STUDENT & FAMILY INFORMATION HANDBOOK
Printed copies available on request
Contents
Page 3 Welcome from the Programme Managers
4-5 General information
6-8 Behaviour guidelines
9-10 Course structure
11 Physical Health & Well-being
12 Individual training plans (ITP’s)
13 Streaming
14-18 Financial structure, Accommodation, Student Expenses & Fund For Excellence
19 Transferring & Exiting policies
20 Management Team Contact details
Dear Student, Parents & Guardians,
Welcome to the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) at The Place.
Since 2004 nine Dance Centres for Advanced Training have opened, hosted in recognised centres of excellence across England. The management teams and faculties strive passionately to develop their prevocational dance programmes, to inspire and support the training of young dancers across the country. Each centre aspires to help young dancers achieve their potential in their chosen discipline be it contemporary dance, circus arts, ballet, urban or South Asian dance forms. The Place CAT works in partnership with the National Centre for Circus Arts, who deliver a circus specialism strand through their London Youth Circus programme.
In association with the national centres, there are also satellite centres, outreach programmes and foundation courses, to complement existing programmes and help prepare young dancers for audition at one of the National Centres. The Place CAT works with The Point in Hampshire, South East Dance in East Sussex and Hot House Dance in Hertfordshire to deliver extended outreach programmes in the South East.
The national scheme is funded in part by Department for Education - Music and Dance Scheme (MDS). Through their association with the MDS the national dance CATs work in partnership with the country’s most prestigious music and dance residential schools and junior conservatoires including The Royal Ballet School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. We facilitate collaborations with National CATs and Residential Schools, as well as offer opportunities for students to work with professional dance companies.
The Place is a diverse and dynamic organisation specialising in nurturing dancers of all ages. The Place prides itself on its extensive programme for children and the continued support it offers vocational students and professional dance artists. As part of The Place, CAT engages with London Contemporary Dance School, Richard Alston Dance Company and some of the many artists and companies who devise work in our studios or perform in the Robin Howard Theatre or other London dance venues.
We are delighted that you have chosen to train at the Centre for Advanced Training at The Place and we wish you a fruitful and enjoyable year with us.
Kind Regards,
Vicky Evans & Enid Gill (job share) CAT Programme Managers
To find more out about CAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou_TR2kMtos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j52fuI2Bi_k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZAOIB93YU4
Attendance Policy
Due to the nature of this course we have a very strict attendance policy. We expect students to have 100% attendance as this is vital for their progress and retention on the programme. Students who drop below 80% will be monitored closely.
If you are unable to attend a CAT day it is imperative that you contact the CAT team well in advance and we can then recognise your absence as authorised or unauthorised.
You may only have an authorised absence on the day if you fall ill or experience an extenuating circumstance. If you do not inform us of your absence it will be listed as unauthorised.
The number to contact if you are running late or have to be absence at short notice is the CAT mobile 07757 406004.
Absences are not permitted for: rehearsals for private dance school shows, additional school performances or private dance school exams.
Registration & Sign Out
Saturday sessions: All students must sign in 30 minutes prior to class, in order to prepare and warm-up effectively. The CAT team will be at the reception desk at the Flaxman Terrace to sign students in in and out after each training day. Midweek sessions: You will be expected to sign in and out in as normal. This will be managed by our teaching assistants.
You must remember to sign in or out: if you fail to do so this will be classed as an unauthorised absence. This procedure is for your safety as it enables us to track where you are. In the event you have not signed in, we will be contacting parents/guardians directly.
Need to leave early? Your day on a Saturday does not conclude until 6pm. Therefore you should make adequate arrangements to get home in order to allow you to stay until the end of the day. In exceptional circumstance, should you need to leave early, you must ask permission from CAT Management in advance of the session. Requests will not be permitted on the day.
CAT Office The CAT team are based in the CAT Office on level 2 corridor, past Classes & Courses Office. If you need to contact a member of the CAT team during class and they are not visible at Flaxman Terrace, please ask your teaching assistant who will contact the appropriate member of staff for you.
Café The Place café is open on Saturdays and it is also open most weekdays until 6pm. A range of hot and cold meals, snacks and drinks are available at reasonable prices. There are also water fountains located on most corridors near studios.
