BRIT School


The BRIT School is a British performing arts and technology school located in the London Borough of Croydon, 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 celebrity alumni, including Amy Winehouse, Adele, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Katie Melua, Joivan Wade, Cush Jumbo, Loyle Carner, Kate Nash, Black Midi and Tom Holland.
Established in 1991 under the CTC programme, the school is funded by the British Government with support from the British Record Industry Trust and maintains an independent school status from the local education authority. The school is remarkable as being one of only three performing arts and technology schools in the country that are free to attend.

History

had been inspired by Alan Parker's 1980s film Fame to create a secondary school specialising in the performing arts. By the time he started trying to raise money through the School for Performing Arts Trust, he had refined a novel integrated curriculum. He approached Sir Richard Branson to be the project champion who agreed, on the condition that other record companies chipped in. As it happened, the British Phonographic Industry were concerned with home taping and realised they had no political influence to bring the necessary pressure to bear. The then Conservative government needed to give impetus to their flagging City Technology College scheme.
For nearly 30 years, the BRIT School has been the beneficiary of funding from the British record industry, with a substantial annual contribution from the proceeds of the Brit Awards, administered via the record industry's charity, the BRIT Trust.
The school's former principal Sir Nick Williams was knighted in the New Years Honours List 2013 from services to education.

Mandate

The school was founded in 1991 under the auspices of the City Technology Colleges initiative with sponsorship from the British Record Industry Trust. 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 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 two professional theatres, the Obie Theatre, which can seat audiences of up to 324 and standing audiences up to 500; and the BRIT Theatre, which opened in January 2012 and seats audiences of up to 280. There are also various dance studios, musical theatre studios, and TV and radio studios. YouTube Music has just funded a new Television Studio to be opened in 2019. https://www.musicweek.com/digital/read/we-re-passionate-about-the-work-of-the-brit-school-youtube-music-funds-studios-for-students/075400

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 or audition in their chosen focus, Community Arts Practice, plus a meeting with relevant tutors. Entry to the Music course also includes aural and music theory tests and an audition, with entry to the Dance, Theatre and Musical Theatre courses also including audition rounds.

Growth

The school expanded in 2012, acquiring part of the former Selhurst High School building next door. Three new courses, Production Arts, Interactive Digital Design and Community Arts Practise were introduced to coincide with this. There are currently 1352 Students on role.

Media appearances

Although the Brit school has produced many successful alumni, the school has attracted criticism: a 2011 BBC News article discussed the issue of whether students who attended the school have an unfair advantage over those who did not.

Notable alumni