What to do at 16?

[lynne]

It looks like it should stay in special measures! My dd is at school today even though it is the holidays doing extra revision classes put on by the school!

[paulears]

In the 'problem schools', one thing I'm spotting over and over again is that they have three sets - the usual top set, middle set and the no hopers in bottom set. This isn't unusual, but often the teachers have set exactly the same work to all the groups. Usually quite useful stuff that works well with top set, and some of middle set, but the rest just can't do it. Sometimes not that it's even hard, just that it's boring. One of my classes in science was all about 'the green planet'. Top set sat and watched in silence, a 40 minute Al Gore lecture on saving the planet. One of his live lectures, that was recorded and broadcast. The top set kids understood, and really got it. In the schools in special measures, the teachers won't cover for missing teachers, because they're missing too often - so one lesson plan has to do for every class in say year 10. It doesn't work. In the special measures schools - the teachers don;t even talk to supply teachers. I had to find my way to a staff room, wait until somebody came out (because I didn't have a key)and then ask in a loud voice if anyone had any work for the group I was about to teach. They all shrugged their shoulders? Sometimes special measures is the state a school is in because the bosses are useless and haven't a clue - but often it's because the teachers let the school fail, which is a bit sad. I no longer make any judgement about schools in special measure till I go there, and then it usually takes about 5 minutes. If my kids had to go to some of them, they'd be out and doing home schooling with no thought whatsoever, because I reckon one full day at home could be the same as they get at school in a week.

It's shameful how little learning goes on in some classes. One school I went to told me I wasn't very good at classroom discipline. I smiled. I told the assistant head that normally, I didn't have kids throwing desks across the room, but as she'd not given me any of the school rules, how exactly was I supposed to stop that kind of bad behaviour. Felt like a failure, but when you ask somebody to put their phone away and get told to F off, there's not a lot you can do.


I get the impression that here the parents really do care - and it does look like the worst schools you have to suffer, are, on balance, not as bad as you think.

I'm not sure that the worrying about A Levels/BTEC/Music grades and their worth is as important as it is thought, because so many schools don't even have them on offer.

I note that not too many schools on special measures have kids who have peripatetic music lessons. I wonder if that's a link?

[Dixie37]

I have two more children to go through this school. Thankfully both are more confident, less sensitive and both belligerent enough that they will not react in the same way. I will be DEMANDING copies of grades and references when they are issued - my next child is currently year 10. The school is going through a lot of changes. I just think dd has just been really unlucky to be in the year group that has got all the negatives without any positives to balance them out! Other two children are boys with interests in sport and agriculture!!

[lyndahill]

Incidentally there are a few colleges where you can still do A levels alongside the diploma. My DD took 2 A levels. The first year of her course was a common year before the year split into strands for dance and MT. Overall the numbers of 16 and 18 year olds was probably pretty even but there were some in her year who started at 19 or 20 and even a 22 year old.

16 year olds are usually on diploma courses which are either self funded or with DADA - Dance and Drama Awards. Some can get student finance but only for degree courses that accept 16 year olds - I think they are only dance degrees not MT as I don't know of any for MT. Not all students will be awarded a DADA as there are more places on a course than there are DADAs.

Hi - I know you posted this almost a year ago but which Colleges are the ones that you cab do A Levels alongside a performance diploma?

[Caroline A-C]

My dd is planning to study the Btec extended diploma in performing arts together with either English or Maths (undecided which yet) A level at Henley College. You are able to do one A level with the Btec there.

[2dancersmum]

You can certainly do the level 6 Trinity diploma and still do A levels at both Tring and Hammond for their dance and MT courses. There are others like Elmhurst and Royal Ballet but they are obviously ballet.

I think at Tring you can do 3 A levels and there is a wide choice of subjects, with academics in the mornings and vocational classes in the afternoon. Hammond offer the chance to do 2 A levels, less choice of subjects. At Hammond students that do not do A levels study pilates and take Zumba classes during the A level class time so A level students are not missing out, as it were, on dance/acting/vocal classes relevant to their diploma. I'm not sure what happens at Tring.

I know there are other colleges too, though not where you get DADA funding, though I cannot recall the names at the moment.

