Sylvia young theatre school

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Lechia78
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Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Lechia78 »

Hi, my son is 12 years old and has just got a place into Sylvia Young Theatre School. Just wondering if someone could tell me a bit about it like if it is Difficult to
Get into it? Not sure if they accept a lot of kids or if it is actually an achievement to get in lol. Sorry I don't know to
Much about it but have heard amazing things which is why we auditioned. We are actually from australia and will be relocating over for him to attend.
Thanks
Robin64
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Robin64 »

Gosh if I was going to relocate across the world I would want to know everything before taking the plunge. Sorry can't help though, I have no idea about syts.
Lechia78
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Lechia78 »

The good thing is , if he doesn't like it we come home! LOL. I'm sure he will though and a chance to experience a different country. I know what the school does hence why we audition. But I don't know how competitive it is to get into it.
FredaBloggs
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by FredaBloggs »

Lechia78, congratulations on your DS on being offered a place at SYTS. My understanding is that it is somewhat easier to gain a place for fee-paying applicants (as opposed to scholarship), and for boys, simply because the pool of applicants is smaller for each of those groups. However entry is still competitive and it is by no means easy to gain a place.

I think SYTS is a great school and my own DS will be applying there. However, in the nicest possible way, it's not a school I'd uproot a family and move continents for - and I say this as someone who has willingly moved continents in the past myself.

If it is training that your DS is after, I find it difficult to believe that an equivalent standard of training for this age group isn't available somewhere in Australia, even if it's not a full-time school or you have to move within the country to access it.

If the attraction is professional performance opportunities, the school can't guarantee those - the agency can put children forward but there's no certainty that they will be cast in anything at all. Also, the opportunities available to your DS may be limited by his age and height. Your DS is 12 now - the upper age limit for casting in West End shows is usually 13 and the height limit is typically 5'. These limits are less applicable to screen and advert work, but in the UK children under 16 need to work under licence and require a chaperone. Over 16's are free of these restrictions so a young-looking over-16 will often be cast to "play down" for a 14-15 y-o character. Therefore there is often a natural hiatus in professional work from about age 14, and SYTS prefers children to concentrate on school work from Year 10 onwards due to GCSEs.The opportunities for professional work may not be as great as you suppose, and professional work as a child is no guarantee of a successful transition to an adult performing career. Many successful adult performers in the UK didn't attend a full-time vocational secondary school and didn't work professionally as a child.

Another aspect to consider is the impact of changing educational systems. Would your DS start at SYTS after Christmas, at the beginning of the Australian academic year, or in September, the beginning of the UK academic year? If the former, he will have a term's worth of work to catch up on in a new curriculum. If the latter, he will effectively go 18 months without a long summer holiday break. SYTS finishes in Year 11 - would your DS stay in the UK for sixth form or go back to Australia? Might it not be a better option to stay in Australia for now and then audition for sixth form at a UK performing arts school? He would have more options to try for at this stage (e.g. Arts Ed, Tring Park).

Not trying to put a dampener on your DS's achievement in gaining a place - just wanted to present a perspective on some of the issues involved, given that taking up the place would mean such a major life change for the whole family.
ACookie
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by ACookie »

I have to agree with FredaBloggs. We only live 2 hours from London and wouldn't consider relocating for SYTS. Whilst my DD would love to attend, and we did look at it seriously, she can gain the same access to professional opportunities through her current agent and she has a wonderful team who teach her outside of school hours. Full time training at this age is definitely not an indicator of adult success. If you are relocating for a number of other reasons and this just being one of them, and it's not going to be an enormous upheaval for the whole family - as in jobs can be transferred, you can happily afford London housing, other children's needs are being easily met then go for it. And well done to him for being offered a place.
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Caroline A-C »

I really don't want to put you off but, having had two children go through the vocational education at different stages, I would definitely think very seriously about relocating half way round the world. I have a DS who did not attend vocational school but got into Arts Ed on the BA MT course first time round. The majority of his year group had not attended vocational schools so it is by no means a prerequisite to getting in. I have a DD who attended Tring Park and has now decided that she wants to do something completely different. I am sure your DS would have a fantastic time but at what cost to the rest of the family.
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riverdancefan
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by riverdancefan »

What an adventure!

Of course if it's what you all want then brilliant but what a huge decision based on one school.
Scholarships are hard to get at SY but a paying place is more easily achievable. Of course the kids have to have some talent and drive to be offered a place but it's not out of most performing children's ability to gain a place there. It's her bread and butter, she needs to fill the places.

There are many kids there who for whatever reason don't get work as child performers, too tall, too this too that! - the criteria for casting can be so rigid that if your child doesn't fit that 'box' they don't stand a hope in hell of working, especially in the West End, SYTS pupil or no. She does have close ties with children's casting directors though and her students often seen and auditioned 'in situ' so to speak

I do think its a lovely school, supportive with good camaraderie and kids do thrive there, birds of a feather flock together and everyone enjoys their time. But it's not going to guarantee your DS work and even people who have children there access extra dance classes elsewhere for example.

In answer to your question, yes, they are selective, but if they have places free and motivated children apply, they will get a place, whatever their skill level.
I would not relocate or remortgage for my DS to go there, not in a million years, but if you have different circumstances and you are all happy for a new adventure then why not.

Now if it was Julliard in NYC then that would be different..... ;)
"Tall and proud my mother taught me, this is how we dance" - RIVERDANCE
zodlebud
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by zodlebud »

Also be aware that unless he is a UK or EU citizen then he is not eligible to work in the UK so any professional opportunities that came up he would be ineligible for. Not sure if he could get a work visa, you'd need a specialist to answer that one.

