What to do at 16?

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

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Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

That's really interesting, thank you. I am just going to stop worrying about the whole thing and see what happens! Her A Level choices are Biology, Psychology with single BTEC in health and social care. Backups if she gets mostly Cs are Sociology, BTEC applied science and BTEC health and social care. They seem sensible and are her choice. I remind myself also that lots of parents would insist on their 16 year old doing some academic qualifications before taking the performing arts route.

My daughter is taught her GCSE dance by a qualified dance teacher and she is predicted an A. This teacher has made the content interesting!! Their previous teacher really did not and was a PE teacher who taught aerobics!!
lyndahill
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by lyndahill »

paulears - your reply was interesting to read. My DD is doing drama GCSE, a year early. Maybe the status/content has been downgraded by the Government but from what she has done so far, it didn't appear really easy for some students. She is expected to get an A* as she has been doing drama since the age of 8, but for some of the students, it is not as easy as they thought it would be. I do agree though that it's not the best preparation for a career in the Arts, but I don't think most that take it want a career in the Arts, they've done it because they enjoy it - you need to be attending independent classes. With regards to GCSE dance, my DD's school doesn't teach and I was going to pay for my DD to do it independently but I have been told by several teachers that if you are a dancer and don't get an A then something is wrong as it is really easy (not my words so please don't shoot me) plus many Colleges have told me that you don't need GCSE dance to get on to a dance course at college - it's down to the audition. Dixie37, I'm really surprised that one of your DD's choices for A Level isn't an Arts subject if she wants to go in to the performing arts. When my DD gets to College age I want her to do the A Level route as well but with A Levels in something like drama & theatre studies, dance and both English's, she however, I think, wants to go straight for the performing arts colleges but I am trying to explain to her that in later years she'll need A Levels. She can go along to the open days and maybe audition at a couple of them so that she gets an idea of what to expect, but I am hoping that she'll choose the ALevel route.
I would be very angry with my kids school if they got the predicted Grades so wrong - your DD could end up with C and above grades. Good luck to her in whatever she decides to do and I'm sure it will be the right choice in the end.
Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

The sixth form she has been offered a place at doesn't do any performing arts subjects unfortunately :(
carriecrafts
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by carriecrafts »

Dixie37,
You could look at The Academy for Theatre Arts in North Staffordshire. Their graduates are in all the big PA schools; Laine, ArtsED, GSA, Urdang, Mountview, Bird. Entry is by audition only. DD had no GCSEs as she was home educated and chose not to sit any - she did BTEC there and is now doing the degree at Urdang. While dd was there they had students from further afield boarding Mon-Fri with other students' families. I'm not sure whether Housing Benefit has changed but 16-18 yr olds used to be able to claim it to help with lodgings.

http://www.academyfortheatrearts.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/The-Academy-Fo ... 0/?fref=ts

Good luck x
paulears
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by paulears »

to Lynda - no shooting required, I think you've had correct advice. Frankly, any keen and moderately gifted drama or dance person outside school who didn't get an A either didn't try, or was let down badly by the other students. One word of warning is to be very wary about the "studies" types of A Level. They get a lot of bad press because far too often, they don't generate grades that make sense to the demands of HE. Universities really don't like them that much because you can get good grades and never have to learn a proper script or dance routine. This has always meed the case, with Media Studies also having the same problem. The type of student almost expected to take them will be a non-dancer, or non-actor, straight from drama or dance GCSE. They think, and are often told, they're working at a very high level, and then sink when mixed in with the BTEC people at uni.

Only last week I was chatting to a girl in year 10 who told me about her dance school (who is very well known to me) and she has no hope of getting through the typical HE audition. She's totally unaware that her rather limited experience at the dance school (one of the progressive performing arts ones, rather than the old fashioned "Miss Emily" ballet schools) plus her GCSE work is kind of fun dance, not serious dance.

The 'studies' subjects concentrate on the history, the theory, but a tiny bit of performing, and the standard required for excellent grades doesn't really tickle the needs of some of the unis. Those boring people who say maths and english are really quite accurate. Maths, English and Science are still career makers. The clever mum who advised her dancer daughter that science was useful, to see her have a parallel career as a dance physiotherapist with a BSc really got it right.

