Auditioning for SEPT 2018

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islandofsodor
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Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

Hi, thought I'd start a thread for the 2018 auditionees seeing as we start applying in September.

Dd had been thinking that she was going to take a couple of years out and go to normal 6th form before auditioning at aged 18 but she's now worried she won't be able to keep up her dance training locally at the level she will require.

We are considering a variety of places but so far the shortlist is Hammond, Tring (very unlikely due to funding), Abbotts Bromley School for Girls. She loves the idea of Bird but they don't offer A levels. It's so difficult and we also have the problem of a back up plan if she doesn't get in anywhere (back up plan was to return to the 6th form of a local independent school but her brother has had a lot of problems there so now she doesn't want to go back there.)

Anyone else?
klchaplin1980
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by klchaplin1980 »

Hi there. My daughter is going to a Evolution Foundation College in September so we will be doing the rounds again for the three year Diploma. She would really like to go to Bird or Italia Conti but would be happy to go wherever offers her funding. Italia Conti have an excellent A-Level programme if that would interest your daughter. Some of the Foundation courses also include A-Level equivalent BTECs in Performing Arts - Bodyworks is my favourite as you also get a Trinity Grade 8 qualification in Musical Theatre and the payment methods for the course are very reasonable. CPA Studios are also reasonable and students can get a Trinity Level 4 Diploma in Performing Arts. As lovely as Evolution is it does rather concern me that they don't get any qualification out of it and it does narrow what courses my daughter can apply for as some only do degrees.
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

She definitely wants academic A levels in particular subjects just because she enjoys academics too.

She already has a Trinity Grade 7 & is awaiting results of her LAMDA Grade 7. She hopes to take Grade 8 next year. She also has Intermediate ballet, tap & modern.

For some reason her current teachers have advised against Italia Conti. I think maybe they have a few ex students who haven't been happy there maybe, I don't know.
loladd33
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by loladd33 »

Abbots Brombley is meant to be a great school - for academic, horse riding and acting and my Dd is very eager to go for Sixth form as she loves all three!
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

I cannot see my daughter horse riding!

Basically I need somewhere where my daughter can do A levels and also pursue dance to Advanced 1 and beyond level and that doesn't cost £30k a year. We are in fortunate position that we can afford some fees at a push but more in the £15-£20k per year bracket.
kzgirl
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by kzgirl »

islandofsodor wrote:I cannot see my daughter horse riding!

Basically I need somewhere where my daughter can do A levels and also pursue dance to Advanced 1 and beyond level and that doesn't cost £30k a year. We are in fortunate position that we can afford some fees at a push but more in the £15-£20k per year bracket.
Hello islandofsodor

Isn't your DD at the Hammond? Do any of your local colleges/schools do the BTEC level three in performing arts, she could do that along with a couple of 'A' levels and continue with her dancing lessons at the Hammond two or three nights a week. Apart from the Hammond it would be free, a lot of the colleges that do performing arts subjects have some brilliant teachers. This is what my daughter did she got great A level results and ended up with a teacher for her performing arts who was in the west end and had leading part in Les Mes. If you considered this type of thing your daughter would keep all her options open and keep her fitness and dance where it needs to be for auditions at 18yrs or if she changed her mind about dance/musical theatre she would have the grades for a uni course.
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

Hammond don't offer dance classes to non full time students except for a one a month associate scheme which I believe ends at age 16. They finish at 6pm each night except for a couple of late classes for particular groups.

There is an excellent local Btec course near to where we live (approx. 45 miles away from Hammond) but it is a full time 5 day per week attendance course, I have already enquired and it is not possible to study A levels alongside it.
kzgirl
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by kzgirl »

islandofsodor wrote:Hammond don't offer dance classes to non full time students except for a one a month associate scheme which I believe ends at age 16. They finish at 6pm each night except for a couple of late classes for particular groups.

