Best South-East Secondary School for Drama - Cranleigh/Hurst/Bradfield or other?

[Zedlister]

Hi there.
My DS wants to be an actor. (I've highlighted that he might need a back up plan if he doesn't want to live with his Dad and I until he's 40.) His prep school say that he's very good at Drama. So I guess we might as well go with it it for a while. However, DH is adamant that he should have a 'normal' education - aka not go to Drama School.

We live ten minutes from Cranleigh School - So should I bother looking further afield than that? I've heard locally that Drama is very good there. Hurst also keeps popping up in conversation too. Plus Bradfield, but that's going to involve the M25 for drop off and pick ups as we don't want him to fully board.

Please could you guide me on any schools you've heard of that are great for singing/acting within an hour of Cranleigh.

DS is OK academically - one of those who could do really well if he wanted to, but will prob be a straight B student, like his mum! He's reasonably sporty and very full of energy.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

honestly don't over think this if not yet at secondary. All your local schools will have active drama departments (look at websites for details of recent productions), and you could also explore local am dram / operatic society groups who will put on productions. all schools will also have peripatetic singing and speech lessons if you want extra tuition. There's plenty of time for change of mind etc and its best to focus on all round aspect of secondary until at least GCSE. Post 16 choices much better for specialist education if he is still determined (my DC at specialist sixth form now)

I would consider Frensham Heights a bit alternative but probably gettable from where you are. Also plenty of other schools closeish to you.

Thank you. Yes we have done the local clubs route, singing Grades at school and winner or best actor in year etc. The annoying thing about (beep!) pre testing is that while they are in year 5 you have to think about what they need/would be best for them when they are 16.

I def think you are right about looking for specialising at 6th form. However, as he's at a prep that would mean only 3 years in a school before looking for 6th form specilalising in Drama. I know that's totally doable but due to house moves he's been to 4 schools by aged 10. So now we are settled I was kind of hoping to get it right aged 13, so he could stay at a school for 5 years till 6th form. Maybe I'm making my own problems. He seems pretty relaxed!

If it makes a difference, of my DC current leavers at 18 less than a handful got into drama schools. That’s from a school that has far more facilities and support and training than most. It’s absolutely brutal in this area and so I do think you should just go with a school that suits all options (which WILL change!) and see where he is at 16/18.

Best to get a good all round education before sixth form then look at more specialist courses at sixth form.

Not sure of your exact location, are you anywhere near BRIT School. It's state but funded by the BRIT Foundation and you couldn't pay for better performing arts training. Hideously competitive, but then so is acting and best to find out early if your DC has any chance of making the grade. Study programme is BTEC level 3 extended diploma which is the best preparation for high level vocational training at drama school. Can also do an optional A level if high enough GCSE grades. Sixth form leavers regularly get places at the top drama schools and there's a long list of well known past pupils.

I am always banging on about the place as DD just completed sixth form this summer in the musical theatre strand and has loved working with some of the most talented young people I have ever seen. It has been fabulous for her

As you are looking at private/public I'd say have a look at St Edwards oxford or Harrow? Both have great drama school. St Edwards for the middle tier, slightly less academic and there are options for drama and lighting etc GCSE and Harrow because lots of drama but a bit more all round. Or wellington has a new all singing all dancing drama facility (personally not a fan of Welly)

Or keep it simple and stick to Cranleigh!

If you are near Cranleigh could you look at GSA weekend drama school. Epsom College has good drama facilities as does St Johns Leatherhead. Bedes near Eastbourne has a dance/drama school. Alternatively Hurtwood House is a specialist performing arts school at 16.

I'm a drama teacher in a prep school. Definitely support the idea of not going to a specialist school at 13. Most good senior schools have facilities and opportunities that will more than prepare a child for a more specialised performance career at 16, 18 or 21. Acting is a hugely competitive and oversubscribed profession and the more alternative and academic options you can give a child, the better.

I'm not totally sure where Cranleigh is but I would heartily second the suggestion of St Edwards - fabulous drama, music and dance departments. Bradfield also has a good reputation. Both schools offer drama scholarships and Bradfield also has a performing arts scholarship.

My oldest daughter is at a specialist Arts school (Tring, which might be workable for you but it does have a dance/musical theatre emphasis) and, if wasn't for the fact that she really wanted to go there and that's the school that offered us the best scholarship deal, I don't think it would have been my first choice. The Arts education isn't that much better than somewhere like St Edwards and the academics aren't as good.

Wow - really great tips. Thank you all so much. DS would love Tring. I interviewed former pupil Lily James recently and it put it on radar for me. But as DH doesn't want that I will carry on looking. Oxford is more than an hour away. Could try BRIT school as Croydon not too far (if 55 mins is not too far). Mind boggles. I want to do the best I can as a Mum in these early years but at the end of the day if he's good enough and determined and lucky enough he'll make it I guess.

Wish I had crystal ball.

My DD joined Tring Park last year as a 6th former on their acting course. Lots join in 6th form, and we’ve found that both the vocational and academic teaching is very good.
There are NO academic tests to join the school so you can’t compare it’s results to any school with entrance exams. From the Head down there is a lot of emphasis put on the importance of good grades, and back up options.
We weren’t ready for our DD to leave home before 16 so didn’t consider this any earlier, but I’m so pleased she’s there’s now.