The BRIT School is a British performing and creative arts school located in Selhurst, Croydon, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, music, music technology, theatre, musical theatre, dance, applied theatre, production arts and the creative arts film and media production (FMP), interactive digital design (IDD), visual arts and design (VAD). Selective in its intake, the school is notable for its celebrity alumni. Opened on 22 October 1991 under the CTC programme, the school is funded by the British Government with support from the British Record Industry Trust and other charity partners and donations and maintains an

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...

status from the

local education authority Local education authorities (LEAs) were local councils in England that are responsible for education within their jurisdiction. The term was used to identify which council (district or county) is locally responsible for education in a system wit ...

History

Mark Featherstone-Witty Mark Featherstone-Witty OBE (born 2 June 1946 in London) is an educator and entrepreneur. He is the Founding Principal and Chief Executive of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) which he founded, with Paul McCartney, in the mid- ...

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 (SPA), he had refined a novel integrated curriculum. He approached Sir

Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British billionaire, entrepreneur, and business magnate. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields. Branson expressed ...

to be the project champion who agreed, on the condition that other record companies chipped in. As it happened, the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...

(BPI) 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 over 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 The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...

, administered via the record industry's charity, the BRIT Trust.The BRIT School Celebrates Twenty Years of Success, 22 September 2011
BPI. Retrieved 5 February 2012 In 2012, the school expanded 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 roll. The school's former principal Sir Nick Williams was knighted in the New Years Honours List 2013 for services to education. In 2021/2022 The school celebrated its 30th birthday and was awarded a PRS Music heritage awar
shaping UK Art and culture for 30 years

Educational focus

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 The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...

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 funded a new Television Studio that opened in 2019 for Film & Media Production students. This was in response to the student-run show "The BRIT Live" which airs on the BRIT School's YouTube channel, giving the students their own studio and control room to broadcast from.

Entry requirements

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 (strand) (either Film and Media Production (FMP), Applied Theatre,

Dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

, Interactive Digital Design,

Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

, Music Technology,

Musical Theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

, Production Arts,

Theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

and Visual Arts & Design, for sixth-form entry students), 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, Visual Art & Design and Musical Theatre courses also including audition rounds. The school has a wide catchment for students, whom often live away from school. Several students in foreign countries are accepted and move to London to attend the school. A 2011

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...

article discussed whether students who are accepted by the school get an unfair advantage in creative arts industries over those who did not.

Curriculum

The school teaches the following course:

Notable alumni

* Ace and Vis (TV/radio presenters) *

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...

(singer-songwriter) *

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...

(singer-songwriter) * Ashley Madekwe (actor) *

Bashy Ashley Thomas (born 4 February 1985), also known by his stage name Bashy, is an English actor and rapper. Early life Thomas was born in Hammersmith, West London, the first born of a Jamaican mother and Dominican father. He attended St. ...

(rapper/actor) *

Billie Black Billie Black is a British singer from west London (sub region), west London. Biography Black attended the BRIT School and studied jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She released her first single, "I Waited for You", in June 2014, ...

(singer) *

Black Midi Black MIDI is a music genre consisting of compositions that use MIDI files to create a song or a remix containing a large number of notes. People who make black MIDIs are known as blackers. However, there are no specific criteria of what is con ...

(band) *

Blake Harrison Blake Harrison is an English actor, comedian and dancer. He is best known for playing Neil Sutherland in the BAFTA-winning E4 comedy ''The Inbetweeners'' and more recently as 'Medium' Dan, in the ITV sitcom Kate & Koji since 2020. Career H ...

(actor) * Breakage (musician) *

Cat Burns "Go" is a song by English singer Cat Burns. It was released as a single on 31 July 2020, through Since 93 and RCA Records. Written by Burns, Tannergard, George Morgan and Jonah Stevens, the song rose to popularity in early 2022, eventually peaking ...

(singer) *

Cash Carraway Cash Carraway is a British-Irish author, playwright and screenwriter, best known for creating and writing the HBO series, '' Rain Dogs.'' Carraway first came to prominence for her bestselling book '' Skint Estate.'' Her writing is often compare ...

(screenwriter/showrunner) * Cat Sandion (presenter) *

Charlene Soraia Charlene Soraia Santaniello Jones, known as Charlene Soraia, is an English singer-songwriter. She first became known with a cover of The Calling's "Wherever You Will Go", which peaked at number 3 in the UK Singles Chart. She released her debu ...

(singer) * Cormac Hyde-Corrin (actor, filmmaker) *

Cush Jumbo Cush Jumbo (born 23 September 1985) is a British actress and writer. She is best known for her leading role as attorney Lucca Quinn in the CBS drama series ''The Good Wife'' (2015–16) and the CBS All Access spin-off series ''The Good Fight'' ...

(actor) *

Dan Gillespie Sells Daniel Giles Gillespie Sells (; born 20 September 1978) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known as being the lead vocalist and frontman for the rock group The Feeling. Biography Sells and his brother James were co-parent ...

of the band The Feeling *

Dane Bowers Dane Leon Bowers is a British singer, songwriter, DJ and producer. He was a part of pop boy band Another Level between 1997 and 2000 when he performed on seven Top 10 singles, before taking up solo projects with True Steppers and Victoria Beck ...

(singer-songwriter and former member of Another Level) *

Ella Eyre Ella McMahon (born 1 April 1994), known professionally as Ella Eyre, is a British singer and songwriter. She is known for her collaborations with Rudimental on their UK number-one single " Waiting All Night" (2013), which won the 2014 Brit Awa ...

