DaDa Funding for 2013-14

[Jessnat22]

The rules seem to have changed about registration fees and only in the last two weeks - to the confusion of all including the colleges. They have literally only just been told.

I called Millenium and they were extremely helpful - told me to send back the forms without the fee, which I have. I've now spoken to them twice and am very impressed.

Same conversation with Cambridge Bodyworks but they were more confused ...however they have still registered DS without the £75

I think they all charge - I'd already posted £75 to Urdang before I found out but don't mind that as this is DS first choice and we had definitely wanted to secure.

Performers have a different approach - wanted £100 for an unconditional place but not required yet if you wanted a conditional place based on getting a DADA. That seems very fair.

You are right - if lucky enough to get a number of offers its impossible just to keep paying out. I don't know if Birds is the exception - DS is on the reserve list for the degree and they didn't ask for anything.

I suppose the message for now is to double check before putting the cheque in the post!!

[Robsmumma]

I wasn't aware that Urdang charged (my dd is currently on their foundation and has skipped straight to DaDA auditions on 21st April). Bodywork are still waiting for my money, they have not informed me that I don't need to pay, will ring them tomorrow! Conti still want £250 even though I told them she couldn't go without funding. They call it registration/marketing fee, that MIGHT be refunded in exceptional circumstances! They have agreed to let us have a bit longer to pay when I explained we couldn't make a decision yet as my dd still has auditions to attend! Have rang CDET for clarification, waiting for them to get back to me. What a pain...........

[Robsmumma]

And don't tell my dd but I loved Bird so much I am tempted to remortgage the house to send her there! SHHHHH,,,, she was offered foundation last year and her audition is 19th April!

[Jessnat22]

Robsmumma

I hope all goes really well at Birds. Just be prepared for how long they take to let you know - a month to the day for us. Don't know what the reserve list means in practice ...waiting to hear.

Can I send you a PM about Urdang - really interested to know more from someone who is there? Would that be okay? Interesting that your daughter now wants to go to Birds.... we've got the opposite here. Urdang the strong number one. Scholarship audition on the 7th.

So looking forward to it all being finally sorted so can all plan for September. Laines audition on the 28th March and we're nearly there .........

[Robsmumma]

Yes sure, message away, my dd Laines audition is on monday, she has never been there before so new to her. I think she would love to stay at Urdang but its ME who really loved Bird! They dont promise a place from the foundation course at Urdang but when I asked they said they take about 30% on average! I suppose it depends if they like you and they give nothing away! Last year she had a 50% funded place at MADD, 3 year diploma places at a few colleges and foundation at Bird and Urdang. Obviously she chose Urdang, think she will be devastated if nothing comes from it!

[JayLou62]

Just to update you all, I sent the petition to a local Councillor who has signed it. He will also talk to David (Laws) when he next visits our county - David Law's constituency is in a neighbouring county. He has also spoken to The Arts Council who are looking into the changes to DaDA funding
Please keep signing and sharing the petition. The petition can also be googled under changes to DaDA funding.

[riverdancefan]

Well done you !!!^^

[Jessnat22]

Robsmumma

Sent you a PM this afternoon - hope its worked - first try

Many thanks

[JayLou62]

The petition is now up to 611 signatures Please keep signing and sharing.

Also for those of you on Netmums, under 'Coffee House Chat' and 'New Posts' there is a debate (or at least, it is now!) on funding stage school titled 'my friend has asked me for a donation towards her child's private education'. Again, there's that whole 'private education' thing with the majority of parents saying if you can't afford it tough. I'm the lone voice at the mo - be grateful for other's support and input.
There certainly seems a lot of myths around including talent will out etc:(

[jasmine2]

Anybody ever successfully appealed a DaDa decision?

[carriecrafts]

I've had the following reply to my email to David Laws. My main point was that the Diploma courses are classed as 'Advanced Education' so students on them are not eligible for housing benefit (unlike students studying up to A Level who are eligible to claim it if they live away from home, as well as young people in or out of work...). The reason for this rule is so that degree students can't claim housing benefit instead of/along side student finance (fair enough ). I argued that Diploma students slip between the crack and should be eligible for one or the other. Many of the Diploma schools offer a BA and it seems there is little difference between the courses, so I argued that either the Diploma should be classed as 'Higher Education' thus making student finance available, or the Housing Benefit rules should be changed to rectify this anomaly. I made the point that even students who are talented enough (and eligible based on household income) to get a DaDA often have to decline the place as they cannot afford the living costs; so who exactly is the DaDA supposed to help? I'm please to read that the matter has been raised with the Dept for Work and Pensions