Email To enable us to provide the bespoke training offered, we need to communicate information to you as easily and quickly as possible. Please ensure that we have your correct email address and that you check it regularly. The CAT team send out general email communications and information updates so please ensure you read fully and respond immediately i.e; confirming screening appointments, confirming attendance for a Theatre trip etc.
Website & Internet Communications Our website address is http://www.theplace.org.uk/centre-advanced-training
Please use the following universal user name and password which will enable you to access a dedicated CAT Students & Family pages;
User name: [email protected] Password: Theplace1
These pages hold information about the timetable and CAT activities allowing you to check any information about the programme on-line simply and quickly. Please check these pages before contacting the CAT team.
You can also become a member of The Place Facebook or Twitter pages – at https://www.facebook.com/theplace & https://twitter.com/ThePlaceLondon
Behaviour Guidelines
The Centre for Advanced Training is a scheme designed to enable you to equip yourself with the physical skills and mind-set that will prepare you for a career in your chosen art form. Students need to behave in a professional and consistent manner at all times at The Place and on organised trips.
What we expect of you: Attitude Focus in sessions (e.g. concentrate, listen and apply corrections). Be enthusiastic, committed and interested in your learning. Act in a respectful and supportive manner to staff and users of the building at all times. Support, encourage and work sensibly with your fellow students at all times Take responsibility for your own learning and carry out homework or any practice of corrections in between sessions. This will accelerate your learning.
Communication You should inform a member of staff immediately if you are injured or fall ill during a session. Inform the CAT team and teachers of any illness or injury prior to the beginning of class. You should ask if there is something you do not understand or feel you would like something explained to you by any member of staff. Talk to the Programme Manager or Coordinator about your Individual Training Plan, especially if you feel that there are changes to be made. You must bring your CAT Diary with you to every lesson, as staff may ask you to make notes during sessions or share important details for you to make note of.
Commitment All students must attain an at least 80% attendance record in order to continue on the programme. You must inform the CAT team if you intend to leave the building at any time. While at CAT, we have a duty of care for you. Students should not leave early during a session without prior permission from the Programme Manager.
Lateness Punctuality is essential and you must arrive 30 minutes prior to your first class in order to sign in, register and warm-up effectively. If you are late you must see the CAT team immediately to register and find out if you are able to participate. If you are more than 15 minutes late to a practical class you will not be allowed to participate fully in the class. You will be expected to observe class and take notes to ensure that you don’t fall behind in your development. This lateness policy is for your own safety.
Dancewear You are expected to organise your own dancewear at the start of each academic year and the CAT team will reimburse this cost for you upon receiving a receipt. You need to wear tight fitting practice clothes (such as a leotard and tights or shorts) as detailed in your uniform list. Please ask the Coordinator if you require an item to be replaced (i.e. CAT hoody). You must wear CAT dancewear on assessment days/special events. Baggy clothing is not permitted in any technique classes. It is essential that teachers are able to see how the body is responding in order to help students maximise their training. Ballet shoes must be worn for all ballet classes unless you are instructed by a teacher to remove them. Long hair needs to be tied back neatly at all times. (including all male students) Long hair must be secured in a bun or like style for ballet for your own safety. You should not wear jewellery to class as it is a health and safety risk. Please, where possible, leave valuables at home as The Place is a public building.
Zero Tolerance to Bullying & Inappropriate Behaviour Bullying or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated at CAT. All students have the right to train in a positive and supportive environment. If you feel that you are a victim of bullying you must tell a member of staff immediately to enable us to help you and keep the learning environment a positive one for everyone. Anyone seen or reported to have behaved inappropriately will be interviewed by a member of the CAT management team. A monitoring strategy will then be put in place, dependant on the circumstances. This could, if serious, result in expulsion from the course.
