Which schools offer GCSE Dance?

[Threecouldbefour]

Hi,

We are considering a move next year as where we live is just not ticking the boxes. Our oldest daughter is starting Dance GCSE (about to enter year 9) - she really loves dance and I'm desperate for her to be able to continue this if we move. She will also be taking Drama which seems widely available elsewhere.

We were initially looking around the Cheltenham area but I can't see Dance GCSE offered anywhere around there unless I'm missing something. Find this surprising as it seems an arts focussed area.

So - looking further afield - do you know of any schools offering Dance GCSE? We probably need to be within 1.5 hour train journey of London for my husband's work (he will largely be working from home.)

Thank you.

Newbury - Park agonise School has an incredible dance department

Lol! That should say Park House School!

Haha... Agonise is an apt word for me right now! Thank you, I'll take a look.

That looks really good - it's just a bit close to where we are living currently in Hampshire!

Most people I know who take gcse dance do so through their dance school rather than their secondary school. Have you looked into dance schools where you'd like to move to see if they offer it?

I thing chipping campden does...is that too far?

@Pleasenomoreglitter

Most people I know who take gcse dance do so through their dance school rather than their secondary school. Have you looked into dance schools where you'd like to move to see if they offer it?

I haven't looked into that, no. I didn't think that was available outside school but of course it makes sense. Thank you.

@user1471530109

I thing chipping campden does...is that too far?

Not necessarily... thank you!

The Westalnds school in Sittingbourne offers it as a BTech and is an hour on HS1 from St Pancras. It's not always viewed as a great town but has some very nice villages surrounding it and a couple of the newer build estates are desirable too

Sorry, should say westlands

Would you move within Hampshire? Plenty of schools do dance that I know of in south part.

But I agree seems less so now - but more than when I was at school as I did it privately!

I was also going to suggest a dance school to take GCSE dance.

In Gloucester I think Barnwood Park does dance and possibly Churchdown Academy as well. Possibly Balcarras in Cheltenham. Have a look at the Cirencester schools as well, there is a train station (Kemble) that is a direct line to London.

You'd have to check with the school though, and what they do now might change by the time you move into the area! Good luck with the search OP.

Dont choose an area based on a school that offers one particular GCSE. That's nuts. Unless you are very mobile and can move again in a few years.

I was going to say Chipping Campden School too

@itsgettingweird

Would you move within Hampshire? Plenty of schools do dance that I know of in south part.

But I agree seems less so now - but more than when I was at school as I did it privately!

We wouldn't move within Hants, no. We've been here for several years and feel we've explored it enough to feel sure about that.

Rickmansworth School does dance at gcse and also, I think, A Level.

Also check that dance and drama are a possibility. Most schools have option blocks to choose your gcse subjects from and often arts/performing arts can land in the same block.

Cheltenham schools are very academic, I'm not surprised they don't offer dance GCSE. Is this really the dealbreaker? Its a very niche GCSE. I know of girls who did it through their dance classes, rather than at school. Choosing both dance and drama GCSE may need you to look a specialist school for the arts. You need to consider the importance of this, is your DD looking for a career in this field, in which case it may be useful, or is it just an interest in which case a more traditional GCSE may be best pursued, easier to find a school place for and dance achievements can be covered elsewhere through the dance examining awarding bodies

@ChicCroissant

I was also going to suggest a dance school to take GCSE dance.

In Gloucester I think Barnwood Park does dance and possibly Churchdown Academy as well. Possibly Balcarras in Cheltenham. Have a look at the Cirencester schools as well, there is a train station (Kemble) that is a direct line to London.

You'd have to check with the school though, and what they do now might change by the time you move into the area! Good luck with the search OP.

Thank you - that's really helpful. That is definitely our preferred area.

Unless you're looking at a specialist school (state or private), I wouldn't rely on a school that's offering GCSE dance now always being able to. Along with the fact that some years it might not be financially viable due to low numbers opting for it, there's also the issue of a teacher leaving and them not being able to recruit a replacement. It's not a subject just anyone can teach. I've known schools have to ditch GCSE or A level dance/photography/Russian/Latin/Mandarin and other subjects mid-way through courses as they can't recruit suitability experienced staff.

It's not worth the risk of moving to an entirely new area for a subject that's just as well served by vocational grades in a decent dance school.

@Whathewhatnow

Dont choose an area based on a school that offers one particular GCSE. That's nuts. Unless you are very mobile and can move again in a few years.

We absolutely wouldn't choose an area based solely on GCSE provision. If that was the case we would stay put . But obviously if we found an area which ticked that box too it would be ideal. Our daughter is not traditionally academic and I'd ideally like her to be able to take a GCSE that will come more easily to her as it's where her passion lies.

Our reasons for moving though are mainly that we don't have the variety of things to do as a family that we used to and we want to live somewhere with more opportunities for weekend trips etc It's very limited here and we miss our previous lifestyle.

Yes, our dance school does it (sorry, also in Hampshire!), definitely worth checking those out.

If you are considering a move in year 9 you may need to consider whether the schools you look at run a 2 or 3 year GCSE course. Some choose options in year 8 here and so moving in year 9 would mean fitting into that system half way through as it were.

DD’s vocational school stopped offering it as they felt the standard was too low compared to the RAD & ISTD exams the kids had already taken.

Ds’s normal school switched to Btec because after 9-1 GCSE’s came in the syllabus became too writing heavy.

Our daughter does want to aim for a career in performing arts. She's always loved dance and has achieved very well in her grades taken outside school. It is the only subject I've seen her have a genuine interest in - she's just comes alive and it makes her really happy. She has been doing dance at school in Year 7 and 8 as it's compulsory for all students until Year 9. She has taken her options so it's a 3 year course where she is currently.