aiming Hurtwood : advice on schools before sixt form!

[shs69]

Hi,
Thank you all for your advice in a previous post. I read a lot.
We aim now to join Hurtwood for sixt form for our daughter, currently y 8; she is

• top set academics
  

-scholarship dance, drama, art
-she likes to create fashion and textiles, we aim to study languages for native speakers as she is tri lingual.

• she is a fencer and a swimmer, she likes karate.
  
• all rounded exceptional education needed but environment, avoiding schools with reputation for bullying, patronizing, hard pushing.
  
• she is enjoying learning "for his own sake" and she does it because it is in her nature and we want a school that cares for her with exceptional pastoral and can support her in her strong talents, no matter how many they are. We don't want a school that only focus on computer and photocopies, we want a school where 12 year old learn to love books and use books to learn (revise on nice history, geography etc books not only photocopies or internet pages!!) and gradually learn to introduce computers.
  

No computers or ipads under her eyes all day.

question: before Hurtwood will be better for her Bedes, Millfield, CLC, Brighton College or WA?
Please can I hope in some advice before the 20th of March?
We are visiting the schols in the next 3 weeks.
Many many thanks!

[LIZS]

It would be very hard to sustain all those subjects to gcse level, would limit other choices and so many schools do not offer all of them that few subsequent courses require them. Scholarships can be a double edged sword with different departments making competing demands on time. Has she performed outside school in either drama or dance, it might give you a better feel for how talented she may be and whether she has ambition or just enjoys it. Those I know who received awards to Hurtwood for performing arts were already West End performers and were multifaceted. I would focus on academics for now and look for out of school opportunities to develop and add to a cv if she decides to go down the vocational path. Brighton College might give you a balance of academics and arts but not sure any more so than Millfield. Bedes did not used to be thought of as academic but this may have changed recently.

[BubblesBuddy]

I would also suggest Queenswood at Brookmans Park as was mentioned earlier. Very strong drama (good schools guide recommends) and lots do dance. Much smaller than Millfield. Lots of opportunities to get involved.

[shs69]

Thank you all, yes, we are trying for the next 2 years to leave all the doors open, difficult age as well, all could change suddenly also..
Still learning about UK system but I really like the schools that offer good Academics and do not limit the teqching to the exam program. She has been brought up with the value of "learning for its own sake", the love of languages and culture, I am not sure Millfield will fulfill this aspect compared to schools as CLC, Kings etc, but maybe there her dance will suffer... and certainly Millfield has a Dance department that allows to drop games for 2 terms, but still not enough to what she could aim (selected by a former etoile for special dance program in France ...). So difficult, so few time to decide for her future....
Has anyone direct experience of Drama and Art at Millfield? How are Academics at the Senior? Can an academic child still be motivated surrounded by lot of pupils focused more on their sports than maybe on their studies? Not sure...

[shs69]

LIZS, she has been selected for one of the more prestigious dance schools in France in 2015, second and first at Bath Festival for Drama performances and good at school plays, Scholar in Art.
We don't want to drop all this, it is understood that she can't Dance 10 hours per week but maybe 5 yes and then concentrate on Drama and Art plus Academic.
We also need an open minded school that do not oblige her to do games (she is not in A teams) waisting time and preventing her to do what she is talented in ; we were not happy about that at Millfield prep. We would like a school that cares about her talents and do not follow only the "program" for gcse but instill a proper culture on pupils...

[LIZS]

You really need to check what any school's dance programme consists of. Dd school offers dance from year 10 upwards in lieu of games, but it is more for fitness than technique. There are also festival dance groups, tap and other dance forms extra curricular but none of which are going to create individual dancers. Those wanting to take it seriously also do classes out of school and join musical theatre and performance groups. If she is strong on ballet maybe look at English Youth Ballet or see if there are holiday or weekend youth theatre classes at vocational schools or colleges.

[sendsummer]

shs why not try Queenswood as others have suggested.
You need to decide whether a scholarship at Millfield is worth a non-scholarship place at other schools that give different academic advantages and opportunities.

[Zodlebud]

The reason I recommended Queenswood was that it does everything you have asked for.

It isn’t a particularly selective school but if you bear that in mind when looking at GCSE and A-level results then you’ll see their results are pretty amazing. The school is in an area where the brightest girls will be heading to St Albans Girls High, North London Collegiate and Habs. Queenswood is the backup choice for these schools. What that means is they get the results without the pressure.

Languages offered are French, Spanish, Japanese and Italian with two thirds of girls taking two languages at GCSE. Girls are also encouraged to take exams in their native language where applicable.

Drama and dance are superb. ISTD Cecchetti ballet lessons as an extra activity and numerous dance clubs. Shows on a regular basis. Drama and dance scholars get additional opportunities - drama scholars are from Y9 only and mostly are internal applicants. LAMDA and wide extra curricular program to support these.

Art rooms were the most amazing rooms I have ever seen (and I’ve seen a lot). I have seen a few comments on here about art not being as strong, although that was a few years ago. From what I have seen I think they must have improved significantly as I thought it was the best out of all the schools I have visited.

Queenswood also has an excellent sports program but it’s highly inclusive. They have national level players in several sports, an amazing tennis scholars programme and the school wins frequently. But if you just want to play for leisure then that’s fine too (and actively encouraged).

The school has long days but they fit so much in. There is an enormous list of activities running every lunchtime and after school and they expect girls to get involved.

The girls appear happy, well balanced, intelligent and engaging. It’s not a “big name” school but increasingly it’s becoming a first choice school as opposed to a backup and has a waiting list (which it never used to).

A school that values everything a child can do, not just the academics. Rather refreshing!!!!!

[Tralalee]

I would definitely stay at Millfield, particularly if she loves it there. It has a fantastic dance programme

[Tralalee]

We also need an open minded school that do not oblige her to do games (she is not in A teams) waisting time and preventing her to do what she is talented in

Good luck!!!

Seriously though have you spoken to millfield? Once she is at the senior school she will be allowed to specialise much more.

[Clavinova]

Perhaps Brighton College then? Very academic, fantastic art department and they appear to produce some talented dancers:

www.brightoncollege.org.uk/college/college-news/item/6718
www.brightoncollege.org.uk/college/college-news/item/8678
www.brightoncollege.org.uk/news/2014/11/dance-proms/

I agree with other posters - why does your dd need to take GCSE Dance? As a comparison, I know some very talented musicians with Grade 8 in 2 or 3 instruments who haven't taken GCSE Music - GCSE is a very basic measure of ability.

[MissAnneElliot]

Queenswood Queenswood Queenswood.

Fabulous school. Most girls take 2 mfl GCSEs. Mine also did one that we spoke at home. She sat it at Q. Straight As at both gcse & a level.

Drama very very strong. Dance is also good. Go & see it.