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Gifted and talented

Talk to other parents about parenting a gifted child on this forum.

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Original poster

Performing arts schools

12 replies

erak · 09/01/2011 12:19

Hi there

My child was identified as G&T 2 years ago but i am not sure where to go with this as her school does not seem to have a programme that works with children who are Gifted and talented . My child is amazing at Performing arts and i have been told she is actually performing a year ahead of her class and at distinction level , She is currently in year 10 so i'm really hoping to get something sorted for her A levels and uni . She has an amazing singing voice as well . She would love to attend a Performing arts school but they are way over my budget . Does anyone have any ideas of how to get her into a school where her talents can be nurtured .

OP posts:

onimolap · 09/01/2011 12:33

Are you near Croydon? The (only?) state performance academy, the Brit School is there.

Original poster

erak · 09/01/2011 12:38

Thanks for the reply onimolap Unfortunatly i am in Yorkshire. Someone did mention the Brit school but it has no boarding so it would not work for me .It would have to be something more local

OP posts:

WKMum · 09/01/2011 14:42

Hi Erak,

I started a thread about Theatre Arts Schools a while ago in relation to my DD www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/955222-Advice-on-Theatre-Arts-Schools/AllOnOnePage

Some of the info on it might be helpful to you.

Original poster

erak · 14/01/2011 05:42

Thanks WK mum it has helped just getting info that i can look into . I Appreciate it !!!

OP posts:

confidence · 14/01/2011 13:13

The Arts Educational School in Hertfordshire - actually I think it's now called "Tring College of the Performing Arts" or something - offers boarding.

It's one of about half a dozen very high calibre music, dance & performing arts schools in the country (along with the Purcell School, the Yehudi Menuhin school, the Royal Ballet School etc.) that run like private schools with very high fees, but are massively subsidised by the govt, so that anyone who passes the gruelling audition process can afford to go there.

The full fees are about 25 grand a year, but you only pay that if you EARN over about 200 grand a year. Below that it's on a sliding scale, down to completely free if you earn under about 15 grand. (Figures approximate - it's a while ago I looked into it).

I know a couple of people who went to the Purcell school, full boarding, and didn't pay a penny. There's a name for this scheme but I can't remember what it is - there may even be other performing arts schools in it as well.

confidence · 14/01/2011 13:17

Here you go:

www.dcsf.gov.uk/mds

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts was what I was thinking of, and there's also the Hammond School in Cheshire though I don't know anything about that or whether it has boarding.

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 14/01/2011 15:34

A small handful of students from local comps here have got into courses at Central School of Speech & Drama and similar over the years.

I assume a lot of this must have stemmed from their extra-curricular activities though.

I think first thing you and DD need to do is:

look at uni courses at CSSD and similar
look at their entry requirements
see if what your DD's school and external activities are likely to lead to these entry requirements. Maybe ask DD to speak to head of perf arts at her school?

I think the key is a LOT of extracurric. stuff

fidelma · 14/01/2011 21:58

There are awards for talented children to these schools cald MDS music and Dance.

There is a stsate school in Scotland called Knightswood secondary school which has the Dance School of Scotland as part of the school.If you live in Scotland everything including board and travel is free \I am not sure what the cost is, if any is if you live south of the boarder.

Tring has a fantastic reputation.

Original poster

erak · 15/01/2011 07:18

Gosh there is a wealth of information here . Thank you all for your help. I'm cracking on your suggestions as i type .
regards
kare

OP posts:

cory · 15/01/2011 20:50

Even if you can't manage a fulltime drama school for your teen, there are plenty of chances to do drama as an extra-curricular activity, and many of them offer the change to take part in productions like pantos etc. Private singing lessons might also be worth while if she is not already having them. And ballet is not a bad thing either.

Original poster

erak · 21/01/2011 19:21

thanks for the advise Cory shes doing singing lessons and did ballet when she was little but has become so tall ballet is not an option anymore :) !!!

OP posts:

Horton · 21/01/2011 19:33

She needs to be able to dance at some level if she's thinking of musicals. Height is irrelevant - she just needs to have the basic skills. Obviously ballet wouldn't be an option for someone who hadn't done years of training by your DD's age. But dance as a skill would benefit any performer.

If she's mainly an actress, then waiting until 18+ would be fine for taking this further. She should start saving money now if she's thinking of drama school - it's expensive. And in the mean time, she should get involved in as many extra-curricular drama, dance and singing activities as she has time for.

Don't forget the basics, though. The vast majority of performers need basic skills to fall back on between jobs. She should concentrate on getting the best GCSEs and A Levels she possibly can and learn to type. Temping is always a useful thing to be able to do if you need to be able to attend auditions at short notice.

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