Proven strategies for retaining drama students

A guide for performing arts academies

Arts subjects remain under pressure in many primary and secondary schools, and opportunities to experience the arts within a school context remain scarce for a lot of students. Consequently, the number of GCSE music and drama students fell by a fifth over the last decade, and funding for arts and culture programmes in schools was recently found to have dropped to just £9.40 per pupil. This means the role of performing arts academies is more important than ever for nurturing young talent.

To support performing arts colleges in this important role, we spoke to Principals from several drama schools to gather their expertise on how to retain students long-term. They divulged some of their tried-and-tested approaches and have provided advice for performing arts academies and drama schools to help keep student numbers high, for all the right reasons.

STUDENT MOTIVATION

Why is a student retention strategy important?

For many of the performing arts academies we spoke to, it is common for students to stay with them a long time – on average between six and ten years. Some find that there are key age groups to focus on when it comes to student retention: if you engage students at these decisive times, they’re more likely to continue their lessons in the long run. These age groups are ages four-five and seven-eight; the schools have found that if enjoyment and progress are high during these periods, then students sustain their drama lessons, even through the tricky teenage years, with their additional pressures on students’ time.

Nichola West, Principal at Busybodies Stage School in Norfolk, explains that their student retention strategy is important because drama – and the arts in general – should be open to everyone, without barriers:

‘We’re proud of how many teenagers we keep and that’s because of our flexibility: we know that there are crunch periods for teenagers, so we always say that as long as we have some notice and they can give us a reason why, we will accommodate their changing requirements.’

Nichola recognises that, if students have been busy revising for exams, then taking a break from classroom learning and doing something physical for an hour is good for students’ mental health as well as a productive break in their revision – and most parents appreciate this, too.

Nurturing and developing key drama skills takes time, so the longer your students are able to stay with you, the more likely they will be to reach their full potential. Encouraging students to ‘stay the distance’ benefits everyone; from the students themselves to younger ones or newcomers watching the talent of older, more experienced students; as well as staff and the overall reputation of the academy.

Jennifer Pando, Principal at Stagecoach Solihull explains the impact on student relationships of working with a group over time:

'Over the years they actually become ‘a company’ – the friendships they make extend over years. Working together so closely means they grow to trust and nurture one another as an ensemble, and they achieve even more together, which is wonderful to see.'

Jennifer continues by explaining the impact on the range of acting and musical theatre material you can develop when students return to the school year-on-year:

‘If you retain as many students as you possibly can, you can devise more challenging work because their skills are so much more developed and they're more in tune with one another. When the standard becomes so high, those experienced students pull the quality of everyone else up.’

Anna McNamara, Principal at The Guildford Theatre School agrees, explaining:

'Consistency and sustained activity are essential to cognitive development. The longer they stay with us, the more successful the learning and teaching impact.'

But it’s important to remember that a core group of dedicated students will always be better for the school and students’ own learning than a large group of poorly motivated students. Anna adds that at Guildford Theatre School, they pride themselves on retention but also appreciate that long-term drama classes aren’t for everyone, and accepting this is part of their student retention strategy.

Key strategies to engage students over time

The performing arts academies who shared their approaches with us employ a range of effective classroom strategies to aid student engagement, and several themes emerged. Below are some of the most successful methods these schools use to forge lasting relationships with students, and which help keep them coming back for drama classes, year after year.

Provide and celebrate progress milestones

If students feel their progress is tangible over time, they’re more likely to show dedication to their lessons and remain in performing arts colleges. This can be encouraged by strategies such as:

1. Moving students up through classes and levels (tied to their age and ability)
2. Rewarding milestones with certificates, such as one year or two years at your performing arts school.
3. Having specialised, additional groups for singing,dancing or acting which students can aspire to be invited to join, additional to their wider studies.
4. Trying a broader range of styles and genres, along with more challenging material which only comes with experience and maturity.
5. Annual reports from staff outlining student successes as well as targets which students can then begin working towards next term.

