 used to be enough. Most unis are interested in a 'quality' of education and I don't think taking loads of GCSEs or A levels 'the modular way' is what the top unis look for. The Russell Group would like a large numbers of A/A* grades taken 'in one sitting'. Most other unis just look at A levels, and I expect linear are preferred to modular.

Gcses taken in Year 9 mean a 2 year gap before taking the subject again at A level, and must make it harder to pick that subject up again in Year 12. Certainly I know of Home edders who have been asked to retakes Maths GCSE before doing A level because of a 2 year gap in studying the subject.

Sorry, didn't mean to ramble on. What i'm trying to say is...a happy child is more likely to succeed than an unhappy one, and trying to do too much so young is huge pressure. Schools want their pupils to succeed so talk to the staff and negotiate a suitable path through everyones demands.

Good luck and hope you reolve your concerns.

tikka
Katymac
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by Katymac »

I agree about it being a lifestyle choice.......so is having 9 under 5's in my conservatory every day & I think the 2 are mutually exclusive ;)
tikka
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Re: What do I do with DD?

Post by tikka »

WOW.....you are so right...
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