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Secondary education

BRIT school????

22 replies

surburbiangolddust · 14/11/2012 18:43

Anyone got any experience of the BRIT school??? thinking of sending dd next year....

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redandwhitesprinkles · 14/11/2012 18:52

My friend's daughter went in year 9 after being at quite a high achieving girls school. She loves it and is doing well. I assumed their was an audition?

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Kez100 · 14/11/2012 19:01

I know someone who has just joined - aged 16.

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Noobo · 14/11/2012 19:23

DD currently in year 9 is thinking of trying for a place on the art route for next year. The prospectus looks amazing. I think there is an open day for the secondary school bit on November 28th.

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basildonbond · 15/11/2012 09:27

ds has a friend who went there for Y10 - mixed experiences tbh ...

the strand his friend is in (musical theatre) has a lot of children on it who aren't particularly serious about it and there's a lot of mucking about/not getting on with projects, plus her grades for academic subjects have plummeted (she's very bright) so it's not been an unmitigated success

ds says a lot of BRIT school pupils are a real pain on the train!! v loud and flamboyant

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Katryn · 15/11/2012 15:16

Both my nieces went there. One did Art and said it wasn't well taught, she didn't enjoy etc. The other did musical theatre for years, enjoyed it, and then ended up leaving and going to study jewellery design.

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Noobo · 15/11/2012 17:46

Katryn - thanks for that. I don't know think art teaching could get any worse than DD's current school. However not sure about the BTEC syllabus as that is all they offer there for year 10/11.

I see Brit school kids on the train sometimes at Selhurst and some are loud and show offish - also heard some regularly bitching about other kids in their class - but then that is probably true of most other school kids I see on my journey.

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Mrsrobertduvallsaysboo · 18/11/2012 08:59

I think a lot secondary school kids especially girls, are pretty loud and bitchy!!

Dd is applying at the moment for yr 12, for the musical theatre course. She is under no illusions that chances of getting in are remote-only 50 places. She has a place at her school sixth form but wants the experience of an audition.

I was very impressed by the director who spoke, who emphasised "we don't make stars". However, a boy in her sixth form went there and left, as the academic subjects were low priority. It would be a long journey for her too, as opposed to a ten minute walk to her current school.

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Noobo · 29/11/2012 16:36

We went to the KS4 open evening last night and I was really impressed not only by the wonderful artwork, but the friendly and articulate young people who showed us round. Also impressed by the principals talk - they really put the students at the centre of everything. As it should be.

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LadyIsabellaWrotham · 29/11/2012 17:07

If your DD is very arty have you considered Chestnut Grove in Balham? Might be a compromise between good arts and acceptable academics?

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Noobo · 29/11/2012 18:36

Thanks for that, I wasn't aware of Chestnut Grove. She is already at a well know London comp with an art specialism (10% of intake); but has been very disappointed. I think she would rather risk long journey to the Brit School than risk another "outstanding" comprehensive/academy, which might be similar to the one she left.

The Brit School seems to get good results on the whole and rather than struggling against dyslexia to get A*s, I would prefer her to be happy and get Bs and Cs. She is likely to do an art degree of some sort so the grades are not so important.

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ArkadyRose · 29/11/2012 18:53

My teen (DD2) is at Brit; she's on the musical theatre strand (with additional dance & music). She's really thriving there after having dropped out of Wanstead when she got a call-back on a 2nd chance audition. She's really thriving there, and they take very good care of the students; I'd only really recommend it if your DD is serious about a career in the performing arts though. Competition for the few places is VERY stiff; DD3 was at a disadvantage during her dance audition as she didn't do ballet as a child, and it was raw talent plus her voice that swung her the 2nd chance.

Once they're in, they get lots of experience with auditions and opportunities; she's just won a place on a West End Masterclass for January, and had a 2nd call back for a Sony audition. The focus is very much on building a performance career.

I don't know what the standard 6th-form entry is like however, I'm afraid, so I don't know how they perform academically as compared to a regular 6th form.

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BobbiFleckmann · 29/11/2012 19:00

I have a friend whose daughter is doing extremely well there, both in terms of performance and academically. Within a year she's started writing songs, gigging, has festival dates and has a producer working with her on recording. She will almost certainly get a career out of it.

I've worked on the other side from Brit school pupils and find that they have been astonishingly well prepared for a career in the arts. They are markedly more professional than the competition (& I think that includes LIPA / Brighton) in their approach to work and the level of success after school demonstrates that. Pastoral care seems good and I know there is a suitable level of focus on eating healthily for eg.