Brenda Whitehead, Principal of Big Red Curtain Performing Arts, runs an annual event dedicated to celebrating students’ achievements over the course of the year. In the summer term they hold their annual presentation of awards where 300-350 of their students, friends and family culminate at a local venue for an afternoon of performances and celebration. Brenda says for everyone in attendance, this is an opportunity to reflect, reward and shine a light on the hard work of students over the past 12 months:

‘This year's theme was the roaring 20s and the event took place in the art deco ballroom of a local hotel built in the 1920s. The performances of musical theatre and drama for family and friends was the first in nearly two years, so the afternoon gave the students a much needed lift.’

Nichola West – whose Busybodies Stage School is celebrating its 40th anniversary – has noticed a lot of change in attitudes to marking student milestones. It used to be a lot easier to plan prize-giving ceremonies and publicly shout about student achievements, whereas she finds that there are now a lot more questions raised around fairness and inclusivity. So instead, Nichola uses detailed, specific and in-person feedback at the end of each lesson to let parents know how their child’s learning is going:

'We give feedback to parents and students at the end of each lesson as we say goodbye. We believe in actionable, real-time feedback so that parents know what their child needs to work on and give them the tools to help them practise and make progress at home.'

Anna McNamara, Principal at Guildford Theatre School, agrees that usually hearing a specific piece of praise from a teacher as a new skill is unfolding in class, is more meaningful than waiting until an end of term report. For this reason her school – and many others we spoke to – forgo a formal written report at the end of each term or year, and instead give frequent verbal feedback to students and parents. Anna says that at her school she finds:

'Parents tend to be happy if their child is happy: the two annual performances speak for themselves when it comes to seeing student progress. Saturday schools have to be engaging or students simply won’t come, with all the other draws they have on their time. So the fact classes are full and busy, students want to return and clearly see their own progress says enough – there’s no need for reports.'

Connect students with professional experiences

Receiving insights into work in a real-life professional performance venue and with adults who work in performing arts roles offers great inspiration for students – especially in reiterating the importance of having exposure to a wide range of skills. Young people who are 'triple threat' performers, or who have working knowledge of both front and backstage roles are more likely to maintain their interest over time. If they can see explicitly the skills necessary to secure professional roles, they’re far more likely to dedicate themselves to their performing arts education over longer periods of time.

Students at the Shelley Lowry School of Speech and Drama get involved in every aspect of putting on a professional performance in a theatre, from devising the script to running technical rehearsals. This means they also get to see how a professional theatre works - such as Health & Safety during the technical rehearsal. Shelley Lowry, School Principal and Founder, explains:

'This is so important for our students as they learn how to develop character, the importance of physicality, working in a team and adhering to schedules and timelines. Plus the thrill of performing live theatre and the audience reaction cannot be replicated!'

At Stagecoach Solihull, Jennifer Pando describes how they hold a whole term of workshops where students can meet industry professionals who show them what it’s really like to work in real West End musicals:

‘We run Q&A sessions at the end of these workshops where young people can ask things like ‘What’s the audition process for getting into Frozen the musical?’ and ‘What does an average week look like in the Hairspray musical?’

Additionally, schools we spoke to told us they offer workshops with external experts in disciplines such as:

• Physical theatre
• Mime
• Television
• Scriptwriting
• Musical theatre
• Business management. 

At Busybodies Theatre School, they have introduced wider performing arts skills to offer students a broader understanding of the industry and to give the school a competitive edge, as their Principal, Nicola West explains:

A new area we introduced three years ago was Aerial & Silk classes. Having spoken to industry experts, they advised that this was in growing demand and these skills will give a performer a broad employment scope. We were already investing in building a new studio on our site, so the steel frames were built into the design, giving the school flexibility to teach children and adults

They have also introduced more screen-oriented, technical experiences for learners at their centre, as Nichola continues:

'We are proud of our in-house green screen filming facilities. Being able to teach the difference between stage and film acting, and filming students, has given a new dimension to our offering and we have noticed this is unique to our local area, potentially aiding student enrolment and retention. I believe it is important to keep up with new ideas and technology, embracing changes in the performance industry.'

Run a casting agency

In addition to giving students a taste of performing with professionals in a working theatre, some academies also run their own casting agencies for those who want to take their work to the next level, or are considering pursuing a career in the performing arts.