Safety and Courtesy Eating in the studios is not permitted at any time. Gum should not be chewed during class. Students are expected to clear their rubbish away behind them and keep changing areas clean and clear of clutter and rubbish, leaving the space as you would like to find it. The Place is a busy building used by lots of different dance practitioners. For your own safety please do not run in either the corridors or studio unless you are instructed to do so by a member of staff. Students must sign in and out of the building on each visit. Mobile telephones should be switched off or left on ‘silent’ mode. Students are not permitted to use the lifts unless instructed to do so by a member of staff. Students should take a bottle of water to class with them at all times as dance activity can be dehydrating and it is advisable to drink fluids when an appropriate pause in the class presents itself. Please ensure that you are mindful of noise levels when you are within the building. There are other dancers and staff who are also working. Smoking is not permitted by any students in or outside of the building. Smoking is strongly discouraged and detrimental to dance training as it decreases your lung capacity and has a negative impact on your aerobic stamina. Younger CAT students are susceptible and influenced by their older peers and therefore a complete ban has been put in place. When on or off site students must listen to instructions given by staff and remember that you are representing your peers, the programme and The Place. Correct fuelling is essential throughout your training and we strongly encourage you to be aware of this at all times. If the CAT team recognise any concerns with students, this will be raised with the student and family. CAT reserves the right to withdraw a student from a class if we feel this poses a danger to the student and/or class. For details on our policy on disordered eating, please visit the student section of the website.
Evacuation assembly points 1. Flaxman Terrace - outside Mabel’s Tavern, on the opposite side of the road to the Reception entrance 2. Duke’s Road - by the tree in Woburn Walk opposite the Wallace Space
If there is an evacuation of the building, all children that are marked present on our registers and are in class, will remain with their class at the Flaxman Terrace assembly point. We will take the registers and await further instructions by the Duty Manager, Fire Marshall or Fire Brigade.
Please note: Depending on where parents/carers are in the building you will be evacuated to either the Duke’s Road or Flaxman Terrace and will NOT be allowed back through the building to find your child/children in class. Please remain at your fire assembly point and do not move from there unless instructed to do by the Duty Manager, Fire Marshall or Fire Brigade.
Items outside studios Blocking the areas outside studios, outside lifts and on the stairwells is a health and safety risk Shoes can be left alongside the walls outside studios, or in the shoes racks outside some studios Belongings should be kept with your child or yourselves at all times. Leaving coats and bags on the floor cause trip hazards
Changing rooms The building is extremely busy on Saturdays. We understand that there is very little space outside of the studios but we would really appreciate it if you could help us to keep these areas as clear as possible by using the changing rooms or stretching zones for this purpose.
If your child needs to get changed please use the changing rooms on level 1 (female), level 3 (male) or toilet facilities available on levels 3, 4 and 6 or the stretching zones on levels 4 & 5 if available. Codes for doors can be obtained from the reception desk. Do not sit or let your child sit on the stairs or in the corridors to get changed - please use the facilities provided Make sure when collecting your child from class that you keep the entrances to the lift and stairwell clear
Studios From time to time, the studio that your child is in will change. It is important to look at their respective timetables to check studio changes. This can be found on the wall opposite reception. We will endeavor to put signs on the relevant studio doors if there are any changes made. Please check your emails regularly for any changes that are made in advance or for any notifications from the office.
What you expect of us: Deliver the highest quality of pre-vocational contemporary dance training. Deliver a training plan that is tailored to your needs as pre-vocational dance students. Introduce you to a diverse range of contemporary genres and companies through a range of dance related activities. Advise you of additional opportunities outside of the programme that are appropriate and will enhance your training. Honest feedback, support and advice to enable you to develop yourself and your skills. Injury, nutrition, audition and career advice when appropriate. Performance opportunities. Provide a clean, safe environment for dance. Inform students as soon as possible of any changes to the course that will affect them or their family.
Course Structure
The CAT Saturday Programme includes: . Registration . Contemporary technique class . Ballet technique class . Group tutorials . Creative session: company repertory, choreography or workshop . Sign out
Students will be expected to attend the centre outside the above times for the following additional dance activities: . Physical screenings . Conditioning or screening follow up sessions as appropriate . Individual tutorials and teacher feedback sessions . Complimentary workshops throughout the year . Additional rehearsals and performances as necessary . One on one technique classes and/or Pilates sessions when appropriate
We will aim to give you as much notice as possible for any activities outside the timetabled sessions above. Please check the website, your email and the CAT noticeboard for updates.
