Boarding School with strong drama

[HKMum2]

We live in Hong Kong and my DD is asking to go to the UK and board, she wants to 'further her drama'. She's regularly on stage in Hong Kong having performed as Brigitta in Andrew Lloyd Webber's touring production of Sound of Music, has played many leads such as Little Red, Jemima in Chitty Chitty and is about to play Eliza Dolittle.
Sylvia Young and Italia Conti don't do boarding if i understand correctly so am looking for an academic school with very strong drama facilities and contacts. Google can only provide so much so would love to hear from other Mummy's, thank you!

My understanding of Tring Park is that at sixth form students have around 4.5 hours of academic study from 8:30-1pm each day, then vocational studies from 2-6:30pm each day.
In comparison, my daughters school has 5 1hr lessons each day. So hardly any difference.
Plus, because there is so much dance they don't do separate PE classes.
Students have the option of studying up to 4 A levels, but from chatting to the dance students (who are the largest group as they are in a 3 year course), many prefer to take extra dance classes instead. For the Drama, MT and Commercial Singing students that isn't the case.
Certainly at the open day and the auditions day, the staff emphasised the need for academic study. And cited the example of the Head Boy who is now studying medicine rather than PA.

I think it all depends on how much money the op has to spend. I looked at Tring Park years ago and it was so far out of our price range it was a non starter.

I think those recommending some of these schools must be extremely rich. The op might only be able to afford SY or IC + boarding.

Tring Park and Hurtwood House are around £30-£40000 per year

Tring and Hurtwood are very expensive but Tring is a specialist boarding education so you cannot really compare it to a day school. There are bursaries! Anyone intending to board from HK knows the score!

Bedes in Sussex. Co-ed, (40:60, girl:boys) rising academic standards. Has the Legat dance school onsite so is used to pupils doing performances & having to rearrange academics for them. Arts are very strong, so are sports. Huge hanger-like building used practically every sport you can think of! Boarding houses are all newly built & the school offers lots of extra curricular activities. Around 40% board with a good sized contingent from HK. New Head started this year, however no idea what he's like. I believe it's one of the very few schools that offers A levels & BTEC at sixth form? It's non selective & one reason DS chose it over an academic school was because it's so academically diverse. He loved it there & we would highly recommend it.

Forgot to add it's less than an hour from Gatwick airport. Best of luck with your search

You could join Notapushymum and ask for advice there. However would agree with others that if she wants to be in stage productions she may find it easier to get cast in HK, especially as an early teen. There simply aren't that many opportunities in London for that age group and those that there are tend to go primarily via stage school agencies and to those living within 45 minutes of central London. Then you can look at applying for likes of Hurtwood for 6th form.

But if the ops dd went to SY or IC then she would automatically be in the agency. Early teens should be no reason for not getting work. The bar would be if dd grew too tall I.e. Over 4ft 11"

And Hurtwood House is more expensive than Eton.

Agree with Oundle (for school drama - almost positive that they are not supportive of time out of school for professional work; seem to remember an ex pupil of mine having to turn down a job because it was term time and Oundle said no).

Also:
St Edwards, Oxford - not top flight academic but pretty decent, great theatre, reputation for excellent shows (I've seen some and was impressed) and lots of professional and inspiring staff. Awesome new music centre too, if your daughter is musically inclined.

Uppingham - also a lovely theatre and lots of opportunities. Know less about it though.

Bloxham - small but punches above its weight for Drama, imo. Also not massively academic though.

Schools that I know offer Drama Scholarships (many public schools still don't, or only as part of an all rounder, which tends to suggest they value music and art more highly):
Bradfield (also has a performing arts scholarship)
Bloxham
Bedford (not sure if that's a day school only)
Rugby
Repton
Oundle
St Edwards
Cheltenham College
Tudor Hall
Pipers Corner
Brighton College

However, whether or not any of those schools would have places at 14, I'm not sure (their scholarships are for 11+, 13+ and/or 16+, not 14+)

Pipers Corner no longer offers boarding and is day only.

Queenswood offers Drama scholarships. Also near London and is in the Good Schools Guide as recognised for Drama.

Hurtwood House has an outstanding reputation for this.