Big Red Curtain Performing Arts runs a casting agency which is exclusive for their students, and they have managed to secure paid work for students, including projects with: BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Film 4 Productions and TV commercials, as well as paid roles for live performances. They include this service for free, maintaining their mission to ‘seek to find performance opportunities and work experience in the performing arts industry for all of our students’. Having a service, or close ties to casting agents, can really help young people see that what they are doing and has the potential to lead to genuine professional opportunities, therefore helping retain students over time.

Students across the academies we spoke to are able to benefit from a variety of valuable, paid professional experiences, such as working in:

• West End shows
• Touring pantomimes
• TV and radio adverts
• Voice work on apps and video games
• Radio plays
• Short films.

For schools who do not have the opportunity to run their own casting agency, building close relationships with external agencies can be a way to ensure students have access to commercial work opportunities, should they seek them. Anna McNamara, Principal at Guildford Theatre School emphasises that it’s important to manage expectations in tandem with connecting students with opportunities:

‘I am very honest with parents about the time, cost and logistics it takes for children to get to auditions and jobs – it almost becomes a full-time job for parents. I did it myself as a child and it can be incredible for opportunities, but it’s not easy and demands a lot of the family unit. I always let parents and students know the realities before they begin.’

The industry is overcrowded with eager young performers and their parents, so Anna continually emphasises the importance of the enjoyment and long-term skills achieved through regular performing arts classes, above stardom.

Support students on an individual level

Students are far more likely to stay in performing arts classes if they feel supported, and know that their individual needs and career aspirations will be respected and catered for. At Busybodies Theatre School, Principal Nichola West, promotes a highly individualised approach from the moment parents make contact with the school about lessons – which then continues for the child’s whole journey:

'When someone new joins our school, we have an in-person or phone conversation with the parents about what the child wants to achieve and to set expectations: you can only get so far with a questionnaire. This personalised approach ensures we put students in the right classes, which is particularly important with male students (who are fewer in number) and those with additional needs.'

Shelley Lowry of Shelley Lowry School of Speech and Drama uses individualised learning journeys at her school, which are developed over time with the student to enable personalised, targeted singing, dancing and acting training:

'Student engagement is vital. We apply a bespoke mentoring strategy to each student, helping them develop their individual performance or communication skills to their fullest potential. This takes time and the best results are achieved when a student attends our classes for three academic years or more.'

Shelley says it is this supportive approach that contributes to students attending for longer periods:

'Most students stay with us for many years. They stay because we care about their individual needs, providing a positive and nurturing environment where every student feels supported and welcome. Students feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgement or reprisal. Their individual performance styles and skills are celebrated and developed.'

Not only are performing arts academies places for students to develop their confidence and experiment with expression in a safe environment, but for students with additional needs or who might struggle for other reasons at school, it provides a place of tangible and meaningful progress.

Students, no matter their abilities or needs, are encouraged through adapted materials and classroom strategies, so that progress is within everyone’s grasp. Making this messaging clear to students and parents from the start – that all learners are welcome and that provision is made for everyone – helps performing arts academies attract and retain a broad range of students.

Busybodies Theatre School has a Special Education Needs (SEN) specialist on their staff to ensure students of all abilities are supported and that lessons are accessible to all students. Their Principal, Nichola West says:

'She helps us plan lessons, attends with students who have additional needs for the first three or four classes, and ensures the student is getting the support they need, from understanding instructions to finding a quiet place for them to have some time out during the break.'

The school also offers a discreet bursary system for families going through significant financial hardships. Nichola continues:

'We believe financial, health or any other kind of hardship should never be a barrier to the performing arts. We have Ukrainian refugees at our school who we’ve given costumes and equipment to; if students are finding it difficult to attend classes, we have a bursary system and find alternative means of getting them to class.'

Shelley Lowry stresses that it is also important to acknowledge when students are struggling with external pressures such as GCSE and A Level exams - and to adopt a flexible approach where possible:

'Understandably, students stop attending when they have a heavy GCSE or A Level timetable. I offer the students the opportunity to ‘pay as you go’ if they are sitting GCSE or A Levels in the months of May and June.'

This is an approach employed at many of the schools we spoke to: it’s better to show understanding and offer flexibility, especially for students who are at commonly stressful points of their academic careers, in the hope that they will return to the performing arts classes later, than showing no wiggle room and losing them for good.

