Music dilemma...not impressed with Wells, was thinking Chethams or Purcell but wondering if non-specialist school would be better

[tinkerbel72]

dd is Yr 7 at local school and very musical, Grade 8 already, plays in orchestras etc. She broached the idea of music school a year or two back; we felt she was too young then but fair play to her, shes stuck to her guns and insists that its what she wants.

She has had interviews and auditions at 2 schools - Wells Cathedral and Chethams and has been offered a place at both. Big dilemma though. Wells would be logistically easiest; we arent a million miles away and she could probably do part time boarding, coming home weekends and midweek. However, although the music side is great, I've heard a lot of negatives about other aspects - very middle of the road teaching, uninspiring fed up staff, pupils bunking off with no consequences, poor drama dept (dd also very into drama and musicals). I was with dd for the interview and personally found it very patronising and felt that as the parent it was just a very transparent hard sell.

Chethams was far more positive in terms of the interview; I felt dd and myself were treated as intelligent people and there was more of a sense that the Head wasnt talking down to us or only interested in our cheque book. Downsides to Chets are distance (we're quite far south) so dd would have to stay most weekends (she's up for it, I'm not so sure). Also the curriculum seems more narrow, though having said that, I was more impressed with the academic standards.

Im also now wondering whether a closer independent (non specialist) school might be the answer. Our nearest independent has great facilities; I have watched a couple of drama productions there (friends children go there) and was very impressed. Also very good art and desighn dept. Upsides would be great all round teaching and dd wouldnt need to board , though it would be an option to stay over now and then (dd's keen!), downside would be the music would be more an out of school thing; she would need to continue private lessons, though there are amazing orchestras and bands in the school so she would definately have the chance to play in lots of groups.

DD really doesnt know what to think either; the only thing shes sure of is that she wants the chance to play more music and do lots of drama and performance

[Schmedz]

Colleges are producing far too many music graduates and there are simply not enough jobs for them all! Give your child the gift of an 'all round' education...there are so many opportunities to be involved in great music outside of school without the small size and over competitiveness/insular nature of specialist music schools.
There are no professional advantages to attending a specialist music school!

[RandomMess]

I wonder if Christ's Hospital is worth considering (if they have spaces) very strong on music and drama plus academic?

[skylark2]

I assume you're employed to promote them, creightonbarbara?

Can't imagine why else you'd go looking for threads which are almost three years old to post on.

You might want to consider that babyish personal insults aimed at anyone who doesn't say how wonderful your employers are probably isn't what they had in mind, and pretending that the parents there are like you makes it sound like a pretty unpleasant place to be.

[Moominmammacat]

I wonder where the OP did send her child and how it turned out ....

[hertsandessex]

Just stumbled across this and relevant for my own dilemma at the moment for my son who is 12/13. My preference is to stick to a normal school, do lots of music and then if still interested in music later try to get in a conservatoire. However, I have been told that for many instruments most of the people who get into the RCM, RAM, Guildhalll etc. have either gone to the specialist music schools or are from overseas. Not everybody of course but most so going to a specialist music school dramatically increases chances of getting in. Also I am wondering like many how many people who get in the conservatoire actually end up making a living out of music say 5 or 10 years down the line.