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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

BTEC at D&B Academy of Performing Arts

31 replies

SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 09:13

Hello. My DD has just got into D&B Academy of Performing Arts in Downham, London, to do the BTEC in Performing Arts and I was wondering if anyone here had experience of it? They’ve only been running it since last September so it’s hard to know what it’s like. TIA!

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Original poster
SimplySandy · 04/06/2026 15:41

Letsgetthiswrongagain · 04/06/2026 12:57

@SimplySandy she’s off to do a childcare course. I think she’s come to the conclusion that though she enjoys performing it won’t be her career path.

Aw, that sounds great. I hope she loves the course. :)

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Letsgetthiswrongagain · 04/06/2026 12:57

@SimplySandy she’s off to do a childcare course. I think she’s come to the conclusion that though she enjoys performing it won’t be her career path.

Original poster
SimplySandy · 03/06/2026 17:35

Letsgetthiswrongagain · 03/06/2026 14:12

My niece is leaving after the first year. She’s found the course very heavily dance based whereas she was looking for a more rounded Musical Theatre course. If she enjoys dance she’ll be fine!

Ah, that's a shame. What is she going to do instead? Does she have somewhere else to go to in September?

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Pegjes44 · 03/06/2026 16:57

@Letsgetthiswrongagain They also do a mix of singing & acting but i will say 50% is dancing.

Letsgetthiswrongagain · 03/06/2026 14:12

My niece is leaving after the first year. She’s found the course very heavily dance based whereas she was looking for a more rounded Musical Theatre course. If she enjoys dance she’ll be fine!

Original poster
SimplySandy · 18/02/2026 15:57

Yes, thanks, @Pegjes44 , for your insights. It’s really good to hear that your experience has been so positive. ❤️

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ForArtfulTraybake · 18/02/2026 15:27

Realy appreciate all these insights and feeling much more reassured - thank you!

Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 15:04

@SimplySandy My son was at the Brit school until year 11. Good school but so many trouble kids and the area is not that safe. This school is not for everyone...

Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 15:01

@SimplySandy @ForArtfulTraybake Yes it's a boys school but it's very safe. The girls never complained and the head teacher at LNS is very strict.
The LNS 6th form area is even separated from the rest of the school.
I went to visit the school and all the boys were well behaved.

Original poster
SimplySandy · 18/02/2026 14:59

Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 13:56

@SimplySandy @ForArtfulTraybake Hi, LNS is a good school but just a reminder it's a boy school. It's situated in a nice area. The teachers are lovely, we had a parent's evening last month and all the teachers were very helpful. After the D&B kids are part and not part of the 6th form because they've got different teachers. They don't do classes with the LNS boys.

Edited

It’s good to know it’s in a nice area and the teachers are lovely. It would have to be pretty bad to put my daughter off, tbh, as she has her heart set on going. She’s even cancelling her interview at Brit School now that she has a place at D&B.

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Original poster
SimplySandy · 18/02/2026 14:56

ForArtfulTraybake · 18/02/2026 13:46

This is super helpful - thank you so much for sharing. We were all set on D and B and then saw information on the London Nautical School at this link here: https://www.theschoolsguide.com/schools/secondary/london-nautical-school-100642/index.html - I am still not sure what we will do...

I saw this too @ForArtfulTraybake but I wasn’t too worried about it though as I know D&B students are doing their own thing and not really a part of the school as it were and so I didn’t think a bad rating would necessarily be a reflection of the performing arts classes. I was more concerned about the fact that it was a boys’ school and wondered if it would feel like a safe environment for the D&B students. I guess we’ll visit it and see.

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Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 14:01

@ForArtfulTraybake The D&B kids are doing their performing arts classes there but they are not doing any classes with the LNS boys. Also they are there only 2 days a week and the other 2 days they are at a studio in Bromley. Your DD will enjoy D&B.

Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 13:56

@SimplySandy @ForArtfulTraybake Hi, LNS is a good school but just a reminder it's a boy school. It's situated in a nice area. The teachers are lovely, we had a parent's evening last month and all the teachers were very helpful. After the D&B kids are part and not part of the 6th form because they've got different teachers. They don't do classes with the LNS boys.

ForArtfulTraybake · 18/02/2026 13:46

This is super helpful - thank you so much for sharing. We were all set on D and B and then saw information on the London Nautical School at this link here: https://www.theschoolsguide.com/schools/secondary/london-nautical-school-100642/index.html - I am still not sure what we will do...

