READ College – 2 Year Vocational Sixth Form in Acting
Our Acting Sixth Form Course at READ College has an industry-leading success rate for graduates gaining places at top Drama Schools in London and across the UK.
With an expert leadership team and teaching faculty and a strictly limited intake each year, students are guaranteed small classes and personalised training as well as excellent pastoral support whilst studying at READ College.
Course Content – Vocational Sixth Form in Acting at READ College
Our Vocational Sixth Form in Acting is unique in its approach, with very high practical and vocational content leading to Level 3 A-Level equivalent qualifications. Students are on their feet learning by performing for over 27 hours per week and are supported by staff through study periods with their written project work. Our personal approach is what makes READ one of the UK’s leading centres for Vocational Sixth Form courses in the Performing Arts.
Class sizes are small, and we take limited students each year on our Vocational Sixth Form in Acting to make sure that we are able to work with each student individually and support them through their training.
During their studies at READ College, Acting Sixth Form students will have the following classes and opportunities:
- Year One
- Improvisation, Brecht, Stanislavsky, Audition Repertoire, Acting Styles, Directing and Devising
- Year Two
- Improvisation, British Theatre, American Drama, Stanislavsky, Classical Theatre, Restoration, Audition Repertoire, Acting Styles
- Across both years
- Vocal – Speech & Voice, Vocal Technique, Ensemble Singing, Private Singing
- Physical – Physical Theatre, Body Conditioning, Dance (alternating between Contemporary, Ballet and Tap)
- Additional Weekly Classes – Audition Preparation, Performance Class, Contextual Studies, Study Classes, Arts Administration
- Student Welfare – Support can be accessed through our dedicated Student Welfare Officer, including counselling and osteopathy
Alongside these regular classes, we have regular guest workshops and masterclasses in 2nd year with most of the major degree-level Drama Schools and Colleges, some of whom even come and run auditions here at READ to hand pick our students for their courses! Our Sixth Form in Acting is accredited by OCR and students study towards the Cambridge Extended Technical Diploma in Acting, which is equivalent to 3 A-Levels and can be used through UCAS to apply for university places should students decide not to go on to further drama training. The qualification is assessed in 18 modular units taken during the 2 year course.
Please note: Since Brexit prevented us from being able to accept international students in January 2021, we are no longer able to accept applications from international students (residency outside the UK or ROI).
Read on to see our graduate destinations and details of how to fund your course at READ…
Much of the OCR qualification work is undertaken in the 1st year of our Sixth Form in Acting, with 2nd year focussing on auditions for Drama School. We guide our students through the Drama School audition process from start to finish, including helping them with UCAS, personal statements, headshots, when to apply, where to apply, managing audition repertoire, etc, etc.
READ College is also proud to have exceptional pastoral care, with physical and emotional health being top priorities in looking after our young performers in training. As well as a specialist Performing Arts Osteopath and Vocal Health Coach available for the students, we are part of the #Time4Change Charter, supporting mental health awareness in the Performing Arts. We provide free access to our Student Welfare Officer and a qualified young people’s counsellor for students every week.
Graduate Destinations
Our most recent graduates from the Sixth Form Course in Acting here at READ College have been offered places at schools including Arts Ed, Mountview, ALRA, East 15, Fourth Monkey, PPA and many more
- Visit our alumni page and see the full list of our graduate destinations from our Sixth Form in Acting course!
APPLY NOW FOR THE UK’S LEADING VOCATIONAL SIXTH FORM IN ACTING COURSE!
Here at READ College, we believe very strongly that a career in the Performing Arts should be open to anyone who has the dedication and determination to make it, regardless of financial circumstances. That is why we are a registered charity with no owner, director or shareholders making money from your training – our Board of Trustees are all volunteers. You can find out about our charitable work by clicking HERE.
The full cost of our Vocational Sixth Form in Acting (per year) based on entry in 2023 is currently under review. Fees can be paid monthly or in three installments, without any additional administration or interest costs.
Our Access to The Arts scheme can support up to 60% of tuition fees at READ College for UK students.
Bursaries from Access to The Arts are means-tested and are provided on a sliding scale, based on household income, savings levels and also any extenuating circumstances that have led to a student being unable to access Performing Arts training. Once a student has been offered a place at audition, they will be sent a bursary application form to fill in and complete before having to enrol.
For students who may not be eligible for support from Access to The Arts, or those who have been awarded a bursary but cannot afford the balance of the fees, we provide a full support and advice service to help you find additional grants and sponsorship wherever possible. If you would like advice on funding your course, please contact us.
Please note that at the present time, there is no government funding or student loan that will cover Foundation Training, which is why we set up Access to The Arts.
We are extremely proud of the expert teaching faculty at READ College on our Vocational Sixth Form in Acting. All of our staff are experienced industry professionals with many years of vocational teaching experience alongside impressive performing careers.
You can find out who teaches on our Acting Sixth Form at READ College by visiting our Teaching Faculty page and see why we’re the leading Performing Arts Foundation College in the UK!
Students on our Sixth Form Acting Course have several performance opportunities during their year with us. These include:
- Assessed Performances, where outside audiences are invited in to our Theatre to watch your college work in action
- Director’s Festival, when our students direct an edited scene from a play, taking it through the process from editing, casting, directing to a final production in a local venue
- Improv Night, with students working as a professional improv troupe to help raise funds for Access to The Arts
- Platform Performance (1st year), a devised comedy show created by the students in just 3 weeks from scratch with a sold-out venue waiting for them!
- Showcase (2nd year), which takes the form of an existing play directed by a professional guest Director working in the theatre industry, and with representatives of major UK Drama Schools invited to see our students at work
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked question by prospective students. Feel free to get in touch if you need to ask anything else!
- How old do I have to be? The minimum age for entrance to our Sixth Form in Acting is 16, and there is no official upper limit. For students who are 18 or over and have A-Level or equivalent qualifications, we recommend our 1 Year Foundation Course in Acting which gives you the chance to gain experience and training post A-Level
- What qualifications do I need? Although there is no formal academic requirement for training at READ on our Sixth Form in Acting, we do expect students to have a Pass (4) in GCSE English as you will be expected to work at a high level (with full support) towards your OCR qualification. Admission to READ is by audition, and so it is what you present on the day that counts! You can find out more about our audition process here.
- Do I need drama exams or GCSE to audition? No. They are a useful way of us gauging your experience prior to audition but once again, it is all about what you present at audition!
- When are your auditions? We audition every month from January to May. Just fill in our online application form and we will get in touch to arrange an audition date with you.
You can use our contact form to get in touch with us to ask any questions that you might have, and we will always be happy to help!
If you’re considering auditioning for our Sixth Form in Acting, then take a look at our “What to Expect at and Audition” page, which will tell you all about your day. You might also like to check out our “Location and Accommodation” page to see where we are and how to find us.
Got all the info that you need? Then go ahead and apply for our Vocational Sixth Form in Acting!
