What is life like at a stage school?

1805 · 2013-08-29T13:20:57+00:00

dd (only 8) has announced she wants to go to stage school. TBH, dh and I have known it was only a matter of time before this happened. I would not want her to go before 11 or even older, but it has got me thinking....... Can anyone shed light or offer experiences please? Will obviously talk to her current saturday theatre school people, and we know about the profession, but any MN stories would be great please. (good and bad ones!!) Thank you.

JammieMummy · 29/08/2013 15:56

I don't have first hand knowledge I am afraid, but my SIL went to a well known London stage school, which has produced some well known names. She didn't rate it at all! She did very poorly in her GCSEs as the school didn't focus put any merit in getting good grades. She now does nothing at all to do with the stage, acting or anything similar. Her firm view is that they teach you not to have a back up plan should the stage not work out, as this is seen as not being committed enough to the career; while it may work for some clearly not all of the talented children are going to "make it" in the long run.

On the plus side she still has an excellent singing voice (naturally good but she does credit all the vocal training she did too). Sorry not to have a better or more in depth review but my suggestion would be to look very carefully at how focused the school is on the arts to the exclusion of all else (for example Tring Park have a 91% pass rate at A Level which would suggest a good emphasis on other qualifications).

Original poster

1805 · 29/08/2013 16:25

Yes - Tring Park happens to be our closest, so that's our starting point. Your post confirms my worries.

On the plus side, dd is average academically (fine) and loves the performing arts. It may change of course as she is only 8, but it would not surprise me if she ends up somewhere like Tring.

I only know 1 person who went to stage school well enough to talk to, so would love to hear other stories.

OP posts:

JammieMummy · 29/08/2013 17:10

I don't have first hand knowledge I am afraid, but my SIL went to a well known London stage school, which has produced some well known names. She didn't rate it at all! She did very poorly in her GCSEs as the school didn't focus put any merit in getting good grades. She now does nothing at all to do with the stage, acting or anything similar. Her firm view is that they teach you not to have a back up plan should the stage not work out, as this is seen as not being committed enough to the career; while it may work for some clearly not all of the talented children are going to "make it" in the long run.

On the plus side she still has an excellent singing voice (naturally good but she does credit all the vocal training she did too). Sorry not to have a better or more in depth review but my suggestion would be to look very carefully at how focused the school is on the arts to the exclusion of all else (for example Tring Park have a 91% pass rate at A Level which would suggest a good emphasis on other qualifications).

KingscoteStaff · 30/08/2013 07:46

Has she been watching School for Stars (about Italia Conti)?

It's been on CBBC every morning through the holidays.

Original poster

1805 · 30/08/2013 19:20

Ooo. No. Shame we missed it. Was it any good?

OP posts:

Labro · 30/08/2013 20:05

New series starts on Monday afternoon

JGBMum · 31/08/2013 07:54

If you check the extra curric boards there's a good thread started recently by a mum whose daughter is at performing arts school
Sorry I can't link from my phone

Elibean · 31/08/2013 18:09

A friends ds goes to a stage school in London. He is very happy there, but academically it really isn't that great. He's planning on going to the local sixth form college to study art, when he leaves....