I believe there are also issues with licencing for children who are not UK citizens but I don't know anything about that - it just cropped up at a Q&A I went to and an Italian mother asked the question.
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jasmine2
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by jasmine2 »

Huge congratulations on getting a place at this very prestigious school.
Hundreds of children apply each year for very few places, therefore it is hard to get into. It is a huge thing to relocate but if you are really serious about the hard work that will be involved, the long days (longer if there are cabaret rehearsals) and all of the academic work that needs to be kept on top of ( and the catch up work if the children are working professionally) then it should definitely be considered. Be prepared for a tired and stroppy child every now and then, as they do get very tired. LOL.
Sylvia has a knack of producing students that do extremely well in the working world of performing arts, but staying very grounded, and most west end shows that have children in, have students from SY.
The academic side is fabulous too with excellent GCSE results.
My dd had a fab 6 years there from the age to 10 - 16 and it really kick started her career in MT and the performing arts world. (She is currently rehearsing for her 3rd professional contract since graduating from Bodyworks Cambridge with a Distinction level 6 Diploma in July)

I can't think of anything negative to say about the school as she thrived there and loved it all.
Go with you gut instinct and do what feels right.

Good luck on whatever you decide xx :D
I believe that children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.......
Lechia78
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Lechia78 »

Thank you all
So much for your reply. Yes it must sound crazy us coming over but unfortunately Australia has absolutely nothing which is so annoying for all the Aussies that want to perform in MT. at the moment we have to do everything privately which means private acting lessons, dance lessons and and private singing lessons. What it would cost there would be less then what I'm spending here making it happen. My son has been lucky enough to have done 4 professional shows already so we understand all about the casting process and I am under no illusions that he would get cast there. At this stage we are just looking for some great quality training, if he does get anything then it is bonus. Under the student visa they are allowed to work but with child regulations i am not quite sure but honestly that is last on the list to worry about.

We are lucky enough that jobs for us are pretty transferable as I'm a nurse and my husband can do a internal job transfer so really no issue for us and thought it would be a great experience for both kids. However we won't be uprooting our whole life straight away. We will wait a year to see if he enjoys first and just myself and daughter will go first and then my husband if it all works out.we are looking at him tomstart September at the start of the school year with him doing home schooling next year , so hopefully won't be to much on him
FredaBloggs
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by FredaBloggs »

Your DS's Australian training can't be that lacking if he's performed in 4 professional shows by age 12!

I can understand that the idea of a "one-stop shop" vocational school where one fee covers training in all disciplines would be attractive if you're currently having to find separate classes from several different providers. I would just be a little careful that you don't have unrealistic expectations of SYTS. For example, the school only offers group singing lessons, and children who want one-to-one singing lessons need to source them elsewhere (several come to DS's singing teacher so I know this first-hand). The very dance-focused children that I know at SYTS and Arts Ed full-time school feel that they don't get quite enough breadth of dance experience during school hours and do additional evening/weekend classes with other dance schools.

This is absolutely not intended as a criticism of SYTS (I think it must be incredibly difficult even for a vocational secondary school to cater fully to every student's individual needs), but just to point out that training costs may not necessarily be limited to SYTS school fees and you could well find yourself paying several thousand pounds a year extra for additional classes outside school.

The cost of living in London is also very high. Housing in central London is prohibitively expensive for most people, and living further out involves quite high transport costs (unlike Australia where most people rely on cars, travel by public transport is the norm in London). The Transport for London website will give you an idea of the cost of an annual travel pass in London zones. I gather that quite a few children at SYTS live outside London and commute in to school, but rail season tickets can be eye-wateringly expensive.

That said, if the sums add up, it sounds like you have a sensible approach to making the move in stages. Best of luck with your plans!
Lechia78
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Lechia78 »

I have given it a year, if it isn't any good then I know it isn't for us. I'll be able to tell because if I see no improvement then I know it isn't working. It will be a nice holiday if anything. And a year won't hurt anyone at all. We opted this way because everything is after school and he isn't getting home till 9.30pm and it is just to much on him. There dance schedule seems like what we do here in terms of amount so I don't think he would need to do anymore. He does 2x ballet, 2 jazz ,2 rap plus acro. They only go two days week but extra for eisteddfods. Honestly we came over last year and we found the standard so much better then Australia. Not saying our kids are not talented but you can really see there is not the training mainly in the acting side. There isn't any good theatre training , he does screen acting training because that is the closest we can get , unfortunately MT is not big in Australia at all so to get a shoe really isn't that hard. When my boy audition for Les Mis only like 20 boys showed up lol, though not taking away the talent of the kids. But it is a little hard to compare with UK. It will be interesting to see the difference and if he improves but it sounds like they already do heaps more then we do.
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riverdancefan
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by riverdancefan »

Hi there
Just out of interest, did you look at any other specialist performing schools like Tring, Red Roofs or Arts Ed?
If you were definitely set on coming over maybe casting the net wider?
He sounds like a talented chap so there might be more to choose from? ( I wasn't sure how old he was )
BTW I'm a nurse myself - trained in London and you are right, they will be biting your hand off when your start applying!
"Tall and proud my mother taught me, this is how we dance" - RIVERDANCE
Lechia78
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by Lechia78 »

No I didn't. I always thought they were for older. Our friend has always told us about Arts Ed so we had just planned for him to audition when he has finished school to go there.
lawn
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Re: Sylvia young theatre school

Post by lawn »

Lechia78 wrote:No I didn't. I always thought they were for older. Our friend has always told us about Arts Ed so we had just planned for him to audition when he has finished school to go there.
Arts ed take from 11

https://artsed.co.uk/independent-day-sc ... chool-home

Tring takes from 8

https://www.tringpark.com/curriculum/prep-school

I've struggled to find the age Redroofs take from on their website but according to Wiki it's from 10

http://www.redroofs.co.uk/
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