NotaPushyMum.Com

DD is already doing plan B - studying a pre-voc

So if she doesn't get a DaDA next year, what do we do?

I was going to mortgage the house lol, luckily it didnt come to that! But even with a DaDA its costing me upwards of £700 a month!

Oh God

DH is 62 so they won't let us remortgage & tbh the house probably wouldn't make that much

What does she do - I was concerned last year about the local college BTEC level 3 & rightly so a friend just dropped out as it was 14 contact hours a week, so that really isn't an option. Which means a degree course isn't possible

Panic, panic

Your plan C will have to be either scholarship or degree with student loan if no DaDa available.

If this Government get re-elected I very much doubt DaDas will even exist by the time my son will need one.

But she would need UCAS points to go on the degree, surely? & I don't know how she would get them

She got offers last year didn't she, but just no DaDA? She will have a good chance at a DaDA this time after the pre-voc

For plan C, would she consider a BTEC if there was a good one on offer? That would get her the UCAS points needed for a degree. (I know Urdang and Bird need UCAS points, not sure about other degrees such as Mountview, GSA, ArtsEd) If she moved away to a good BTEC course (which is free) she would be eligible for Housing Benefit on her rent.

I heard that LIPA's 1-year foundation course is good and that they offer means-tested bursaries to cover the fees but I don't know the details. HB may be available on that course too but it depends on the level it is accredited at. I don't know whether it carries UCAS points though.
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I would hope that since she got offers last year and just fell short on the funding that she would be ok this year - especially with her pre voc experience now. UCAS points - if she has taken any dance exams at grades 6-8 or intermediate - she will have some UCAS points.

You could always look into some of the foundation dance degrees at university - a lot of them will consider applicants without UCAS points if they have relevant experience. These are 2 year courses with student funding and then you can do a top up year to a BA Honours degree. DD has a friend who was looking to do the top up year after her level 6 diploma as she wanted a more practical based year than the top up distance learning course Trinity point you in the direction of. This was with the University of West London and I know she looked at Sunderland as well. I don't know if this is anything your DD would be interested in as I suspect dancers on these courses go more into teaching and dance admin jobs rather than performers but that is only a guess.

Could also be worth checking out Preston college - though I know its a long way from you. The dance course is a dance teaching course or they offer musical theatre but I believe that the dance course is practical enough that some go onto to be dancers rather than teachers. Fully funded I believe. I do know of one girl that went here and danced on cruise ships for a number of years.

My DS partner did a 1 year diploma at the Birmingham Theater school which did not need UCAS points and within 2 months of finishing is on a theater in education national tour earning and then may go back to do the degree when has money saved up, or may not need to if the work keeps coming so there are other ways other than the conventional route.
My DS worked last year and saved half his earnings so that he can contribute if he can get a place for 2015 he did a part time evening course at BSA along side it which was very cheap and gave him a Trinity Grade 8 Certificate which has UCAS points and was all practical and is on the BSA Foundation course this year so that he can travel in and save money that way.
Basically what I am getting at is that although it may not be exactly the route they want they will find a way if they want to do it badly enough so don't despair.

She worked the summer which is paying for her spending money this year & a festival she wants to go to next year (it'll be the 4th or 5th time she has been)

She had 2 offers this year and no funding - so I'm hopeful; but there is also the possibility that if she isn't good enough for a DaDA, she might not be good enough for it to be her career

I think she would consider a BTEC - but finding the right one could be tricky (Preston does look good but is a very long way away & Birmingham seems much more acting - which I guess DD needs) but at least she knows she can live away from home now (which we really weren't sure about before)

It just seems more scary this year

Don't forget that very few places offer much more than 14 taught hours of classes a week now for a BTEC. Ten years ago it was 16, and quite a few hours are on quite dull subjects that have to be done. This ridiculously is what the Government consider 'Full Time'.

I think we all really need to consider the fact that the actual qualification gained in performing is really only useful for non-performing jobs, hence the teachers and arts agency workers. No casting director is interested in qualifications, just their talent and ability - so it could perhaps be argued that if you have talented kids, ANY degree that follows almost ANY college or 6th form programme sets them up pretty well - and they can still do their dance or acting professionally along side it.

The big dance colleges we all know about really turn them into kids who have experienced proper hard work, and provide contacts. College and uni courses don't do that at all.

The worst case is those kids who really don't have it, who won't ever have it, no matter where they go. If these kids were councilled out of performing arts, it would be good for the rest, because what they all need, even at college, is sticking power. When somebody leaves college BTECs my experience is they are unable to mix properly, lazy, or just bored. Being bored is quite normal, and those that can't bear not to be busy, are not taking advantage of the self-study opportunity. 14 hours taught is thought to be balanced with more hours of self-study - and some carry on treating it like school, rather than uni/dance college so if they are not being taught, the course must be rubbish. They could of course practice, rehearse and research, but many just sit there with "nothing to do". This I don't have much sympathy for.

My DD did a level 3 BTEC and had between 20-22hours a week - generally 4-5 hours a day. This was only a few years ago. It was a good preparation for vocational training. Not surprisingly every year a lot of students got onto excellent courses in great colleges. My DD said that those who had done a levels were quite shocked at how intense it was, but it wasn't as much of a change for her.

I know I've said this before - but I really wish they came with a user guide or manual!!

DD seems to be keeping up with the work level on the pre-voc; I'm not sure how she would adjust to 14 hours a week & living at home again

She should find out this week where the college think she should re-apply too - she is panicking that they will think she is no good at all & suggest BTEC childcare

So my thinking is that a pre voc course is not a cheap option either and can work out more expensive than a 3 year with funding.... or the same according to how much funding you get.
its a shame they can't commute from home and put that money towards their training, as I know our accommodation is as much as the course.
Katymac. ..... If dd is good enough to get offers last time, I'm sure with great training on pre voc she will be fine X stay positive dd has done so well

Katymac - they will not think she is no good, they have already seen potential in her or would not have taken her on Pre Voc - I understand Performers have a really good success rate on their Pre Voc course and the fact that she was offered places last year on full time courses should be reassuring, she just needs that extra bit of training to hopefully earn a place with a Dada this year