Give students ownership and responsibility

If students genuinely feel like they can make their own mark on productions and shows, they are more likely to be fully invested in their parts. They’ll not only be excited to work towards a show during the year, but they will also look forward with anticipation to next year’s production. Ownership goes hand in hand with responsibility, so it stands to reason that the more ownership students have of a performance, the more there is at stake and therefore the more effort they will put in.

One student we spoke to, Olivia Macnab – from York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre – explained how the school formalises the decision-making process with students through a forum which meets twice a term to help adult leaders make decisions:

‘This is an utterly invaluable opportunity, and one I would encourage every Youth Theatre to consider. Our regular roles include planning the trips for each group, and planning and helping run the Big Yorkshire Youth Theatre Festival. We are also on hand to assist at other large events; for example, we made and gave a presentation on the Youth Theatre for a Minister and other VIPs who attended an arts evening at the theatre.’

These options for leadership have helped Olivia to maintain a connection with the group in a lighter touch way during times when it has been difficult for her to attend weekly sessions, such as during exam season. She was able to develop her skills in directing, taking an active role without the commitment of being a full-time cast member. Instead of having to leave altogether, students can take on mentoring or back-stage responsibilities to fit around their wider pressures.

Brenda Whitehead, Principal of Big Red Curtain Performing Arts, says that giving everyone a say in what they create is crucial to student retention and that this approach has even saved the academy from losing students:

'Students have considered leaving for various reasons - money, or wanting to try a new hobby - but then have changed their minds because they have been involved in an inspiring piece of work that has triggered their imagination. Every term we sit and plan the term’s work and find a theme we would all like to work on.'

Nichola West adds the importance of encouraging students to teach you new things too, and feel like they are 'experts' in something the teacher doesn’t know about. This ‘two-way street’ enables students to feel like their opinions and interests matter:

‘Students come to me with a new craze or fad and it keeps me young and my teaching fresh! They showed me how TikTok works and then I said – 'Okay then, well how would Romeo and Juliet perform a TikTok?' And they love the fact that they’re teaching me new things.’

Create age-appropriate roles and responsibilities

Mixing age groups and ability levels within projects can both inspire confidence in older, more advanced pupils and help younger students learn and feel inspired and engaged.

Brenda explains how encouraging ties between students forms close bonds and enhances the experience and performance for everyone taking part:

'We actively encourage our more advanced students to work with the younger ones to enable them to pass on their experience and knowledge and this develops a very special bond. I believe that this is perhaps one of the most important things that the younger students learn - to work together, regardless of age and ability and to feel involved in something on a much larger scale.'

Older students can really benefit from taking on leadership roles and practise using a variety of skills to help out in different ways. Rosemarie Partridge, Principal at Theatrix, finds a peer-to-peer approach when it comes to creative direction and expression helps students flex different skills and build confidence and ownership:

'We encourage our older students to help backstage on our musical theatre productions, and to help with the younger students when they can. We also give them opportunities to direct each other’s work when appropriate.'

This collaborative approach between students is echoed by Anna McNamara, Principal at Guildford Theatre School who encourages a lot of class time to be given to constructive peer-to-peer feedback, but explains this has to be modelled by teachers first, as it’s a complex skill to develop:

'Lots of time is built into lessons for student feedback: for example, we give 20 minutes to devise a piece, 20 minutes to perform it and then 20 minutes for the group to give feedback. Worthwhile feedback has to be modelled and practised so each child is given a different focus in their group, to say one sentence of critique, such as body language, voice projection or emotional conveyance.'

The responsibility of giving feedback in front of the whole class can be a lot for some more shy or younger students, so Anna scaffolds this for students to ensure everyone feels confident:

'Groups come together before giving feedback to work out what they’re going to say. Plenty of time is given for teacher and student feedback, which indicates to students just how important it is. The teacher walks around constantly, giving really specific feedback to individuals and identifying where progress has been made. This helps other students see what great feedback looks like and to give it themselves.'

Some less-experienced teachers may feel like they aren’t being active enough during this process, but Anna feels that knowing when to hold back and let students give one another support, observing and listening, is just as difficult as active teaching; you are transferring responsibility to the students.