In addition to the core programme we offer: Assessment & Training - Each student is continually assessed throughout the year by their tutors and management team to ensure that they are developing appropriately physically, technically, artistically and creatively. They will be expected to demonstrate their commitment, passion and enthusiasm for dance; as well as establish good communication and collaborative skills with their fellow students and teachers. - Our findings and recommendations are fed back into each child’s Individual Training Plan. These plans are essential to the success of the course as the training that each individual attends outside of The Place is critical to their overall advancement. - Students will have the opportunity to set their progress goals with teachers at the beginning of spring term using a target-setting form. Students will then use this to discuss their attention on areas for development for the year. - During summer terms, students will have assessment classes in Contemporary and Ballet technique, the outcomes of this process are as follows: • Assist in streaming for autumn term 2016 • Feed into yearly Reports • Pinpoint individual learning needs or any physical health referrals
- On the penultimate Saturday of the Summer Term students and their families will have the opportunity to discuss this progress in an organised feedback day. This will be at The Place and will be similar to a parent/teacher consultation. This would take shape by way of signing up and coming to The Place to see the teachers. Unfortunately due to the amount of students that need to be seen there also may a certain amount of ‘hanging about’. Dance classes will not happen this day but it is still part of the term and all students are expected to attend with as many parents as possible. - A written report from all teachers and the CAT management team will be sent out via email before the end of the academic year. - Parents are welcome to schedule meetings with the Programme Managers throughout the year as required.
Performances & Projects 2016-17 o There will be informal and formal performances throughout the year. Students usually perform at our own Robin Howard Dance Theatre at least once a year. In the past students have performed at Sadler’s Wells, Royal Festival Hall, National Centre for Circus Arts, Royal Opera House, White Lodge, Lillian Bayliss Theatre, Bonnie Bird Theatre at Laban, Jerwood Dance House at DanceEast, YDE’s U Dance at The Southbank Centre and site-specific works at venues in London including The British Library and Highbury Fields, Greenwich & Docklands International Festival.
Taking responsibility for your learning Students will be given a diary to use for the year. This is to record all of their dance activity, including classes, workshops and performances (attended or participatory). These books are an essential part of their dance awareness and learning – e.g. where names of artists can be stored for future reference or a place to note inspiration as a stimulus for choreography. Students should bring their diaries and a pen/pencil to every class and session so they can write down any corrections they are given and anything that influences or inspires them.
Theatre Trips The Centre for Advanced Training will organise on average one theatre trip per term for students. Students have seen a range of contemporary performances in theatres across London to deepen their understanding of the dance world.
Please check the notice board regularly for information regarding trips. You will be notified of any such trip via email. You must respond to such invites by the deadline stated. Late responses will endanger your ticket. For those students who live out of London and for whom it is not always possible to attend a trip that we organise, we may be able to reimburse you the equivalent price of a ticket for you to see something in your region.
Media consent We have asked you to sign a consent form giving permission for any visual image that we take can be used to publicise the scheme. These images may feature on print to promote the scheme, The Place website or to advocate the National scheme. No image will be publicly broadcast or displayed in such a way as to make it liable to appropriation or misuse. Images can be used during your child’s training or after they have left the programme.
Moving on to FE/HE Dance Training Students who are auditioning for vocational schools in year 11 or year 13 take part in the Audition Tool Kit – a course that takes place over the October half term. Students spend a day at Trinity Laban, London Contemporary Dance School and Northern School of Contemporary Dance on rotation. They get a tour of each school, a talk from a member of staff, experience mock audition classes, workshops on choreographing a solo and interview techniques. This helps them prepare thoroughly for the next step. We will also be offering additional days during autumn term where other vocational schools will give taster workshops about their school to prospective students on the CAT scheme. Schools that have taken part in this before have included London Studio Centre, Central School of Ballet, Performers College and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Students in Yrs 10+ will receive ‘careers in dance’ seminars during the Autumn Term tutorial slots.
Physical Health & Well-being
Annual Screening Each year every student on the programme has a short physical assessment with our resident Physical Therapy Team to inform their training. These 30-minute appointments take place on Saturday mornings throughout the year before classes start. Each student will be contacted with their appointment time. Screening helps us to recognise how we and the student can develop their potential in a physically and psychologically “safe” environment. We do not use it to exclude any student.