London Nautical School | The Schools Guide

https://www.theschoolsguide.com/schools/secondary/london-nautical-school-100642/index.html

Original poster
SimplySandy · 18/02/2026 13:42

Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 11:38

@SimplySandy Good Morning,
My son did start last September at the BTEC course and we are very happy with his progress.
The kids need to be on top of their works because they are busy.
No compaints so far, well organised. They offered extra top up classes in Dance,singing, acting...
This year they are 22 students (19 girls and 3 boys)

Edited

Thanks for responding, @Pegjes44 , that’s really good to hear. And how is he finding LNS? It feels weird to have accepted a place without having visited the school where they’ll have some of their classes. I suppose we could just visit though.

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Pegjes44 · 18/02/2026 11:38

@SimplySandy Good Morning,
My son did start last September at the BTEC course and we are very happy with his progress.
The kids need to be on top of their works because they are busy.
No compaints so far, well organised. They offered extra top up classes in Dance,singing, acting...
This year they are 22 students (19 girls and 3 boys)

Original poster
SimplySandy · 17/02/2026 09:02

ForArtfulTraybake · 16/02/2026 19:41

Did you accept the BTEC offer? Any additional insights since your post? My DD has an offer from there and we are considering sending her there.. Thanks!

We didn’t find out any more information but we did accept the offer, on the basis that my DD enjoyed her audition day, she liked the teachers and she has a friend who is going. They also have additional one to one singing lessons and extra dance lessons with the opportunity to do ballet and tap exams which my DD is keen to do. No idea if we’ve made the right decisIon but she’s super keen. What did you think of it?

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ForArtfulTraybake · 16/02/2026 19:41

Did you accept the BTEC offer? Any additional insights since your post? My DD has an offer from there and we are considering sending her there.. Thanks!

Original poster
SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 20:41

BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 19:24

Sounds good. I hope you so encourage her to get part time work if she can. Actors always need a side job! Things like events hospitality, market or social research, marketing, sales, hospitality or anything in theatres or arts venues.

She'll be great at anything to do with talking to people and interacting with the public.

Wishing her the best of luck in her studies and career x

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Thank you. X😊

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BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 19:24

SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 19:15

Thanks. My DD met some current students at her audition and got good vibes from them about the course. She liked the teachers too. The school has an in-house talent agency that students can audition for. Mainly it appeals because the course offers more hours than a standard BTEC and she can also do ballet and tap exams at the same time. She wants to either go straight into industry after the BTEC or to drama school to do MT.

Show quote history

Sounds good. I hope you so encourage her to get part time work if she can. Actors always need a side job! Things like events hospitality, market or social research, marketing, sales, hospitality or anything in theatres or arts venues.

She'll be great at anything to do with talking to people and interacting with the public.

Wishing her the best of luck in her studies and career x

Original poster
SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 19:15

BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 18:39

Awesome. Not sure if chip shop still there! Haha. But I think it would be great to try and speak to people who've done it or are doing the course.

Also what kind of links the course have to industry, work experience, links to agents, theatres, TV/film producers, casting directors etc.

Is she wanting to go to drama school, do MT degree/diploma after? Or is this course a similar level to Diploma?

Show quote history

Thanks. My DD met some current students at her audition and got good vibes from them about the course. She liked the teachers too. The school has an in-house talent agency that students can audition for. Mainly it appeals because the course offers more hours than a standard BTEC and she can also do ballet and tap exams at the same time. She wants to either go straight into industry after the BTEC or to drama school to do MT.

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BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 18:39

SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 18:29

Yeah, we’re not too far at all so it’s super handy, travel wise.

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Awesome. Not sure if chip shop still there! Haha. But I think it would be great to try and speak to people who've done it or are doing the course.

Also what kind of links the course have to industry, work experience, links to agents, theatres, TV/film producers, casting directors etc.

Is she wanting to go to drama school, do MT degree/diploma after? Or is this course a similar level to Diploma?

Original poster
SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 18:29

BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 18:24

Are you local to the area? I think if I remember right the nearest station was Grove Park if I'm thinking of the Downham in North Bromley?
There used to be really nice fish and chip shop on the high street in the 90s I think?

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Yeah, we’re not too far at all so it’s super handy, travel wise.

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BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 18:24

SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 18:05

Thank you. ❤️

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Are you local to the area? I think if I remember right the nearest station was Grove Park if I'm thinking of the Downham in North Bromley?
There used to be really nice fish and chip shop on the high street in the 90s I think?

Original poster
SimplySandy · 12/02/2026 18:05

BillieWiper · 12/02/2026 17:37

Ok cool. I'm sure the college is good it's just it'll be harder to get feedback from the Btec cohort if there's only been one. I hope the student services would let her connect with recent graduates? Wishing her the best x

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Thank you. ❤️

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