Many performing arts schools tell us that students are expected to bring and present their ideas to the group at the start of a new topic. If they feel passionately about performing a particular show, then they need to make a cohesive, persuasive case about why it would be suitable for everyone. Nichola West explains how this looks at her centre, Busybodies Theatre School:

'The initial classes are student led: they need to be passionate about the materials being presented and have a drive to develop them. Students are encouraged to offer multiple ideas and over the first few weeks, the theme or pieces are explored. The suitability is considered and whether there are sufficient challenges to stretch the students’ learning.'

In one example at Busybodies, the 10-11 year old group was desperate to perform Six: The Musical. So as well as creating an adapted version of the performance (to make it age appropriate), Nichola used it as a great opportunity to study some historical context:

'We learnt about Henry VIII as well as some of the dramatic practitioners, playwrights and customs of the time. This really stretched and challenged the group to open up their range of influences on the performance.'

Working with students to study pieces that they are enthusiastic about, yet finding new opportunities for wider learning and more advanced skills, is the ‘sweet spot’ that will keep students coming back to their performing arts classes over time.

YOUR LEARNING COMMUNITY

How to involve the whole learning community

Your retention strategy needs to consider all stakeholders – students, parents and teachers. Make retaining and delighting your students – and their parents – a focus, and recruitment, plus retention, will follow. If students enjoy and show growth through your classes, parents will identify this as a positive impact of their child attending your school. Siblings and friends of students are far more likely to join your centre if both students and parents can sing the praises of your approach.

Word of mouth is the best advertising you can get, and this comes down to keeping your existing customers happy so they do the hard work of promotion for you, becoming advocates of your drama school. Nichola West, Principal at Busybodies Stage School, allows older students to take photos of themselves (not other students for safeguarding reasons) during class so that they and their parents can share them on social media. Not only is this free positive promotion for the school, but it’s a way for progress and achievements to be informally shared and celebrated between students, friends and family. Not shying away from the platforms learners now want to share their interests on, means a whole learning community is opened up to students and schools who embrace this will feel the benefits, too. 

Get creative when engaging parents

Anna McNamara, Principal at The Guildford Theatre School explains there are three factors that lead to positive parent relationships and engagement:

'A strong and enabled teaching team is key to success, alongside effective and efficient communication from school administration. Clear and visible leadership is the third strand which I believe is key. All of these factors build both an inclusive and student-centred learning and teaching experience, as well as individualised customer service.'

As well as in-person conversations about progress at the end of lessons, and social media engagement, schools can simply ask parents to leave quick Google reviews for the school – a powerful online tool which many parents will check ahead of reaching out to your centre.

Diversify your offer

As well as keeping older students engaged by listening to their feedback, it’s important to consider how accessible your offer is for families with children of all ages. Widening your offer to younger students as well as adults is a great way to keep the whole family engaged; drama schools and musical theatre is for everyone, even if they don’t want to pursue it for a career.

Big Red Curtain Performing Arts offers classes from early years to post-18 year olds, as well as a summer option for all the family, as Brenda Whitehead, Principal explains:

'We find that our summer workshops - where we produce a short musical in a week - enable childcare, but also encourage young people to get involved in the arts in a hands-on, creative way.’

As well as Aerial & Silks, and Green Screen training, Nichola West, Principal at Busybodies Stage School, offers technical learning to their students, such as:

• Using camera equipment and lighting to film one another
• Location filming
• Key industry vocabulary and best practices.

Despite the range of skills developed by lessons at her school, however, Nichola reiterates:

‘The introduction of new courses or skills must never be a substitute for strong teaching and learning.’ 

Promote your students within the local community

Holding an annual showcase at a local theatre is a great way to boost your presence and make yourself known to the local community, as well as adding cachet and a sense of occasion to the event for parents and students. Anna McNamara says:

'An annual show in a professional venue, one for acting and one for musical theatre and dance, showcases the students’ work. It also sets us apart from other schools.'

Likewise, Rosemarie Partridge, Principal at Theatrix has impressive yearly performance traditions at her performing arts school:

‘We put on an annual showcase in a 240-seat auditorium theatre for four performances where every child has a chance to show their work.’