If people want a 16+ qualification that will assist their performing career, then top will still be BTEC, delivered by a decent sized college or specialist centre, then one of the new UAL qualifications, chasing the heels of the BTEC, followed by A Levels with a mix of solid and pin k and fluffy subjects, with dance, drama/performing arts and music A Levels as the bottom of the pile. This isn't to say they are rubbish, because they aren't, but they contain very little content that will be genuinely useful to a performer. Indeed, somebody who does A Level drama or Dance and does not take part in dance or amdram shows will have no idea what real performing is like at all, from the A Level content. The universities and specialist colleges know this, and often the only people who don't are the parents who believe the marketing hype.

A couple of years ago, I employed a couple of people in the summer before they went to uni. Both had A Levels, and decent grades. I spent a great deal of time turning what should have been work into training, because frankly, they were useless.

Not just important skills, but history with holes in, and a total lack of industry jargon - which is the tell tale sign of somebody who hasn't a clue.

Little things. The amdram people know stuff that isn't in the A level brain. Small stuff.
What is the white stuff ballet dancers stand in - in a tray?
What side of the stage is prompt side?
What is the difference between the Stage Manager, the deputy and assistants in terms of what they do.
What do you call the rooms where actors get their costumes on and spend a lot of time?
What is the correct name for curtains, the odds and ends actors use while acting?
Plus the things other people do - where are the flies, the pit, and what exactly do the people in wardrobe do?

Blocking, spacing, marking and the foreign terms like Sitzprobe? I'd bet loads of A* Theatre studies people wouldn't have a clue - and they really should!
Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

My daughters GCSE dance syllabus definitely isn't any preparation for performing. She is at advanced 1 level for tap and modern and grade 7 ballet and does all the extras she can, doing as many performances she can and that's what will get her somewhere I think. She should get an A for the GCSE but finds the theory incredibly boring so may lose marks there. I would rather she had been able to do BTEC level 2 but her school doesn't offer it.

It's so hard trying to work out what is worth doing and what is a waste :oops: xx
2dancersmum
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by 2dancersmum »

As long as your DD can still access good dance, drama and vocal classes alongside her A levels, then I don't think doing A level subjects of her choice will put her at any disadvantage and she will have a better fallback position if she changes her mind about performing arts as a career. Personally I would look at her dance classes though and try and get her some more ballet. You say she is advanced 1 for tap and modern but grade 7 is not an equivalent advanced grade for her ballet. Does she have any access for the vocational grades to study for her intermediate ballet? That would certainly help strengthen the dance element for her auditions - assuming a ballet class is part of the audition for colleges she wishes to apply to.
Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

She is doing the grades as she isn't a 'ballet' person, however she also does the grade 8 class, intermediate ballet and advanced 1 when she can manage it.
2dancersmum
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by 2dancersmum »

That's good. Its not so much as to if she is a 'ballet' person but more that she understands the vocabulary and technique of more advanced grades. Our dance teacher told us that grades 6-8 are basically presentation or performance grades and not really advancing overall technique so keep her attending those intermediate and advanced 1 classes when she can. I hope in any case she can gain a place somewhere for September to help her achieve her dreams.
paulears
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by paulears »

I rather liked the fact that CBeebies, that I watch with my grandson (who is 4 and into minions and games) had a version of the Hare and the Tortoise with ballet in it - clearly the dancers were 'proper' dancers, and my grandson stopped playing the game and watched it intensely.

Dance seems to be less the flavour of the month now - only one of the local schools now offer it at GCSE.
2dancersmum
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by 2dancersmum »

haha - they definitely were 'proper' dancers. The Hare and the Tortoise is the latest offering for younger audiences from Northern Ballet and is currently on tour. They've previously done The Ugly Duckling and Three Little Pigs.
paulears
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by paulears »

Excellent! Didn't get to see the credits, but nice to see kids being introduced to ballet style early!
Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

Well the letter was a no :(. Sadly my dd wasn't the slightest bit surprised. Her school sending out the grades wrong is just an indicator of the school as a whole, and they have completely robbed her of her confidence. Will just plan on the A Levels and wait for results day and see if things move between now and then. I am also making enquiries for good quality voice and drama classes to supplement her excellent dance classes. Not the end of the world by any means, but it feels devastating at the moment nevertheless. I am so glad my other two children have no interest in performing arts whatsoever!! I am very lucky to have some incredibly supportive friends and her dance teacher is endlessly supportive and encouraging. Thanks for all the comments on here too xxx
paulears
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by paulears »

Remember this when OFSTED visit, bring it up when they are there and get your own back.
Dixie37
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Re: What to do at 16?

Post by Dixie37 »

School currently coming out of special measures!!
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