2 Year Vocational 6th Form

Prospectus

“Read has given me the confidence to go that extra mile, keep motivated, be myself, and most

importantly never give up!” Tommy, 2011 Graduate now on a full scholarship in London

2 Year Vocational 6th Form Training at Read Dance and Theatre College

Why train at Read College?

Our full-time vocational training has excellent, proven track records. Over the last 3 years almost

90% of our Acting graduates, and a full 100% of our Musical Theatre graduates, have secured

places at top UK Dance and Drama Colleges for their further training, giving them the best

possible start to their career.

Our 6th Form offers students aged 16+ the chance to train as professional performers with some of

the top tutors in the theatre industry, whilst at the same time gaining nationally recognised

qualifications that will give them the UCAS points required to apply to degree level courses.

Although it is possible to gain Performing Arts A-Levels or BTEC qualifications in the secondary

education sector, the approach training at Read College is very different. Our students benefit

from being in classes for 27.5 hours per week – far more than local education establishments are

able to offer - and as a vocational school we are very lucky to have some of the top Performing

Arts teaching professionals on our Faculty, giving students the level of technical training and

performance experience that is expected by the theatre industry.

Regular visits by tutors from leading Drama Schools and Dance Colleges, and by top industry

professionals such as actors, directors, and choreographers, are an integral part of the 6th Form

course, leading to our excellent examination and college entry results.

Course Content and Structure

The 6th Form at Read College is a 2 year, full-time course running from Monday- Friday for 36 weeks

of each academic year. Students benefit from 27.5 hours of contact time with tutors every week.

In the 1st year of our 6th Form, students have the chance to experience a large variety of

disciplines in theatre, which gives them a wide knowledge and broad skill base on which to build

their future training and career. In 2nd year, students specialise in either Acting or Musical Theatre,

focussing their attention towards their future career path and preparing to audition at the major

UK Dance and Drama colleges for their degree or conservatoire training. Our students are trained

by leading industry experts in their field, and the weekly timetable of classes includes:

Dance... Ballet, Jazz Technique, Commercial Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Body

Conditioning and Pilates, Musical Theatre

Voice… Private Singing, Ensemble Singing, Audition Repertoire, Estill Voice Training,

Acting Through Song, Music Theory, Speech and Verse, Voice for Actors

Acting… Audition Repertoire, Improvisation, Shakespeare, Performance Classes,

Contemporary British Drama, Contemporary American Drama, Stanislavsky,

Classical Acting,

Other… Audition Preparation, Theatre History, Guest Workshops, Performances

What Else Should a Student Expect?

Our high level of pastoral care at Read College is something that we are very proud of, and we

take a deliberately small number of students (15 in the 6th Form and a maximum of 50 in total

across the college) so that we can get to know each and every student and help them to make

the most out of their training with us.

As well as regular tutorial sessions with senior members of staff to ensure the students’ wellbeing,

we also have a range of support services available which are subsidised by the college. These

include:

Massage (Sports/Holistic), Osteopathy, Counselling, Nutrition

When joining Read College, students auditioning from outside of the area or outside of the UK will

also benefit from a full accommodation support service, provided by our partners at Host-Link

International. This will include placing you in vetted and assured halls of residence with other

Read College students, or placing you with a host family in the area who will have had a full

background check carried out as well as having their accommodation inspected by Host-Link.

Finally, our exceptional links with the industry mean that you will benefit from workshops with tutors

from schools including:

Mountview, GSA, Arts Ed, London Studio Centre, Urdang, Millennium, RADA, etc

“I auditioned for ‘Read’ because I didn’t feel ready to audition for three year courses… I felt it

would provide me with the stepping stone that I needed to progress, and it did just that!”

Aquira, 2013 Graduate now on a full DaDA award in London

Accreditation and Qualifications

The 2 Year Vocational 6th Form at Read College is accredited by EdExcel as the Level 3 Extended

Diploma in Performing Arts, equivalent to three A-Levels (180 credits). However, whilst taking this

qualification is mandatory, and our expectation is that all students will achieve the highest

standards under the expert tuition of our teaching faculty, the focus of the 6th Form at Read

College is on delivering high quality vocational training balanced with excellent industry-based

careers advice.

This means that we do not simply teach you the modules needed to get you your qualification.

Instead, we go far and above the required number of classes in order to create young

professional performers with a good knowledge of their industry and a sound career path planned

out. Throughout the 2 years, students will study a wide variety of disciplines, and their focus will be

on achieving artistic excellence and gaining a place at top Dance/Drama College for further

training. By careful management, the senior faculty at Read College will ensure that this training

also meets and surpasses the requirements for achieving the highest marks in your qualifications

without limiting your studies or prescribing the way that the training is delivered.

By the end of your course you will not only have the equivalent of 3 A-Levels… You will also have

the best possible chance of getting into a top Dance/Drama College thanks to our unique links to

the industry and high standard of teaching.

What Now?

Entry to Read Dance and Theatre College is by audition only. We do not favour one discipline

over another, and so we encourage applications to our 6th Form from all students who want to

have a career in the Performing Arts, whether in Dance, Musical Theatre or Acting.

Further details of the college, including location, fees, teaching faculty, and our other courses can

be found on our website at www.rdtc.org.uk.

Open days are organised on a one-to-one basis, and if you would like to book an appointment to

come and visit the college then please contact our Administration and Admissions department on

admin@rdtc.org.uk or 08451 307408 (local rate call from anywhere in the UK) or 0118 9512204.

To apply for an audition for our 6th Form you can use our online application service at

www.rtdc.org.uk or you can fill in the application form overleaf and return it, with a cheque for

£35 made payable to Read Dance and Theatre College, to:

Read Dance and Theatre College

Administration & Admissions

PO Box 6271

Reading

RG19 9JZ

Application for Audition

Details of your previous Performing Arts training (please give as much information as possible):

Which course are you auditioning for?

1 Year Foundation Course in Musical Theatre

1 Year Foundation Course in Acting

2 Year Vocational 6th Form in Performing Arts

First Name:

Last Name:

Home Address:

Post Code:

Date of Birth:

Telephone:

Email:

(Note – we will use this to send your audition letter where possible so please only provide an

address you check regularly)

Your previous education, including GCSE/AS/A-level/equivalent grades:

Please tell us why you want to audition for this course:

How did you hear about Read College?

Website The Stage Move It

Local Newspaper Recommendation Other

Details of any relevant experience, e.g. Performances, Work Experience etc:

Do you have any disabilities that we need to know about?

No Yes (Please give details below)

Details:

Declaration and Audition Fee:

Please note that your Application will not be processed unless you enclose your audition fee of

£35 made payable to ‘Read Dance and Theatre College’ with this form.

I confirm that I would like to audition for Read Dance and Theatre College and that:

*I have parental permission to do so as I am under the age of 18

*I am 18 years old or over

(Please delete as appropriate)

Signed (by applicant if over 18, or parent/guardian if under 18)__________________________

Date _________________________