Screening Follow up Twice per term we hold Screening Follow up sessions. These sessions are provided to help assess injuries that occur during CAT time and in some cases we are able to offer further advice by our resident Physical Therapy Team or referrals to your local GP. You will be notified of any follow up sessions via email and we ask you to confirm your attendance at these appointments promptly.
Conditioning Sessions These are held throughout the year on a sign up basis via the CAT noticeboard. Examples include; Flexibility, Shin Splints, Core Strengthening & Upper body strength. These are to complement our holistic training model and equip students with exercises and methods to prevent injury.
Health practitioner etiquette Please be aware that our Physical Therapy Team practitioners are only available to assist you and answer your questions and queries during scheduled appointments. Please refrain from approaching them out of these times, i.e breaks, in passing etc.
Private Health Care Whilst every attempt will be made to keep our students healthy and injury free, dancers inevitably will sustain some injuries throughout their training and professional life. Whilst CAT offer some on-site treatment outlined above and will try and help you meet any rehabilitation treatments we can not reimburse you for all medical expenses incurred whilst you attend the programme. Here at CAT we try to best prepare students on how to manage their injury.
It is standard practice for dancers in full-time training to take out private medical insurance; some vocational training institutes insist students have cover before they will enrol them. CAT therefore strongly recommends that you consider taking out some medical insurance to help treat any injury that you may sustain in order that your training is not interrupted or recovery prolonged unnecessarily. You may like to use the Healthier Dancer’s section on One Dance UKs website which has a list of therapists who have experience of rehabilitating dancers: http://www.onedanceuk.org/
Minor Injuries Unit If you have an accident/sudden injury that is worrying you and no one is around that can help. We recommend going to a Minor Injuries Unit. Minor Injuries Units (MIU) are staffed by nurse practitioners. They can treat injuries such as broken bones, strains and sprains, minor head injuries, cuts and grazes, minor burns and scalds, and minor eye or ear problems. If an injury requires a specialist opinion patients can be transferred to an A&E department. They are a walk-in service, so no appointment is needed. Patients are seen in order of urgency.
Individual Training Plan (ITP)
What is an Individual Training Plan (ITP)? An Individual Training Plan (ITP) is a document that outlines:
Dance training you are receiving with us at The Place
Dance training you are receiving with your home-base tutors / local dance teachers highlighting which sessions we have agreed to financially contribute to.
Any other activity that would impact on your training hours, dance or otherwise (e.g. sport)
If you are thinking about any changes to your plan you must discuss it with us first before we make any changes. We will not reimburse any activity that has not had prior agreement, including medical treatment.
Training Hours In order for you to progress at the required rate the following training hours are recommended. These hours are inclusive of the classes and courses you attend as part of the CAT programme.
Age Group Hours per week – no less than: 10 – 12 years 6 – 7 hours 13 – 15 years 7 – 8 hours 16 – 18 years 8 - 10 hours
We advise families on the amount and type of ‘out of The Place training’ necessary for the individual to achieve their full potential, taking into account a variety of factors including; wellbeing, the number of hours you are practising on CAT, academic workload, lifestyle, where you live, your age and your skill level.
Streaming
How are students streamed? Students are streamed into different groups within the centre at the beginning of the academic year. The first month of autumn term may involve some changes to your streaming sets. Contemporary and ballet technique sets are streamed according to ability and skill set. There are six sets for contemporary (mixed gender) and six for ballet (five mixed gender and one boys’ ballet). It is not uncommon to have a wide age range in a technique group, as chronological age doesn’t always equate to mind/body development or maturity.
Creative sets are based more on age as the primary factor and in this subject there are five groups.
SETs There can be some confusion relating to sets as we do not follow conventional systems of grading that you may have already encountered via ISTD, RAD & Cecchetti. If you have been in a set for one year it doesn’t mean you will automatically move up to the next set the following year. The course recruits students on potential, which means that the groups do not neatly change year on year.
This means that someone could be in a particular ballet set for two consecutive years, but the content of their sessions will vary according to their development and training needs. Our flexible and adaptive approach is a huge part of our success of the scheme, and demonstrates the expertise of our highly experienced teaching team.
Moving sets and Monitoring Progress The teaching faculty is in continuous discussion about where students are streamed and the progress they are making. We hold regular staff meetings between staff and the CAT Management team. Recommendations for students to move sets is then discussed and agreed at a staff meeting.