(singer-songwriter) * Eman Kellam (presenter/YouTuber) * Emily Head (actor) * FKA Twigs (singer-songwriter and dancer) * Freya Ridings (singer) * Gemma Cairney (radio presenter) * Harris J (singer-songwriter) * Harrison Osterfield (actor and model) * Imogen Heap (singer) * Jade Bird (singer) * Jamie Isaac (singer-songwriter) * Jamie Woon (singer) * Jessica Morgan (singer) *

Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...

(singer-songwriter) *

Joel Pott Joel Laslett Pott (born 20 January 1979 in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie band Athlete between 2000 and their split in 2013 and a songwriter. Biography While a child ...

(singer/frontman of

Athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-de ...

) *

Joivan Wade Joivan Wade ( ; born 23 July 1993) is an English actor known for playing Manyou in the BBC comedy television series '' Big School'', Jordan Johnson on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', and Victor Stone/Cyborg in the HBO Max series ''Doom Pa ...

(actor) *

Kae Tempest Kae Tempest (formerly Kate Tempest; born 22 December 1985) is an English spoken word performer, poet, recording artist, novelist and playwright. At the age of 16, Tempest was accepted into the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in ...

(spoken word performer, poet, recording artist, novelist and playwright) *

Kate Nash Kate Marie Nash (born 6 July 1987) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. Nash launched her music career in 2005. Her 2007 single " Foundations" became a hit and brought her to public attention in the UK. Her debut album, '' Made of Bricks ...

(singer-songwriter) * Katie Melua (singer-songwriter) *

Katy B Kathleen Anne Brien (born 8 May 1989), better known as Katy B, is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut studio album, '' On a Mission'', in 2011, which spawned two top five hits, "Katy on a Mission" and " Lights On". In 2014 ...

(singer-songwriter) *

Kellie Shirley Kelly Jane Shirley (born 11 July 1981), known professionally as Kellie Shirley is an English actress who works in film, television, theatre and radio. She hails from Croydon via a large Northern Irish family. She has also co-presented programme ...

(actor) *

King Krule Archy Ivan Marshall (born 24 August 1994), also known by his stage name King Krule, among other names, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, rapper and record producer. He began recording music in 2010 under the moniker Zoo Kid. The fol ...

(singer) * Laura Angela Collins (poet, producer, author) * Laura Dockrill (poet, author and illustrator) *

Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved natio ...

(singer-songwriter) * Benjamin Coyle-Larner (rapper, under the stage name Loyle Carner) *

Luke Pritchard The Kooks () are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums). Their music is primarily influenced by the ...

(singer) * Lynden David Hall (singer) * Marsha Ambrosius (singer-songwriter and member of Floetry) * Maya Delilah (singer-songwriter and guitarist) * Nancy Sullivan (actress) *

Natalie Stewart Natalie "the Floacist" Stewart (born 13 February 1979) is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, spoken word artist, poet, and actress. Born in Germany and raised in London, she performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child, a ...

(singer and member of Floetry) * Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (actor) *

Octavian Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

(rapper) * Olivia Dean (singer) *

Percelle Ascott Percelle Ascott (born 10 June 1993) is a Zimbabwean-English actor and writer. He is known for his roles in the CBBC (TV channel), CBBC series ''Wizards vs Aliens'' (2012–2014) and the Netflix series ''The Innocents (TV series), The Innocents'' ...

(actor) * Polly Scattergood (singer) * Raye (singer-songwriter) * Rex Orange County (singer-songwriter/producer) * Rhianne Barreto (actress) * Richard Jones of the band The Feeling * Rickie Haywood Williams (presenter, Kiss FM) *

Rizzle Kicks Rizzle Kicks are a British hip hop duo from Brighton, England, consisting of Jordan "Rizzle" Stephens (born 25 January 1992) and Harley "Sylvester" Alexander-Sule (born 1991). Their debut album, ''Stereo Typical'', was released in 2011. As o ...

(hip hop duo) *

Robert Emms Robert Emms (born Robert James MacPherson; 20 May 1986) is an English film, stage and television actor, known for portraying Pythagoras in the BBC One fantasy-adventure series ''Atlantis'', and Leonid Toptunov in HBO's Miniseries ''Chernobyl' ...

(actor) * Róisín Mullins, (dancer and presenter) * Shawn Emanuel (singer) * Shelby Logan Warne (singer and multi-instrumentalist) *

Shingai Shoniwa Shingai Elizabeth Maria Shoniwa ( ; born 1 September 1981), known professionally as Shingai is a Zimbabwean-British singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the vocalist and bassist for the English indie rock band Noisettes. In 2017, she ...

of the band

Noisettes Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, currently composed of singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa and guitarist Dan Smith. The band first achieved commercial success and nationwide recognition with the second single of their se ...

(singer) * Stuart Matthew Price (singer) * Tania Foster (singer) * Talia Mar (singer and Internet personality) * Tara McDonald (singer) * Tom Holland (actor) * Twist and Pulse (performers) *

Will Bayley William John Bayley (born 17 January 1988) is a British professional Paralympic table tennis player, ranked world number 1. He is the 2016 Summer Paralympics Games gold medallist and the 2014 World Champion. From September 2019 Bayley parti ...

(Paralympian)

References

External links

Official website

The BRIT Trust
{{authority control City technology colleges in England Educational institutions established in 1991 Secondary schools in the London Borough of Croydon Educational charities based in the United Kingdom Schools of the performing arts in the United Kingdom Dance schools in the United Kingdom Science and technology in London 1991 establishments in England