Obviously there are numerous colleges in the country where you can do the level 3 extended btec in performing arts with A levels alongside, including specialist colleges like BOA (Birmingham Ormiston Academy)

[moleseymum]

Incidentally there are a few colleges where you can still do A levels alongside the diploma. My DD took 2 A levels. The first year of her course was a common year before the year split into strands for dance and MT. Overall the numbers of 16 and 18 year olds was probably pretty even but there were some in her year who started at 19 or 20 and even a 22 year old.

16 year olds are usually on diploma courses which are either self funded or with DADA - Dance and Drama Awards. Some can get student finance but only for degree courses that accept 16 year olds - I think they are only dance degrees not MT as I don't know of any for MT. Not all students will be awarded a DADA as there are more places on a course than there are DADAs.

Hi - I know you posted this almost a year ago but which Colleges are the ones that you cab do A Levels alongside a performance diploma?

DS did his BTEC at Italia Conti Arts Centre in Guildford and they offered A level English Literature alongside it as an option. He initially did one year of A levels at college but Performance Studies and Theatre Studies did not have the level of practical work he was wanting so left after taking his AS levels.

[2dancersmum]

Hammond and Tring offer the 3 year level 6 Trinity diploma in either dance or musical theatre. It is not a btec , but since both colleges have lower schools , they obviously have the academic staff on site and so do both offer A levels alongside.

My comment posted a year ago was in response to a poster asking if a student successfully auditioned at 16 for diploma courses, did it mean no A levels. The vast majority - like Laines, Performers, Millenium, Urdang - do not have provision on site for A levels - Tring, Hammond, Elmhurst, Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet do provide options for A levels alongside the diploma or in the case of Central, alongside the degree.

My DD went at 16 to do the level 6 Trinity diploma in Professional Dance. She took 2 A levels over the course of the first 2 years and graduated with the diploma at the end of the third year.

[moleseymum]

Just as an aside I know somebody who has a child at The Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, they condense their BTEC course down to one year and the degree down to two years, so he will graduate with a degree at 19!

[Dixie37]

My DD has now got a place at a College doing a BTEC! We had been warned off by other people saying the quality at this particular college wasn't good so we hadn't considered it. I booked tickets to go and see their annual musical theatre production and was more than pleasantly surprised. As a local college they take everyone who is interested as long as they gain the minimum entry requirements so the range of ability and confidence was vast, however the show was excellent!! She can also elect to take an A Level which will be delivered at the sixth form college she also has a place at. I feel we will be ticking the box for her seeing her friends at the sixth form, whilst giving her the BTEC that will get her where she wants to go. Massive relief. It also just shows that you shouldn't listen to what other people say, you should make your own judgements about a college!!!

[lawn]

Pleased to hear Dixie37. I've only just joined but have been lurking for a while. We have some time to go until we're in this position. My DD is only 13, but I read the stories about older students and the routes they take with interest.

[paulears]

If you go to open days/open evenings, find a moment to ask any of the students what the course is like. They always speak the truth. They'll tell you if they're happy, and equally reveal the skeletons in the cupboard too!

[Dixie37]

We had gone to the open evening but due to other commitments hadn't managed to get there until about 10 minutes before the end when everything was being or had already been wound down. That was definately a mistake! My son is currently in year 10 and I have learnt a few things ready for when it's his turn next year. So glad we are in the home straight for DD now - 2 weeks until exams start!

[Littlemum]

Hello all
I'd just like to say thank you for some really interesting reading - it's not the first time I've tried to look into this - DS now pretty set on doing extended Btec MT rather than A levels as he believes this will give him the strongest chance of getting into Drama School (he wants to do Acting rather than MT but believes the local MT course is better and also allows him to carry on with singing and dance) and it seems to me that most people would agree with that. However, looking forward to 18+ education, (which we're trying to research now), do I take it that the BA courses are more competitive (as funded) to get on as I do think that the long term value of the degree could be worth it. And are there some institutions therefore which would still look down on Btec - or is it just audition, audition, audition? (And apologies if I'm in the wrong post for this one). Thanks everyone

[Caroline A-C]

I am pretty sure that when you apply for the BA, everybody is given an audition who meets the basic criteria (GCSE's etc). Don't really think they look at whether you are doing A Levels or BTec as the audition is what they are looking at. My ds did the BTec but there was a complete mix of qualifications once he got into college. As for funding I presume you are referring to DADA's. Things have changed since ds applied so cannot comment on that process. However, again I think it is down to how you perform on the day of the auditions rather than your qualifications.