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BRIT School

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BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology
Address
Map
The Crescent

Croydon
,
London
,
CR0 2HN

England
Information
TypeCity Technology College
Established1991
Local authorityCroydon
Department for Education URN101849 Tables
OfstedReports
PrincipalNick Williams
GenderMixed
Age14 to 19
Enrollment880 (600 in Sixth Form)
Websitehttp://www.brit.croydon.sch.uk/

The 'London School for Performing Arts & Technology' (most commonly known as 'The BRIT School' for Performing Arts & Technology) is a prestigious British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible. Selective in its intake, the school is notable for its numerous alumni including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Jamie Woon, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Katie Melua,The Kooks, Imogen Heap and The Midnight Beast.

Established in 1991 under the CTC programme, the school is funded by the British Government, with substantial support from the British Record Industry Trust, and maintains an independent school status from the local education authority.

History

A precursor to the 'free-school' and CTC movement, the BRIT school was established after Kenneth Baker, Secretary of State Education approached Richard Branson in 1998. Despite Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher describing the institution as a school "for out of work actors", the school was successfully established in 1991

Mandate

Beatles Gig (Music)

The school recognises that most of its students intend to make a career in the arts, entertainment and communications industries, but the school expects all to follow full time courses to completion. It has a professional theatre, The Obie Theatre, which can seat audiences of up to 700. There are also various dance studios, musical theatre studios and TV and radio studios.

The school was founded in 1991 under the auspices of the City Technology Colleges (CTC) initiative with sponsorship from The British Record Industry Trust (BRIT). Each year the BRIT Awards Music Ceremony raises money, some of which is used to help the continuing sponsorship of the school along with other music charities.

The school is constituted as a registered charity under English law.[1]

Entry

Entry to any of the school's courses is initially by application. If applicants meet the initial entry criteria, they may then be invited to interview in their chosen focus (either theatre, Broadcast and Digital Communication (BDC), music, musical theatre, drama, dance or visual arts, or technical theatre for sixth-form entry students), plus a meeting with relevant tutors. Entry to the Music course also includes some aural and music theory tests, with entry to the Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre courses including audition rounds.[2]

Dance Vision (Dance)
Steer The Stars (Musical Theatre)

Growth

The school is planning on a large amount of growth starting in 2012. After buying the school next door to add in addition to the set of buildings the school already has in use. More courses and a lot more places are likely to be introduced as well.

Television Appearance

It was announced in March 2009 that the Kudos (production company) Children's BBC programme of M.I.High would be filmed at the school. GMTV did a one week focus on The BRIT School, which was shown in the mornings for a week. Alan Carr's talk show 'Chatty Man' spoke about the BRIT School on the 13th December 2010. An episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me was filmed at the BRIT School in spring 2011 where the final contestants had to serve lunch for students of the school.

Alumni

References

  1. ^ "London School for Performing Arts & Technology, registered charity no. 802372". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. ^ http://www.brit.croydon.sch.uk/school/documents/2007-08prospectus/General%20Info.pdf General information[dead link]

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