auditions for full time dance schools

A place to talk about full time schools and post 16 training.

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dadadance
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by dadadance »

My DS has also been away at school since 11 and is now in 2nd year of 6th form living in his own house with flat mates! I often think they are to young to be living this way, and there have been difficulties! those who go to uni will be at least 18 before living this way. At least he can still get all his meals at school so I know he's getting fed properly but I do worry about what he gets up to in the evenings, I don't like to look at facebook! The odd occasions I've looked I've seen things I'd rather not know.

Sad thing we got him a new washing machine and you've never seen someone so excited!

A friend's daughter went to a musical theatre school in London and the way she lived was a real eye opener, again in her own place from 16 and enjoying the London night scene. But she is now a very independant young lady working successfully in the dance world.
dancingjade
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by dancingjade »

hi this is my first time on here and i wondered if any one had any helpful info for me , my son has just been offered a full scholarship at urdang but there is no funding with this, and i have rung all sorts of places for loans but because hes doing the diploma and not the degreee there is no funding hes entitled to, and no housing benefit either, surely there must be students at these colleges whose parents are not well off and cannot fund their child to live away from home, i rang urdang and they didnt have any thing helpful to offer, luckily my son does have a dada from slp college in leeds so he has something but he really really wanted to go to london and i feel so upset for him that it always comes down to money and not talent, weve had to turn down urdang now but would still be interested if anyone had any advice, thanks
funnygirl
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by funnygirl »

Are you able to explain what you mean by a full scholarship without funding? I Always assumed that a full scholarship covered the full costs!
dancingjade
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by dancingjade »

hi, i mean he has a scholarship to cover all his tuition fees but nothing to live on or for his accommodation and i was told by islington council that as a fulltime student hes not entitled to any housing benefit, urdang have a list of hostels that their students live in but i have rung those and they are nearly 200 a week and the students use loans to pay the cost but i cant get anyone anywhere to tell me where these loans come from!! its been a really frustrating time and makes the scholarship seem pretty worthless on its own
funnygirl
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by funnygirl »

I do feel for you as he must have done well to get the scholarship!! Other than approaching banks and paying commercial rates I'm not sure what else can be done and I know hat is far from ideal!
2dancersmum
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by 2dancersmum »

I feel for you and your DS. Other than fundraising and writing to charities that might offer assistance I don't know what else to suggest. We are in a similar position with accommodation costs to pay - but not London rates. We believed that housing benefit would be available. Some of the dance colleges were actually telling parents this but I think in this economic climate councils are cutting back wherever they can. The diploma students certainly fall into a 'grey' area. They do not qualify for student loans but the level of the diploma is advanced beyond A level and so no longer qualifies as 'further' education. Incidentally, if your DS is still young be warned also that this also means no child benefit whilst on the diploma. I rang up to query why it was stopping for my 16 year old DD (16 next week). My DD is doing A levels alongside her diploma and they reinstated child benefit on the basis of 12 hours a week in further education (A levels). I think previoulsy housing benefit was more widely available but I know a lot more applications were refused last year and some were challenged and went to tribunal. The judge ruled that councils should not pay housing benefit to diploma students. We were sent a copy of the ruling. The lady at the council advised us to contact our MP. She and the lady at the child benefit office both felt that it was unfair on diploma students but their hands were tied by governement policies.
Itz Me!
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by Itz Me! »

can I just ask, are you saying there is housing benefit available to degree students? (I have never heard of this :shock: )
Kitschqueen
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by Kitschqueen »

I have never heard of housing benefit being paid to degree students either. Certainly when my older DD was at university I paid her rent for her.

I am so thankful that my younger dd will only be auditioning for places that are funded via the student loan system ( Rambert, NSCD, LCDS, Trinity Laban, SCDS) so at least we will not have the additional pressure of dadas (or their replacements) etc.

I'm sure I will still end up paying her rent and I'm certain it will have doubled since my eldest was at uni!! :shock: :shock:
mathsmum
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by mathsmum »

Kitschqueen wrote:I have never heard of housing benefit being paid to degree students
no - that wouldn't happen because degrees are considered to be funded/fundable by loans and are quite separate from the benefits system

diplomas are a grey area - you are not in the student loan system, so could be considred an impoverished person with no income in need of housing benefit (obviously, you can't claim any sort of unemployment benefits as you are not available to work)

i suspect the reason housing benefit can be turned down is that, by moving out to do your diploma, you have made yourself 'intentionally homeless' - or whatever the equivalent wording is these days
Life is complex - some of it is real, some of it is imaginary.
2dancersmum
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Re: auditions for full time dance schools

Post by 2dancersmum »

I was responding to dancingjade who stated her DS was doing the diploma when I brought up housing benefit. Degree students are not eligible for housing benefit but I know many diploma students have claimed it in the past. Housing benefit was based on the students own income and the level of the diploma. One of DD's friends and her parents were still told this year by the dance college she applied to and was accepted by that she would be elibigble for housing benefit. The problem for diploma students is that the level 6 diploma is classed as 'more advanced than further education' and housing benefit is for 'non advanced education'. This is what the judge has ruled in the tribunals. It is such a grey area and I think previously many councils were sympathetic to the diploma students but now they are trying to cut back and there is a legal ruling which they can use to refuse any applications.
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