Performing Arts 2025

[doesanybodyhaveamap]

Starting a thread re: performing arts applicants for 2025. If one already exists, happy to be redirected!!

Anyone pressed 'send' on their applications yet? Curious as to timelines for initial responses and to submit self tapes....

Buckling in for a long and nervous journey!

My DD is most likely Bird bound too! She has an offer from Laine which she hasn’t declined, but we didn’t get a nice ‘vibe’ from there and have heard very little positive feedback from students which is a worry. She also has an offer from Mountview but I think Bird has her heart. Despite the larger cohort it felt very supportive and on all of our visits the students seemed to be having a blast. 🙂

Is Bird college still a conservatoire?
I know it’s full name is “Bird College Conservatoire of Dance and Musical Theatre’ but I presume it takes more than a title to make it a conservatoire. 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

I don’t think a large cohort is necessarily a bad thing. More people to find your mates. More people to collab with in the future.

if people are set on an expensive course it might be worth asking to defer a year and to work for a year to build up funds. No idea if they would allow that tho

@BlumminNora I know exactly what you mean about the vibe at Laine, there was very little information given at the chat with the parents and I'm the same, no email response from Sarah Carrol either. My DD was buzzing after her Bird audition and I agree, student support seems way better than Laine, so that may well be the place. I've heard great things about Mountview, well done to your DD!!!

Bird have never been a member of Conservatoires UK which is what most take to having “conservatoire status”.

They are members of Council for Dance, Drama & Musical Theatre

@DramaSchoolInsiderthanks for this. Isnt Chichester a conservatoire?

See here for more info re conservatoires: conservatoiresuk.ac.uk/meet-our-members/

No, Chichester isn't a conservatoire.

A few years ago they did this big thing about being given conservatoire status, except there is no such thing apart from the link above from Dalekfan.

What they did have for their triple threat course was Spotlight/Equity accreditation (but so have many others).

Thanks for the link @DalekFan

Hi @Comefromaway What about GSA then? They also apply the conservatoire label to themselves? Do they have any better grounds for that than Chichester or Bird? Genuinely interested as have wondered this for months and got no really clear answer. At a recent GSA audition day their course leader was keen to stress they are the only university which has conservatoire status...but why them and not Chichester? Thanks if you can clear this up.

GSA are not members of Conservatoire UK either.

Anyone can call themselves a conservatoire, it’s not a protected title. But only members of Conservatoire UK have gone through a process.

GSA are, however, members of the Federation of Drama Schools which is arguable more appropriate than being a conservatoire.

In 2018 Luis De Abreu the then principal of Bird set up an organisation called Alliance of Musical Theatre Conservatoires. Bird, GSA, Urdang, Arts Ed & Mountview were the members. It was announced with a fanfare but seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Thank you for all that detail. It seems a bit meaningless if there is no actual agreed definition! My daughter has accepted an offer from Chichester MT triple threat today having gone through the various audition/offer/rejection process with Trinity L, Performers Essex, GSA this year as well as other non drama sch options. This whole thread has been so useful to read over the past few weeks. Daughter really wanted to go to GSA and did get a recall, but reading everyone else's experiences has really helped us manage our expectations. She seems happy enough with a decision made now, so fingers crossed.

Lots of places offer “conservatoire style training” which is the long hours and high % of assessment on performance.

CUK and the Federation of drama schools work together on a number of events and lobbying etc. A few schools are members of both, like CSSD. Either is a mark of a quality programme. To be a member of Conservatoires UK I think you need to have your own degree awarding powers which excludes some of the smaller schools. Although more were members before the break up of the conservatoire for dance and drama.

The funding list I posted earlier though is probably more helpful than anything else though. Ultimately the groups are just membership organisations like the Russell group or Million+ group. Whereas the funding helps you to understand where there is extra money for the programme. Still not perfect though eg GSA is part of Surrey uni who I am sure cross subsidises the programme from other areas even if the don’t get extra government funding.

I do think applying for drama/MT programmes was one of the most complicated things you can apply for in the uk. It’s really hard to understand exactly what is on offer!