There is an excellent local Btec course near to where we live (approx. 45 miles away from Hammond) but it is a full time 5 day per week attendance course, I have already enquired and it is not possible to study A levels alongside it.
It must depend on where you live, DD was very fortunate to do her BTEC level 3 in performing arts and A Levels, she did Product Design and Psychology. DD got a double distinction for her BTEC and had dance lessons at her dance school and singing lessons with a private singing teacher obtaining a distinction in her grade 8 singing under the Uni of North London (LCM). I am very surprised there is no dance school at The Hammond in the evenings. Have you research the sixth form in your local schools?
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by Caroline A-C »

Wow, kzgirl, your dd has done amazingly - doing three A levels and the level 3 BTec as well as keeping up with dance etc. My dd is doing the level 3 BTec (as did my ds) and she has soooo much work to do with the various modules and the dreaded logbooks. I am seriously impressed.
All new to me!
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

Most of our local school do not have 6th forms (our local school which has been failing for the last 5 years closed its 6th form a few years ago when not one single child opted to stay on). The 6th form dd had originally been planning to go to just asked us to remove our son as they were not able to offer the support he needed with his autistic spectrum disorder. As dd has similar issues its a no go-er.

I was surprised that the local FE college does not offer part time A levels but to enrol on an A level course you have to enrol full time. They do adult learning evening classes but not A levels just things like accounting, childcare, healthcare and functional maths/English. That college will be her back up plan if she doesn't get into anywhere vocational, to go there and study 3/4 A levels. The btec extended diploma on offer at the dance school is equivalent to 3 A levels. As it is when the new linear A levels kick in there will be a heavy workload and some schools are already dropping from 4 to 3 as there will be no AS levels any more allowing one to be dropped after the first year. The minimum number you can study at the local FE college is 3 A levels.

Hammond have never as far as I know run as a children's dance school. Their teachers are there from 9am - 6pm every day (8am in the case of the advanced ballet classes) and 9.15-12.15 on Saturdays), there is no way they could teach into the evenings as well (plus during the many productions staff are there late into the evening anyway).
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

kzgirl wrote:
islandofsodor wrote:Hammond don't offer dance classes to non full time students except for a one a month associate scheme which I believe ends at age 16. They finish at 6pm each night except for a couple of late classes for particular groups.

There is an excellent local Btec course near to where we live (approx. 45 miles away from Hammond) but it is a full time 5 day per week attendance course, I have already enquired and it is not possible to study A levels alongside it.
It must depend on where you live, DD was very fortunate to do her BTEC level 3 in performing arts and A Levels, she did Product Design and Psychology. DD got a double distinction for her BTEC and had dance lessons at her dance school and singing lessons with a private singing teacher obtaining a distinction in her grade 8 singing under the Uni of North London (LCM). I am very surprised there is no dance school at The Hammond in the evenings. Have you research the sixth form in your local schools?
Did your dd do the 120 credit Diploma or the 180 credit Extended diploma. With you saying she got double distinctin I wonder if it was the former as that one is equivalent to 2 A levels rather than 3 which under the old A level system I could see that at the right college it could be possible to combine with two A levels.

The extended diploma which is on offer on my area is equivalent to 3 A levels and under the new linear A levels very few students will study 4 a levels (usually only those doing maths & further maths) although some schools colleges still havn't quite decided yet how things will work under the new system.
GillyM
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by GillyM »

Hi Islandsofsodor
Would you not consider the BTEC Drama at The Hammond as a Plan B?
I know some students go on to MT courses from that.
GillyM
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

No, she doesn't want to do a btec.
2dancersmum
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by 2dancersmum »

dont the Hammond drama students do btec plus A levels? They did when my DD was there as she was in the same A level classes as them.

And have you looked at the likes of BOA? Can you still do A levels alongside the dance or MT there? I'm not sure the standard of the ballet is necessarily as high as she is used to but they tend to finish quite early so the dancexchange is still a possibility for top up classes
GillyM
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by GillyM »

They can do 2 A levels
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