27 August 2012

THE MANOR SCHOOL OF BALLET NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2012

Welcome back!
 We hope you have had a good summer despite the weather and are looking forward to returning to classes this year. We have had quite a few changes to the staff since our last newsletter and have said goodbye to Miss Hendrie who has decided to go back to university, Miss McQuillan who is expecting a baby this autumn, Fraser Paterson has moved to Manchester and Mrs Robertson has left to be a full time mum after the birth of her second child this summer, she had a baby boy called Alfie. Miss Casey has also given birth this summer to a baby girl called Skye and will be returning to work in January.

Mrs Smith, Mrs Murray, John Patterson, Miss Bold, Miss Buchanan, Mrs Dickson, Miss Crawford and Miss Common are all back with us and looking forward to welcoming you back to classes. In addition we are pleased to introduce you to some new members of staff and some familiar faces that will be covering the maternity leave and joining the team this term. In Galashiels we welcome back Miss Cunningham and Miss Morton, in Edinburgh we welcome Miss O’Brien and Miss Marks. Apart from staff changes we have some branch changes this year too with the merge of our corstorphine branches. We are no longer at the Old Parish but just along the road at St Anne’s on both Tuesdays and Thursdays. We also said goodbye to Goldenacre Church this year and have relocated to Wardie Church on Saturdays.

 As usual we have a busy year ahead starting in November with a set of R.A.D presentations and exams. Letters will be handed out in class to those pupils due to sit exams.

NOVEMBER 2012 Presentation Grades 1, 2 and 3

 SPRING 2013 Presentation and Exams Grades 4 and 5

 The R.A.D have been reviewing their syllabus and have now introduced brand new work for grades 1,2 and 3 and the teachers have been busy at courses throughout the summer learning the new syllabus. These new grades are to develop the individual dancer and are going to take a longer time to teach and sit examinations but the work is lovely and we are sure the pupils are going to really enjoy themselves and get a lot out of the new syllabus.

UKA Jazz, tap and highland exams are due in November and February and again letters will be handed out in class to the relevant pupils. Can we please remind you to return the forms by the closing date if you wish to enter your child as it takes a lot of processing and organising and we have to submit our entries to the relevant exam boards in time. We regret late entries cannot be accepted under any circumstances.

We have been asked again this year to participate in the Children’s Classic Christmas Concerts on Saturday 8th December in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Sunday 9th December in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. Some of our Scholars will be dancing with the orchestra and it is well worth booking tickets early as these are really popular shows.
We also have our senior school show booked for the end of the summer term in the Churchill theatre and Galashiels Academy we will be announcing the show and sending out letters in January.

 Office News – a reminder of our current hours Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays 9.30 – 12.30pm, Thursdays 12.00 – 3.00pm. Outwith these hours there is an answer machine for urgent inquiries or please email us at enquiries@manorschoolofballet.co.uk.
 We try our best to adhere to these office hours however as Mrs Smith and John are also out and about at classes and branches it is not always possible to man the office when exams, shows and meetings are taking place but we will try and answer any messages as quickly as possible.

We do now at last have a machine in the office to take card payments for those of you who no longer have cheque books and cannot make it to the branches to pay in cash. Payments can be made over the phone by the card holder during office hours.

The School holidays for the coming year are as follows:-
Term 1 Monday 20th August – Saturday 15th December 2012
 Closed for October holiday Monday 15th – Saturday 20th October 2012 (Please note wardie branch starts Saturday 18th August in place of cancelled classes on Saturday 6th October)

Term 2 Monday 7th January – Saturday 23rd March 2013
Closed for February holiday Monday 11th – Saturday 16th February 2013

Term 3 Monday 8th April – Saturday 15th June 2013

 Block Fees are calculated on 12 week blocks

Block 1 due Monday 20th August
Block 2 due Monday 19th November
Block 3 due Monday 11th March