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with regards to auditioning, we were given some good advice.. try to audition for your favourite places last, because by then you will have already auditioned for some places and will be more confident in song/monologue and dance pieces.

Good luck x

If the song is for legit then would advise keeping in the original key. You might get away with other songs but be prepared to be questioned. Ds certainly was. These people are experts and know these songs inside out.

Thanks 2girlsmum and Jasmine2. Songs are done. Finalising speeches and personal statement (for those that require one) so just about there. The initial first round for some is just the song then more required at recall and for another, speeches are sent to you with the audition date. So the song(s) need to be good to go when the application goes in. Think we'll go for some before and some after Christmas, depending on rewuirements

reachforthestars wrote:Hope Dd's post made sense/helped in some way. She always like to choose a song where she can sing it in the key that it was written. She generally would only ever transpose it if it needed to be higher, never lower.

As a matter of interest, does anyone have any thoughts on when to audition ie early or late?

Thanks!

Yes it was very helpful, thank you so much. It's all good info which we will take to her singing teacher next week and hopefully get the sheet music ordered. We are just going to apply according to when it is best for us as a family. I don't want to get bogged down in the whole early or late question as if I over analyse it I'm likely to go mad way too early in this process!!

OK so I have another question that hopefully someone can help me with. I had a quick look at the application form for Performers. For the question: If you are unsuccessful in obtaining an award, are you able to meet the full cost......, does it matter much if you put yes or no? If it is clear cut, fine, but at this stage I am only hazarding a guess as to whether we could find the full amount or not. Therefore, is what I put set in stone? And if you put 'no', do you think you have more chance of getting one? Sorry for the rambling....... I hope it makes sense!!

Not our turn yet to apply but have any of you had issues with not getting GCSE maths and English ? I know many courses don't require it but what about any that do? I would say no to affording it,take into account rent,travel etc too.

lotsolaffs wrote:Not our turn yet to apply but have any of you had issues with not getting GCSE maths and English ? I know many courses don't require it but what about any that do? I would say no to affording it,take into account rent,travel etc too.

Hello lotsolaffs, Im wondering the same. Is your daughter a dancer? My DS is not academic at all, he has struggled all his academic life and he is retaking GCSE Maths and English at college. However he is a very storng singer/actor. Ive looked at what he should do next and for Degree courses most do ask for A levels/BTEC level 3 plus GCSE's in Maths and English (definately English). Really worried he wont get them this year. i suppose he will have to have a gap year and keep trying. Diplomas in Dance or MT are not as academic though and dont always require academic qualifications. From what ive looked in to many Dance Colleges do Diplomas like Urdang, Performers, Bird and Laines but my son isnt a strong dancer unfortunately so they wouldnt suit him. They may be just what you are looking for though

Thanks for the reply.It is just out of interest really,my DS sounds the same as yours and now has to retake his maths and English which he is really upset about at college. He isn't a performer but it has made me wary for my DD. She struggles with maths and will be one of the 9-1 GCSE ' s . She sings,acts and dances and I think it may well be a bit if a challenge ahead! Good luck to your son for his retakes.

My DD wasn't confident with Maths when she was doing her GCSE's so I forked out for a tutor. It was well worth it. She passed with a C first time and never has to do Maths again, phew!!! She had to drop one of her out of school classes for it but If you can afford it I recommend it. It will save a lot of stress later.

lotsolaffs wrote:Not our turn yet to apply but have any of you had issues with not getting GCSE maths and English ? I know many courses don't require it but what about any that do? I would say no to affording it,take into account rent,travel etc too.

I would say get a tutor to get your child through the GCSE's to at least a Grade C. I'm sure if you ask the school for them to take the Foundation Paper they will sail through it. My son wasn't great at English but he took the Higher Level paper and got a C overall x

Thank you, he had a tutor and I was hoping not to have one for a while. At £30 ph it is something I could do without.
She was very disappointed that he did badly,he got an E. My DD told me that she has just moved up to a higher group in maths so a good start for her school year. I might get them to share the lesson if she is willing.

Had a tutor to help our DD get through her Maths, she got a C so it was one less thing to worry about.

Can anyone advise how quickly audition dates come in once your application has been submitted? Do most schools begin auditioning around November time? Thanks.

lotsolaffs wrote:Thanks for the reply.It is just out of interest really,my DS sounds the same as yours and now has to retake his maths and English which he is really upset about at college. He isn't a performer but it has made me wary for my DD. She struggles with maths and will be one of the 9-1 GCSE ' s . She sings,acts and dances and I think it may well be a bit if a challenge ahead! Good luck to your son for his retakes.

Has she just gone into yr9? If so, she is the same age as my DD.

I've also got an older child who sat his GCSE's this summer and is about to start college. He was told his (computer) course place was conditional on him getting 5 GCSE's at grades A*-C to include English Language and Maths. If he didn't then he *might not* be accepted on to his course, they would look at his other grades and make a decision but regardless he would still have to re-take English and Maths until he got at least a C. That is my understanding of all yr11 leavers now they are required to have at least a C in English and Maths and if they don't they have to re-take them until they are 18.

I echo the other posters getting a tutor, but you can hold off for a while if she's only 13 and see how her school say she's doing. I think it's a lot easier if they do manage to get the required English and Maths grades first time round.

Thank you all for your comments. I think I will have to bite the bullet and get a tutor,I might wait until parents evening and see what they say,she is y10 so a little while to go!