Top Performing Arts Colleges in the UK
There are plenty of top-notch acting schools in the UK. Some are more famous than others. For example, Central School of Speech and Drama is a large school that offers a comprehensive range of courses. It also has a reputation for being one of the toughest to get into.
Another great option is Rose Bruford. This is a well-known acting school that offers University-level degrees. It works closely with BBC North and Granada.
RCS Glasgow
RCS Glasgow is one of the world’s top destinations to study performing arts. The school is committed to providing one-of-a-kind learning experiences that help students grow into the artists they want to be. Through a curriculum built around performance, students refine their art to reflect, shape and transform the world around them.
From playing side-by-side with professional musicians to treading the boards at Shakespeare’s Globe or taking the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by storm, unique performances are part of the fabric at RCS. Students can also be found on stages and screens across the UK and internationally.
Located in the heart of Glasgow, RCS is home to a variety of performance venues and state-of-the-art studios. In addition to teaching in a broad range of performing arts, the school has a strong reputation for research and innovation. In fact, the school has launched a pioneering BA in British Sign Language and English – the first of its kind in the world.
Rose Bruford
The London campus offers a range of activities that nurture young creatives and performers. From watching plays at the National Theatre or Shakespeare’s Globe to exploring edgy experimental performance art, students will have access to London’s rich cultural scene. Students will also be able to explore a variety of research libraries and collections that are dotted across the capital.
Rose Bruford is one of the UK’s leading drama schools and offers vocational and professional undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in acting, production arts, management and design. Students from around the world join a collaborative community and work on over 75 productions each year. The Sidcup campus is built around Lamorbey House in a beautiful parkland setting and is just 23 minutes by train from central London.
The school’s student accommodation is a short walk from the campus and is offered in flats or en suite rooms. There are also plenty of private rented properties nearby, and Facebook groups help students to find rooms and share with other students.
LAMDA
The LAMDA campus has a range of theatre spaces and technical workshops which host productions throughout the year. Students and visitors can also enjoy the cafe bars and facilities. The school has a strong reputation for its bespoke training programme and provides access to state-of-the-art experimental materials research facilities.
A full range of peripatetic LAMDA teachers are in place to offer the best possible teaching to students. They work with girls from Year 7 to Year 12 providing a great opportunity to improve their self-confidence, communication skills and acting ability. They can also take LAMDA exams which can count towards their UCAS points total when applying for university.
As well as their regular classes the children are encouraged to use their creative skills in other ways such as through improvisation, mime and devising drama. They can take part in an annual performance showcase for parents which they work on in small groups, with the help of their peripatetic teachers.
Arts Ed
Arts Ed offers a range of activities, including performances for young audiences and students, professional development for educators, summer intensives, teaching artist guided activities and classroom lesson plans. It also provides research and model program development.
In 2021, Michael Attenborough, son of Oscar-winning broadcaster Sir Richard, was hired to lead Shakespeare lessons at ArtsEd, but he was accused of staring at female students during the rehearsal process and making comments that some considered offensive. He left after the first day, according to two ex-employees.
Nagle wrote a letter about the incident to trustees that she placed in a mailbox for them. But she didn’t give evidence to Tuck, and her concerns were not addressed. Sources told Deadline that the clash was just one of several tense exchanges between students and teachers in recent months. ArtsEd has said that it has introduced new whistleblowing and complaints procedures since Tuck’s review. However, people connected to the school say that the change has not been enough.