At Stagecoach Solihull, they take every opportunity to get students used to performing live – from end-of-term set pieces to open mic and live lounge events, plus outdoor performances for the public, as Jennifer Pando explains:

‘We do a lot of open-air theatre – we’ve performed in The Dell at The RSC, and there’s also a public location in the centre of Solihull. It has a grassy bank and flat area at the bottom; it’s perfect as an outdoor theatre. We used it to showcase our singing and dancing pieces and it was absolutely rammed with people. It’s a great way to give outsiders an idea of what we do, and performing outside is very different, so it gives students a new set of skills.’

Showcasing student performances and progress on social media, and via other digital platforms can really buoy the confidence of students, according to Shelley Lowry, Founder of School of Speech and Drama:

'We have a presence on Facebook and Instagram, and a website. We like to update our followers with any success the young people have had, or what they are currently involved in.'

Students and their parents are motivated to share the content on their own channels and, aside from being full of pride at their achievements, they actually become brand ambassadors for your centre, helping to spread the word in the most positive way. Indeed, Anna McNamara highlights that at Guildford Theatre School 99% of acquisition is done through word of mouth, which includes social media. She has tried other marketing methods – such as sponsored Facebook posts, newsletters and local mailers – but the recommendations of parents and students, particularly after public performances, is still her most powerful tool.

DRAMA EXAMS

How drama exams help student retention

Drama exams can take the form of live performances in front of an examiner or recorded digital exams. There are numerous, wider benefits to offering graded exams and other drama qualifications at your academy. Enjoyable experiences in themselves, the exams help to add value, give parents and students something tangible to show for their investment, as well as supporting students with progression to further study and equipping them with transferable life skills.

Plus, preparing for an exam doesn't have to mean labouring away at a limited number of set pieces for months on end, risking engagement from students. Depending on the exam board and specifications, there are options to prepare well-known scripts or songs and have a free choice of texts.

As Brenda Whitehead, Principal of Big Red Curtain Performing Arts explains:

'Ownership of their work is so important and the return to face-to-face exams with a superb Trinity examiner brought so many tears of happiness, relief, joy and a determination to continue their academic and performance journey once again. The results were fantastic and in the words of one of our long-standing students: 'We are back'.'

Show value by demonstrating progress

Demonstrating progress is a key factor to consider as part of your retention strategy, as this will help parents to see the value of your offer - and to keep paying the fees. For students, exam success is a great motivator and the satisfaction and sense of achievement they will get by progressing through the grades will help them to see their future at your performing arts academy. Anna McNamara, Principal at Guildford Theatre School, says:

‘Exams afford the opportunity to formalise progress and achievements: we have worked with Trinity for 20 years and love their exams because they really celebrate the students.’

Exams aren’t just a way for talented students to gain recognition for their skills, either; they can be a tool for instilling self-confidence and self-worth. If you're looking to inspire confidence in your students through exams, you may want to look into pair and group exams options to help give students the structure and support of peers to gain their qualification.

Benefits of pair and group exams include:

• Recognition for all students, including those who may not be confident enough to take solo exams yet.
• Creative, stage management, and technical teams can be entered for assessment as well as the performers so that every student’s achievements, on and off the stage, will be recognised and rewarded.
• Experience of working as part of an ensemble for students, mimicking musical theatre in a professional context.
• The ability to explore diverse material; as the group forges trusting bonds together over time, they can be further stretched and challenged.
• Whole-group teaching so everyone in the class is striving towards the same objective and teachers can really immerse learners into one project.

Jennifer Pando, Principal at Stagecoach Solihull explains why the group exams are ideal for some of her students:

‘I like group musical theatre exams because I think they are great for the children who aren't necessarily very forward or are a little bit shy. They will really rise to the challenge because they want to do well for their team; it makes them accountable and show commitment to others, just as they would have to in a professional setting.’

Nichola West, Principal at Busybodies Stage school, agrees, adding:

Students take ownership of their personal exam journey and with positive feedback about their progress, they thrive. If the piece is from a musical, for example Little Women, it is vital that the student does not just focus on the piece being used for the exam but understands the context, subtext and objectives of all the characters directly influencing their own.

