Performing arts college

[Dawniemf]

My 16 year old daughter has been applying for colleges to start in September 25. She wants to study the triple performing arts (3 A levels) so far she’s been accepted into all 3 colleges she’s applied for but her favourite without fail is ‘The Hammond’ unfortunately this is a private school which will cost £30000 for the 2 year course. It seems fantastic and daughter has spent a full day there already and loved it. But is it worth paying so much money when the same course is offered in a free college? Anyone any experience of acting at the Hammond? And does anyone know of any funding?

Have you calculated for VAT on top?

It is approximately 5.5 thousand per term so I’ve estimated a bit more for other unexpected things. We would really struggle to pay this but if it benefits her and worth it I’m willing to pay

Ok so VAT is 5.5K per term? You need to factor in yearly fee rises as well as VAT

What does she intend to do afterwards?

@Dawniemf Some full-time performing arts courses are funded by the MDS (Music & Dance for age 11-16) and DaDa schemes (Dance & Drama Awards 16+) on a sliding scale, and the Hammond School is part of that scheme, depending on which course has been successfully been auditioned for. Has she been offered the Professional Diploma? If so, then you need to ask them about funding.

Which other schools/colleges have offered her a place? Other institutions also offer DaDa funding, but many only take in at 18+.

Unfortunately the acting and performance course isn’t part of the Dada scheme only dance or musical theatre which she doesn’t want to do

If drama is her main interest, then might it be worth staying on at school to do A-levels and then applying for degree-funded courses in two years' time?

Ah - edited to add, I have just found out by looking on the gov.uk DaDa funding page that only dance and MT are funded at 16+, for drama you have to wait until you are 18. So that would explain why it is not offered at Hammond for her age group.

@taxi4ballet she really only wants to do the triple acting course which only a few colleges offer. She has been accepted into the others which are funded but the Hammond is definitely hers and our favourite but just wondering if it makes a difference where she studies before then going on to a drama school for a degree as finding 30 grand is going to push us to our limits.

just wondering if it makes a difference where she studies before then going on to a drama school

Others will probably have more direct experience than I do - but I don’t think it should matter. DS2 is an actor and is currently taking four A levels (one is drama and theatre; the others are unrelated) before hopefully doing a drama/film degree. He has several older friends who have got into different drama schools for a mixture of MT, dance and actor-musician courses. Some took performing arts courses at college instead of A levels, but they were all at local state funded sixth form colleges rather than private. The one who got into a major drama school for the actor-musician course was at the same school at my DS and took drama and other unrelated A levels.

I think it's mad tbh

That £30k (probably more like £40k by end of course) wisely invested could set her up for life (LISA, S&S ISA etc)

My cousin did her A levels at the Hammond. Amazing school and she had a great time but it made no difference in the end to anything.

@destiel00 its a crazy amount of money but they’ve sold it well. Think she’ll end up going to LIPA which is completely funded but didn’t want it to impact on where she goes next

My dds friend goes to LIPA
He's having the time of his life 😀

@boulevardofbrokendreamss shes wanting to go to one of the top drama schools in London

One thing I would say is that there definitely needs to be a Plan B and that means A-levels in at least some academic subjects. The performing arts industry is notoriously difficult when it comes to the job market, even if you have trained somewhere prestigious.

No, doing a specific Drama course at 16 at a specific school won't significantly affect her chances of getting into Drama school at 18. A lot of 18 year olds don't pass their first auditions anyway as they lack the life experience/maturity. Esoecially at places like RADA. Plenty go to university then to Drama school as postgrad.

Musical Theatre and Dance are a bit different. Specoific training earlier is better for those but it's still not necessarily any better at more expensive schools. Quite likely but not guaranteed.

In the long run it makes no difference.
In the short run it is a much more enjoyable experience to be private educated versus state.

Save the money for her later education instead of struggling

For acting it's a waste of money, unless you have the kind of income that means it's easy to fund.

You would be better saving it for drama college at degree level - especially given the level of competition and the numbers of years it can take to get a place.

It's not like academics where getting 4 A* will get you a place. So much depends on things like age (they like they to have life experience) and look. They're not going to take more than a couple of each type... so if you are blonde and blue eyed, you might be amazing but you're not getting a place if they've found a slightly more amazing blonde with blue eyes.

Having been involved in the industry for a very long time, they really need a good plan B. There are thousands of drama graduates out there with no work.

It absolutely will make no difference whatsoever if she wants to go to Drama School. Drama Schools don't care where you did your A levels.

I understand how much she must want to do all performing arts A Levels because its what she enjoys, but in terms of future career prospects it's really not important at all. If it's going to be a struggle financially I'd save that for if and when she's at Drama School. If anything there is a real push at many Drama schools to look beyond privilege

Being an actor is tough. It's tough to get into Drama School, it's tough to get your first job and it just gets tougher. It sounds like she's determined though! 30k would be better spent when she's not worked for a year and can't afford the tube fare to an audition. That's the reality for most actors.