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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

BTUK at 16

26 replies

Rara127 · 06/03/2021 13:46

My DD has been offered a place at BTUk she is 16. Because of lockdown we haven’t ever visited. I feel torn. The degree looks good and I like the videos from the students who show a day in the life. Has anyone else got any experiences to share?

OP posts:
catndogslife · 07/03/2021 14:15

What's BTUK?

MarchingFrogs · 07/03/2021 17:22

Ballet Theatre?

www.btukschool.com/

Comefromaway · 08/03/2021 11:15

I know several people who have bad experiences in the past. Mostly to do with age inappropriate training where teachers don't have the knowledge about physiology & anatomy in young people. There were also issues with accommodation that maybe might not be an issue for 18/19 year olds but not for 16 year olds.

Discussion about them is not allowed on other forums due to the school threatening the forum owners with legal action if any adverse comments are published.

Not entirely an open and honest approach.

MeltsAway · 13/03/2021 12:00

You might find out more from parents on the BalletCoUK forum, where explicit discussion of BTUK is forbidden due to legal threats. You can message individual forum members/parents. One might wish to infer from banning of discussion ...

helpmum2003 · 14/03/2021 16:01

Totally agree with the previous 2 posters.

There were clearly issues at the school in the past and they threatened legal action to a forum run by volunteers for the parents of dancing children. Not a good look.

Although I didn't know what the issues were I didn't allow my dc to apply there. All schools are criticised on there but no others have taken such action (I think Ballet West got a bit twitchy but that's an old story now.)

Sending your child to vocational dance school is a difficult decision, especially to an Upper School at 16 where they live out. I would suggest you join balletcoforumuk and start a thread posting about where you have applied/have offers asking for advice and say you are happy to receive PMs. Hopefully someone with recent knowledge may be able to advise.

Good luck.

Comefromaway · 15/03/2021 10:34

I think Ballet West threatened legal action too and we all know how that ended.

Schools the OP might like to consider (alongside the usual Royal, Elmhurst options) that I know have good pastoral reputations are Kings International, Moorland & Kate Simmons. Only the latter has funding however.

Kartmumballetmum · 04/03/2022 14:03

Hi, my daughter has been offered a place at this school and I was wondering if there is any more up to date information that is allowed to post from parents as all the posts I find on here are a couple of years old. Thanks

Comefromaway · 07/03/2022 10:14

As far as I am aware the situation has not changed.

Kartmumballetmum · 07/03/2022 10:24

Thanks for your reply. Do you have first hand experience of any of these alleged issues? Thanks

Comefromaway · 07/03/2022 10:32

A friend of mine does. Her advice would be to read the contracts very carefully, especially in regard to what happens/what are you liable for if your child were to get injured. And check who is actually teaching and running the acommodation.

Kartmumballetmum · 07/03/2022 12:09

Ok thank you. Is your friend on this forum so I could chat with her directly by any chance?

Comefromaway · 07/03/2022 12:18

I don't think so.

Balletm · 03/04/2023 10:05

Hi, just wondering if anyone has anymore up to date information or first hand experiences on this school? I also have a daughter who has been offered a place. The course looks great and she liked the feel when there. Im finding it impossible to research and would like to hear some positive opinions as well as negative to have a balanced view. Thank you

Kartmumballetmum · 03/04/2023 14:45

My daughter is coming to the end of her first year with the school and she is loving it. Happy to talk privately with you if you would like.

Balletm · 03/04/2023 19:22

That is good to know, yes please, I would like to hear of your daughters experience so far. Thanks so much, will message you.

Suvis · 19/03/2024 12:23

Hi my child has been offered a place at BTUK for September, along with a few others but we like this school best so far. Would anyone with first hand experience be able to pm with me please? ☺️ Thanks

Kartmumballetmum · 28/03/2024 14:41

Hi, my daughter is now coming to the end of her second year with the school and she loves it, happy to talk privately if you would like to.

Babakoto · 31/05/2024 18:08

Would love to have hear from any parents who have had children recently studying ballet degree at School of Ballet Theatre UK to hear about their experiences. My child is starting in September but have just read some historic posts that have made me worried…I’m hoping that things there are now good.

MemMemMum · 18/03/2025 16:37

Hi, new to this and wondered how to get some up to date reviews of this school? Daughter has been offered a place for sept but still awaiting outcomes of other places. They want a deposit within 2 weeks but we wont have heard from others by then so want to make an informed decision before writing it off or encouraging it. Please feel free to pm me if that's the done thing?

Babakoto · 19/03/2025 06:41

Hi! My son is very happy there despite having had reservations about going. He says the teaching is very good and he is enjoying it. It seems to have a friendly atmosphere too. It may not be so well known/ prestigious as the other places that your daughter has applied to but it seems like a decent school from his experience. I’m not sure why there is still the strange silence about it on the internet.

You can DM me if you want any more specific info.

TryReadingBetweenTheLines · 19/03/2025 15:45

Babakoto · 19/03/2025 06:41

Hi! My son is very happy there despite having had reservations about going. He says the teaching is very good and he is enjoying it. It seems to have a friendly atmosphere too. It may not be so well known/ prestigious as the other places that your daughter has applied to but it seems like a decent school from his experience. I’m not sure why there is still the strange silence about it on the internet.

You can DM me if you want any more specific info.

The reason for “the strange silence on the internet” is that BTUK threatened to sue anyone telling the truth about their (or their child’s) experience there.

The only other school that also threatened to sue anyone telling the truth was Ballet West.

That is (or at least should be) extremely telling.

Comefromaway · 19/03/2025 16:01

The main forum where parents of dancers discuss things is Balletco. BTUK threatened to sue Balletco unless they removed any derogatory comments. It's a much smaller, non commercial forum run by volunteers so they took the decision to ban any discussion of BTUK at all on their forums.

madaffodil · 20/03/2025 15:06

The er... issue at Ballet West was a different kettle of fish altogether and the school closed.

Comefromaway · 20/03/2025 19:58

The issue that closed the school yes. But they had other issues very similar to the issues that BTUK had. (I personally knew YP who studied at both institutions).

BalletmumNI · 19/01/2026 11:58

Any more up to date insight on this school. Trying to figure out if it's worth a flight over for my 16year old to audition?