Another option for academies looking to branch out into new areas are Trinity’s Acting for Screen qualifications which develop a range of practical skills. These are highly aligned with the screen acting industry, enabling students to feel that they are getting real value from their tuition.

Whichever syllabus is chosen, the option of exams to support lessons is an excellent way to give a clear target of achievement, offer progression of skills through the grades and the students are rewarded with certificates and reports at the end.

Boost drama school applications

If you have students who are considering going on to further study in the performing arts, then encouraging them to take drama exams will help with the logical progression from your performing arts academy to further education.

Brenda Whitehead says:

'We encourage students to take Trinity College London examinations to ensure that their development and UCAS points can help them to further succeed in the arts if they choose to go on to a Conservatoire, as many of our students have done in the past.'

One student we spoke to, Cameron Vargesson, says that getting used to performing in an exam setting helped him during auditions for drama school; a lot of the skills are the same:

‘Preparing for the exams certainly helped me when it came to preparing for musical theatre auditions, because it’s a similar skill set when it comes to knowing the context behind songs in musicals, and knowing why they’re being sung. It’s helped me with my musical ability as well. Doing it in front of an external panel for exams has also helped get me used to performing for other people.’

The UCAS points attached to higher drama grade exams and the highest level of Trinity's Acting for Screen qualifications can be invaluable to all students applying to higher education institutions, not just those aiming for performing arts courses. Shelley Lowry explains:

‘The UCAS points in particular are so valuable. One of our students recently won a place at Liverpool John Moores University to study teaching special needs children. At his interview, they said, because of the UCAS points he had accrued with the Trinity exams and the experience that he had with performing and speech and drama and musical theatre, they were happy to offer him a two Cs for a course that he would normally have had to have got maybe an A and two Bs to get into.’

The Trinity qualifications aim to prepare students for the further world of performing arts, introducing skills and structures that can be later honed by further education institutions or drama schools. The focus is on the student’s understanding of the texts, which can be personalised for the student for each exam – this is why many teachers we spoke to, including Nichola West, choose Trinity’s exams over other exam boards:

‘Taking ownership of your pieces and your own learning is a significant reason why our school follows the Trinity offering. We have found with alternative exam boards that the work can be memorised in robot form and students can achieve a high mark by meeting the criteria but not embodying the character, text or even deeply understanding it.’

Gain valuable transferable life skills

Entering students for graded exams will give them an edge when it comes to their grasp of performance skills. Even if they are not planning to pursue a career in performance, these are 21st century skills which will stand them in good stead regardless of the path they choose. Rosemarie Partridge, Principal at Theatrix, makes transferable skills a focus by inviting professionals beyond the performance industry to come and speak to her students:

'We have just started inviting professionals from related industries to connect our older students with transferable skills. We hope to keep up the older students’ interest through this channel.'  

Drama exams develop a range of transferable skills including communication skills such as listening and responding, leadership and teamwork skills, as well as creative problem solving, time management and research skills.

Helping students – and parents – appreciate the way drama creates a well-rounded skill set for the future is vital. Drama schools are about personal development; they encourage social and emotional understanding – essential skills for success in wider studies, future pursuits and life in general. Nichola West gives an example of just one of the pathways an ex-student took, thanks to their drama lessons at Busybodies Stage School:

‘A past student, who is now a top educational psychologist, has shared with me how her drama and theatre training gave her the skills to pursue her dream career. She was a nervous and shy child and the performance training gave her confidence and knowledge of how to engage with others, building a strong foundation of communication skills.’ 

Whatever pathways our young people take in the future, they need to understand that drama classes will only enhance their growth and give them a competitive edge when it comes to important moments in their lives, such as auditions, interviews and exams. Shelley Lowry, Founder of The Shelley Lowry School of Speech and Drama sees this in action all the time:

'Those individuals who have studied communication and performance skills have a distinct advantage over those who have not. They are inclined to be more confident in interview and presentation situations.

'Several of my students apply to continue their performing arts training with third level institutions every year, however, most apply the skills they acquired through our classes in other walks of life. Past pupils have gone on to work in film/radio/television, as doctors, solicitors, teachers and many other professions.'

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