Thank you (on her behalf!). She was really surprised to get an offer from MV and whilst we both really loved almost everything about it, she just isn’t quite ready to let her dancing go. This has been the hardest decision for her I think. Admittedly she was very tempted by Laine too, but the student feedback really put us both off. After her recall, a current student at MV advised her that because she’s a good dancer already, they won’t push her any further and she’ll need to be self motivated doing external classes to maintain her standard. The student wasn’t being negative, in fact was really encouraging her to accept the place as they’re loving it so very much, but said in reality the course is heavily singing and acting with very basic dance.
Over the past day or so she’s been quite excitedly talking about Bird so I do think that’s the one for her - I think that fizzy, bubbly, excited feeling is a good instinct to go by! I’ve provisionally put a deposit on accommodation (after checking I could get a refund if she picks Laine, for example) so if she’s still set on Bird by the end of the week, we’ll decline her other offers.
I’m excited for all of the students whose parents are busy fretting away on this thread - They all have years of hard work ahead of them for sure, but how lovely it is to be able to gain a degree in something that they’re so passionate about, as evident by the stamina they’ve demonstrated for these auditions, and something that makes their heart (and body 🤪) sing. x

It is so exciting isn’t it?? To know they will be happy and doing something they truly love for the next 3 years! And that we have at least 3 more years of seeing them on stage doing their thing too…

The ‘lightness’ that’s arrived in our house along with the RB offer is wonderful. A weight has been lifted off us all. Only the small matter of A Levels to get through now, but we’re all
feeling pretty chilled about that now that the plan for next year is in place.

Congrats to everyone on the offers. And to those who haven’t got there quite yet, I hope the many examples of amazingly resilient young people for whom persistence and determination has paid off give you hope that your time will come.

My son will also be going to Chichester for Triple Threat. GSA was his top choice but he didn’t get in.
I’m relieved he has an offer that he is happy and excited about.
Now to sort accommodation, fees etc!

@BlumminNorawhat course did your DD get offered at MV? If its MT are you saying there is less focus on dance?

Yes MT. They do include dance as part of the course, but not at an advanced level.

@BlumminNora how amazing that they could both end up at Bird!!!! I've put the deposit down too for accommodation on the assumption that we'll be a no for DADA. Seems there are only 45 DADA funded places and those are rated by talent? I didn't realise that! What lovely words too I terms of how exciting it is for them and us! My DD has worked so hard to get to this point and can't wait to see where she goes from here. Keep me posted as to where your DD decides on x

Well, as CSSD (part of University of London) is a member of Conservatoire UK, GSA are not being honest with that claim.

We’ve just heard from Laine and ahe’s been awarded full Dada!!! BUT she’s saying that she still thinks Bird felt more like home to her. 🫣
Oh Gosh … I think there’ll be some tears over this decision! (Quite possibly mine!)

@BlumminNora oh that's amazing!!!!!!!! Huge congratulations!! Although know it makes decision making harder lol!

I thought it might be useful to type out a list of all the institutions.

CONSERVATOIRES UK (rooted in the old music conservatoires but now more diverse)

LAMDA
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Leeds Conservatoire
Royal Academy of Music
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
Royal College of Music
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Trinity Laban Conservatoire

FEDERATION OF DRAMA SCHOOLS (originated from CDT & NCDT & Drama UK)

Arts Ed
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Drama Studio London
East 15
GSA
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Italia Conti
LIPA
Manchester School of Theatre
Mountview
Oxford School of Drama
RADA
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

COUNCIL FOR DANCE, DRAMA & MUSICAL THEATRE (used to be dance based colleges but drama schools joined during the time when Drama UK imploded before FDS was set up)

Arts Ed
Bird College
D & B Academy
Drama Studio London
Elmhurst Ballet School
English National Ballet School
GSA
Italia Conti
KS Dance
Laine Theatre Arts
LIPA
Liverpool Theatre School
London Studio Centre
MEPA College
MADD
Millennium
Mountview
Northern Ballet School
Performers
Stella Mann
The Hammond
Oxford School of Drama
Scottish Institute of Theatre
Tring Park School
Urdang
The Arden