Please remember that where we place students is relative to the cohort and our assessment of where a student is best placed for their learning. We ask that students and families trust in the decisions made by the CAT Management Team and Faculty and refrain from asking us to move your child ‘up’ a set.
Financial structure: Centre for Advanced Training (CAT)
contribution
Accommodation
Students who live outside of London and require accommodation during holiday intensives will be identified prior to enrolment at interview stage. The CAT Team will organise all accommodation bookings and will provide detailed information for any such overnight stay. The CAT Team will require you to provide emergency contact details and medical information, along with parental/guardian consent, prior to any intensive. If you live outside of the M25, you will automatically be put on the Accommodation list, so if you do not require it for any reason, you MUST let a member of the CAT team know – failure to do so after a booking has been made will result in a fine.
Students will be chaperoned for the duration of any stay by CAT Staff all of whom are DBS checked.
Our preferred accommodation provider is the London Youth Hostel Association (YHA), specifically London Central, based on Bolsover Street, 15mins walk from The Place.
The accommodation booked does not normally include breakfast; however there are breakfasts available at a cost of approx £4 - £8 and the hostel does have self catering facilities. The Place Café is normally open during intensive weeks. We advise that students have enough money to buy food for the duration of their trip and stay, which they must manage themselves.
Students and chaperone staff normally agree on eating arrangments for the week and are on hand to assist students should they prepare their own food at the YHA. This normally includes a mixure of eating at The Place, preparing food at the hostel or going out for a meal.
What you will need YHA London Central provide laundered bed linen, pillows, duvet and blankets free of charge for you to make up your bed, however you will need to bring your own towels and toiletries as these are not provided. It is also advisable to bring locks to secure any luggage you may have with you.
Do not bring valuble items with you as we or the YHA will not be responsible for any lost items.
Please note: Outer London students should ensure they have read, signed and returned the accomodation consent form in your enrolment pack. This consent will be used for all overnights stays during your time on the programme. Accommodation is provided at the discretion of the CAT team and is not available to all. This may change on a yearly basis and is assessed on a needs basis, identifying ages of students and distances travelled for example; we may enter into a discussion with you once a student reaches 16 years of age and if a student does not live too far away from London. If you can source accommodation elsewhere then you should try and do so. Students who do not comply with the Accommodation Behaviour Guidelines and Expectations (see Appendix IV) will not be invited to stay in the hostel in future Intensives.
Student Expenses
As outlined on the financial structure diagram on Page 13, the National Grant can cover some expense costs incurred in students’ dance training, this is mainly for our Outer London Students. If we are offering to contribute towards classes and/or travel you will receive a claim form and need to submit receipts for reimbursement.
1. In order to process your expenses we must have received and processed your National Grant means- testing form (NGMD1 Form) with correct supporting documentation.
2. Expenses will be paid in retrospect at specific points across each term. If you foresee this will be a problem financially, we have short term loans available on request.
Receipts should be received by the following deadline dates:
Term 1 deadline (autumn) 1st November Term 2 deadline (spring) 1st March Term 3 deadline (summer) 1st June
3. Late submissions of receipts will result in delayed BACS payments.
4. Any final expenses after the June deadline, will be settled across the Summer Break before the next academic year starts in the following September.
5. Families should provide travel receipts for every week up until the deadline, and termly invoices from their local dance provider listing class, cost & timeframe E.g.
All receipts, including uniform and theatre tickets should be clearly named in an envelope on submission at the deadline.
6. Any additional classes (where agreed) at The Place outside of the CAT programme – e.g. Shift Youth Dance Company, will be paid internally and will not show in your BACS online transfer.
7. Accomodation for intensives will be arranged (where agreed) and paid for directly by the centre, so will not show in your termly reimbursement.
8. All students are continually assessed and any increase or decrease to their training must be discussed with a member of the team before changes are made.
9. We expect 100% commitment and expenses are dependent on at least 80% attendance records. If a student’s attendance falls below 80% we may reduce expenses accordingly.
