Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts Cardiff
BEST FOR
Ages 4-18
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Cardiff
What it’s like
A weekly performing arts academy in Cardiff where kids rotate through singing, drama and film making, with a free trial before you commit.
This isn't a one-off show or a soft play afternoon, it's a weekly membership. Main Academy runs three hours every Saturday morning for ages 6 to 18, split into an hour each of Musical Theatre, Comedy & Drama and Film & TV. The Film & TV class is the one that stands out, since kids get hands on with screenwriting, lighting and even animation rather than just acting in front of a camera. Younger ones aged 4 to 6 have their own Poppets class instead, a shorter 90 minutes built around speech, movement and confidence rather than full production.
No auditions, no previous experience needed, so a shy seven-year-old who has never done drama before is just as welcome as one who has been performing since they could talk. You get one free trial session before signing up, which is worth taking since this is a proper commitment rather than a drop-in class.
That commitment is where it gets a bit more serious. It's £94 a month for Main Academy, £70.50 if you have a sibling also enrolled, or £47 for Poppets, and payment is by Direct Debit only, so tax-free childcare vouchers won't cover it. There's a minimum membership of two months and they want four weeks notice to cancel, which is a fair chunk of planning ahead for a Saturday morning activity. Classes are capped too, so if your child's age group is full you're looking at a waiting list rather than walking straight in.
Term runs across 39 weeks of the academic year, so it mirrors school terms rather than running all year round. If your child sticks with it, the pull is watching them move from Musical Theatre choreography one week into scripting and shooting their own scenes the next.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 18, with Poppets for the younger end and Main Academy from 6 up
- How long to allow
- 3 hours per weekly session for Main Academy
- Worth knowing
- One free trial session before joining as a member
- Classes are capped by age group, so a full group means joining a waiting list rather than starting straight away.
- It's a genuine membership, not a taster class, with a two-month minimum and four weeks notice to leave.
- Term dates follow the academic year across 39 weeks rather than running continuously.
- They'll try to support neurodiverse or SEN children, though they can't offer one-to-one support.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£94 a month for Main Academy (ages 6 to 18), £70.50 if a sibling also joins, and £47 a month for Poppets (ages 4 to 6). It's all paid by Direct Debit.
Can we try it before signing up?
Yes, every academy offers one free trial session if there's space in the age group. If the group's full you go on a waiting list and they'll get in touch when a spot opens.
How long are the sessions?
Main Academy runs three hours each Saturday, an hour split between Musical Theatre, Comedy & Drama and Film & TV. Poppets, for the younger ones, is 90 minutes.
Does my child need experience to join?
There's no audition and no prior experience expected. They welcome complete beginners alongside kids who've performed before.
Do we have to commit to a full year?
The minimum membership is two months, but they need four weeks notice if you want to cancel.
Can my child just do the class they like best?
Signing up means all three classes each week rather than picking one. Main Academy is built around doing an hour in each.
Do you accept tax-free childcare vouchers?
They don't. Membership payments only go through by Direct Debit.
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