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LadyIsabellaWrotham · 29/11/2012 19:53

I'd say Chestnut Grove is worth a visit if you're close Noobo (and if they can arrange a one off visit) - we're not arts-minded ourselves but struck by the way the visual arts speciality runs through the school like Blackpool rock, it's not a box ticking "specialism" like some schools implemented for the extra cash. Maybe you could ask if other MNers have DCs there.

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Noobo · 29/11/2012 20:00

Thank you for your insights. My DD is interested in the Visual Arts. She has performed professionally in theatre (child role on London stage) and done modelling and tv ads, through being in the right place at the right time rather than raw talent. She recognises she is not interested enough (or with a strong enough voice) to make a career of it, though she really enjoys singing as a hobby. I hope the school is not just orientated to performance?

DD is quite shy and was afraid she would be intimidated by lots of very confident kids. I hope it will bring her out of herself a bit more. Her current school seems to have destroyed a lot of her confidence.

I will definitely have a look at Chestnut Grove too. Thank you.

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surburbiangolddust · 08/12/2012 10:14

Wow thanks everyone, dd is applying for BDC rather than the more popular performing arts. She wants to be a film director but on the open evening was blown away buy the radio station they have too and might be interested in a career in that too.
Application done ... Now have to hope for an interview...fingers crossed. Xmas Smile

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justwantedtoask · 18/04/2016 12:55

Hello mums. I wonder if anyone can help with our dilemma here: my daughter has a place offered in BRIT school at 16+ from September. She has always been very passionate about performing. Lately she spoke with couple of girls from the BRIT school, who said that they are not enjoy it as much as they expected, especially bullying is seams to be a problem, so she started having second thoughts. Do any of your kids go to this school? what is your experience please? I really don't want her to miss out on such a golden opportunity unnecessary. Any kind of experience would be appreciated! many thanks.

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Undecidedoboe · 18/04/2016 15:55

You have resurrected an old thread - may be better to start a new one.

However my experience of BRIT is 100% positive and I'd say it's a fantastic environment. What strand is your DD doing ?
Have a look at the ofsted report. I think it says bullying is very rare and that is also my experience.

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justwantedtoask · 18/04/2016 16:55

Thank you! She went for musical theatre. That is something she always wanted to do. But now there are doubts about the school, so any further comments about your experience would be very useful for when we have to sit down with all pros and cons.

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Undecidedoboe · 18/04/2016 19:01

IME ( music ) all the kids there want to be there and are doing what they want to be doing. This means they are all happy and engaged and have lots in common so have a great time.
One criticism is the size of the Alevel classes which aren't ideal - over 20 in one maths class. So if your DD wants to do an A'level she will need to be focussed and work hard.
Just be aware BRIT is a vocational school and will narrow a student's options so they need to be sure what they want out of life !

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Leeds2 · 18/04/2016 19:15

I have a friend whose DD is there now, doing dance. Mum says she is so much happier than she was at her last school, and I have never heard her talk of bullying.

Another acquaintance's DD left there last year. Did something like production. Only ever heard very positive stories.

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Playsch000 · 07/09/2016 21:20

Hi. My son has just gone into year 11 and has had no problems with bullying x

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AliM1966 · 20/11/2016 19:06

My daughter left a very well-performing girls school to go to BRIT school in Year 10. She's just finishing in Year 11, and is applying for the 6th form at the school. (You don't automatically get in). I don't regret her making the move for a second. BRIT is what you make it. Academically, it may not push as hard as some schools - but their ethos is 'life is what you make it'. If you want a life in performing arts - or any of the arts - it's a tough world out there. You HAVE to want it. So if you don't work ... academically as well as in your strand ... you won't get in to a drama school - or potentially anywhere else you'd like to go. My DD knows this. Most good drama schools won't take you now without two good 'A' levels. So she's got to work if at 18 she wants to go forward with this. It's that simple. The school promote a belief of 'you get out of life what you put into it' ... and it's so true. You have to know that there are many different types that go to BRIT. Some kids come from very little. They may not have the drive as they've not been given the support at home. And as much as BRIT try to help them, some people just won't make it. It's true - some kids do mess about in class. But show me a school where that doesn't happen? If you support your child, and reinforce the fact that they must work in ALL subjects, you'll have no problem. You have ONE life. So does your child. Let them live it, and follow their dream.

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