10. If you have any questions, please refer to our Finance Policy before contacting the team.
Fund for Excellence bursary scheme for CAT students (FFE)
In September 2009 CAT launched its Fund for Excellence bursary scheme. The fund helps to support families fund their children’s tuition costs. The application process and distribution criteria and priorities are outlined below in brief. Full information regarding the application and criteria will be sent during the Autumn Term or you can find this information on the website http://www.theplace.org.uk/centre-advanced-training-0
Application Process Applications to the Fund for Excellence are initiated mid autumn term with applications due back to the Centre for Advance Training approximately four weeks later.
The application requires families to provide proof pertaining to their efforts to procure funding and two statements (one from the student and one from a parent/guardian) outlining the reasons for the application. It is therefore necessary that families keep copies of all letters, e-mail correspondence and news paper articles that they have initiated in their attempts to raise funds for their child’s training.
If you require assistance in completing the form, please contact us directly.
Distribution Criteria and Priorities Priority will be given to applicants who have been enrolled in the Centre for Advanced Training for one or more years. Exceptions will be made for new students, who demonstrate particular talent and commitment, after successfully completing their first term. Prioritisation helps to ensure that those students receiving bursary support funds are those most dedicated to the program and have the least likelihood of withdrawal before the completion of their studies.
Continual assessment will monitor the student’s attendance and attitude on the programme. If Management believe that engagement has dropped, the student risks a withdrawal of the fee waiver. Please refer to our Finance Policy for more information.
In order to receive support from the FFE, families of students must have completed the Music and Dance Schemes Financial Means Testing process and demonstrated that they have sourced additional funding to support their child’s training (utilising the funding information sheet provided by the Centre for Advanced Training). In order to ensure consistency and fairness, the following framework has been developed to best match available funds with individual student need.
Please be advised: With no endowed student support funds to draw upon, we are reliant upon contributions from trusts and individuals to support the Fund for Excellence. Therefore, it is not advisable for families to rely on regular assistance from the Fund, as it is expected that it will take some time to grow and initial grants may be small.
Transferring and Exiting Policies
If you wish to transfer to another CAT The National Centres for Advanced Training in Dance, have adopted a policy regarding students wanting to change centre for practical or personal reasons. If you feel this applies to you please contact the programme managers directly.
The CAT centres work very closely together and we will collectively advise and support you in this process. Please note that whilst every attempt will be made to ensure your training requirements are met, all students wishing to transfer will be subject to re-audition and the selection criteria and procedures in place at the new centre.
If you wish to leave CAT During training on the CAT programme, some students decide that a career in dance is not a vocation they wish to pursue. In this instance, students are advised to speak to the Programme Managers to enable discussion of potential options. All students wishing to leave the programme are given support and advice, regardless of whether they wish to continue with dance elsewhere or not.
Under-performing Students It is important to recognise that this scheme is supported by the Department for Education and as such The Place is obligated to offer places to the most deserving candidates. The Place cannot accommodate under-performing individuals who are not demonstrating a high enough level of attendance, development or commitment towards dance training.
If at any time it is felt that a student is not developing at a suitable rate, the student will be closely monitored and encouraged by the CAT Team to ensure the programme is the correct pathway for them. An Exit Procedure will be followed to assist this process. For more information on our Exit Procedure, please visit the Student Section of our website.
Contact Details
CAT MOBILE - PLEASE PUT THIS IN YOUR PHONE NOW!
07757406004
If you are late or in an emergency during class times or off-site trips and visits
If you cannot contact anyone on this number please use the landlines below or The Place Switchboard: 0207 121 1000
Vicky Evans/Enid Gill - Programme Manager [email protected] (job share) 0207 121 1035 Enquiries, course curriculum, MDS Grants and finance, further training and careers advice [email protected] 0207 121 1038 During Term Time 10.00am – 6.00pm Tuesday – Saturday
Hannah Waters – Coordinator [email protected] Student enquiries, attendance, ITPs, expenses and 0207 121 1037 accommodation
During Term Time 10.00am–6.00pm Tuesday - Saturday
Holly Teal – CAT Trainee [email protected] 0207 121 1065 Health Appointments, Theatre trips & General enquiries
During Term Time 10.00am–6.00pm Tuesday - Saturday
General Enquiries [email protected] 0207 121 1065
STUDENT LOGIN for the website Email address: [email protected] Password: ThePlace1