Stagecoach Performing Arts Stoke-On-Trent
BEST FOR
Ages 4-18
ENTRY
from £25
WHERE
Stoke-on-Trent
What it’s like
Weekly singing, dancing and acting classes building towards an annual show, plus themed birthday parties on the side.
Kids turn up on a weekend morning or afternoon and split their session between singing, dancing and acting, each discipline getting its own chunk of time before they move on. Early Stages, for ages four to six, runs for 90 minutes with 30 minutes on each discipline. Main Stages, from six up to 18, gets a full three hours split into hour-long blocks with a break in between. Everything builds towards the annual production, and there's a free Saturday morning performance troupe for the over-sevens if your child wants more stage time without signing up for another paid term.
Terms run three times a year, 12 weeks each, and there's no break over half term (schools can vary on this, so it's one to ask your Principal about directly). Money-wise, Early Stages is £180 a term and Main Stages is £360, which adds up over a year but you're paying for a proper structured programme rather than a one-off class. You don't have to commit blind either: every school runs a two-week trial at the start of term, £25 deposit for Early Stages or £50 for Main Stages, and that deposit comes straight off your fees if you carry on.
Birthday parties are the other string to this. Themed parties for four to ten-year-olds run two hours with one host for up to 15 children (more staff can stretch that to 30), and murder mystery parties for older kids run two and a half hours with a single entertainer for up to 15. Most parties happen at the usual Stagecoach school base, though they'll come to your house or another venue if you'd rather, and they ask for a clear 7 by 7 metre space with nothing to trip over. Only a couple of adults are wanted in the room during the party itself, since more than that tends to distract the kids, but everyone gets invited in for the last ten minutes to watch.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 18, with the free Saturday troupe a nice extra from age 7
- Parties
- Themed parties for ages 4-10 (2 hours, up to 15 children with 1 host)
- Worth knowing
- Two-week trial at start of each term
- No break over half term at most schools, though it can vary, so check with your Principal
- Classes never clash with school hours, mostly weekend mornings and afternoons
- There's a free Saturday performance troupe for kids seven and up if they want extra stage time
- For parties, only a couple of adults are asked to stay in the room, everyone else joins for the last ten minutes
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Early Stages is £180 a term, Main Stages is £360. You start with a deposit, £25 or £50 depending on which stage, then pay the rest in one or two instalments.
Can we try it out before signing up for a term?
Every school runs a two-week trial at the start of term. You pay the deposit up front and it comes off your fees if you decide to stay on.
What age can my child start?
Early Stages takes children from four, and Main Stages runs from six up to 18. If your child turns four during term time you might be able to join partway through, worth asking the school directly.
How long are the classes each week?
Early Stages is 90 minutes, split into three 30-minute chunks for singing, dancing and acting. Main Stages is a full three hours, an hour on each discipline with a break built in.
Can we book a birthday party there?
Themed parties for four to ten-year-olds run two hours with one host for up to 15 kids. Murder mystery parties last two and a half hours with one entertainer, max 15 children, and they can come to your house instead of the school base if that suits better.
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