Housing Benefit of approx £80 per week toward rent/lodgings could make the difference between being able to take a place or not. This should be available to Diploma students whether they get a DaDA or not. I will follow it up but it wouldn't hurt to have more people contacting them to make the same point
Carrie.
(cross posting to BalletCo)

Here is the reply:
"Thank you for your email of 14 April addressed to David Laws about the changes to the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDA) and the level of the Trinity College London (TCL) Diplomas - and the effect the level has on financial support and access to benefits. I am replying to your letter because the responsibility for DaDA sits within my team at the Department for Education (DfE).

As you are obviously aware, all DaDA students study for TCL Diplomas which are further education vocational qualifications set at level 5 and 6 on the qualifications framework. You rightly point out that this means they are classed as advanced (beyond normal further education) qualifications - so DaDA students are not eligible for housing benefit. We have raised this point with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but I’m sure you will appreciate this is not a straightforward issue. Discussions are at an early stage and it is not yet clear whether there will be a satisfactory outcome for DaDA students.

The DaDA scheme contributes towards both fees and maintenance (living) costs, but the scheme has a finite budget and the support it can offer to students choosing to study at these private institutions is limited. As you set out in your email, students from families with an income of less than £33,000 are eligible to receive maintenance support. However, this threshold has not changed and is the same as the previous arrangements.

A small number of DaDA schools do offer students the opportunity to study for a degree alongside their DaDA funded course and this requires additional academic work to be undertaken alongside the TCL diploma. However, DaDA funding should not be used to support the costs of extra study needed to obtain the degree. We did consider whether it would be appropriate to bring the DaDA scheme into the higher education system. However, the strength of the scheme is that it can support talented young people aged 16 and over who do not have the academic ability to study for a degree. We therefore believe that continuing to support these talented but not academically gifted young people outweighs the disadvantages of DaDA students not being able to apply for a student loan.

Should you wish to explore what other avenues of support might be available you can contact the Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) or the National Careers Service (NCS).

CDET can advise on vocational dance and musical theatre training and the various routes into the profession. CDET can be contacted on 0207 240 5703 or via their website at http://www.cdet.org.uk.

NCS may also be able to advise on whether there are companies or charities currently offering any alternative source of funding support. More information about NCS can be found at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk or on 0800 100 900.

Some DaDA schools also offer additional support to students either financially or in approaching companies and charities that may be able to help.

I appreciate that this is not the response you were hoping for, but in these difficult economic times there are significant constraints on the extent to which Government is able to support young people who attend private education providers."

[songbird]

We therefore believe that continuing to support these talented but not academically gifted young people outweighs the disadvantages of DaDA students not being able to apply for a student loan.

So how did they arrive at the point of view that when your talented your not academically gifted - !!!!

[francescasmum]

My question is why are all the providers private institutes, why aren't there any council/government run institutes?'

[pg]

We therefore believe that continuing to support these talented but not academically gifted young people outweighs the disadvantages of DaDA students not being able to apply for a student loan.

So how did they arrive at the point of view that when your talented your not academically gifted - !!!!

Quite! What a peculiar remark. It doesn't provide much confidence (if I ever had any) in their understanding of the situation.

My question is why are all the providers private institutes, why aren't there any council/government run institutes?'

I think this is because DaDA's were/are intended to provide financial support for those who want the training that is provided at these private institutions (and who are not therefore eligible for student finance). The "maintained" schools are financed on the same basis as University courses. There are more syllabus/course constraints on those that are following the University funded route - it's a bit of a nod to the academic element with more written work (though not a huge amount), whereas the private schools can be purely practical.

[riverdancefan]

"the strength of the scheme is that it can support talented young people aged 16 and over who do not have the academic ability to study for a degree. We therefore believe that continuing to support these talented but not academically gifted young people outweighs the disadvantages of DaDA students not being able to apply for a student loan. "


Wow!!
the arrogance and downright cheek!!!

some of the best brains in the world are in the ARTS ....some decline the academic pathway despite their ability, in favour of performing.. it's choice eotd.
My DS is as bright academically as he is gifted in performing, as are so so many children on here!!

just stop mincing around and give EVERYONE a student loan and stop trying to shove everyone into state funded degrees that are not always what our DC's want or the best training either!!!