Stagecoach Performing Arts Blog

16 Year Stagecoach Journey

August 13, 2021

Lizzie has been a Stagecoach student for 16 years. We spoke to her about her journey at Stagecoach from a 4 year old Early Stages student right up to being a teacher for her school and other Stagecoach schools. We covered her highlights during this time as well as what skills she has learned over the years. Lizzie is moving onto the next phase of her performing arts training as she attends university in the Autumn. We also spoke to Lizzie's twin sister Megan, who had returned to Stagecoach in 2015 to join her sister.

We don't just teach acting, singing and dancing we allow children to be themselves, to be confident in who they are. The skills they learn at Stagecoach are not only fun and engaging but provide children with experience and the key life skills such as confidence and discipline to help them succeed in life.

Both sisters agreed that the skills they have learnt at Stagecoach have helped them in the world outside their weekly classes.

Megan who is currently working with babies and young children said -

“At Stagecoach as well as learning to perform, it teaches you how to act as a different character in your real world life, when I’m working with the children I kind of create a character to make it a much more interesting interaction with them.”

For many Stagecoach students the journey continues as they often decide to stay with us and become one of our teachers. In Lizzie’s case this was no different. She is currently assisting with teaching classes at other Stagecoach schools.

“The training at Stagecoach has helped me jump into the role of teaching. I know and understand warm-ups and drama games. All the skills I learnt while at Stagecoach, I am now teaching them to the younger kids.”

Lizzie is very thankful to all her teachers she has had over the years and especially grateful to her Further Stages teacher Ben Addington for helping with her audition prep.

Lizzie says that the students in her class were behind her all the way and even when the teacher was doing activities for her benefit, they all joined in happily.

Highlights of their time at Stagecoach

The twin sisters also discussed their Stagecoach memories and both agreed that performing in London's world-famous West End was the highlight.

Lizzie was fortunate enough to grace the West End stage twice: Once at Her Majesty's Theatre in 2014 and then five years later at the Shaftesbury Theatre showcase. It was this that shaped her future path.

“The showcase at Shaftesbury was the main experience that improved my confidence. It was my turning point to show me that I can do it. To this day it’s still my favourite day at Stagecoach. We talk about this moment all the time.”

At the end of the summer term, Lizzie will be leaving Stagecoach to continue her performing arts training on the BA Music and Musical Theatre three-year course at the University of Chichester Conservatoire.

Megan would also like to go to university and is hoping to study acting for screen. She said -

“After performing on stage, I knew I loved it but it confirmed to me that I wanted to work more on my screen acting.”

Both students spoke very highly of their principal Kim Findlay and her amazing team of teachers at Stagecoach Shirley.

“The teacher's are really understanding and great with mental health needs. We do appreciate everything they do for us”

Lizzie had this to say about her schools principal Kim -

“Kim is so understanding and has helped me so much over the years. She goes beyond what is expected of her and even when our classes were online we knew that she was still there checking in on us.”

Lizzie also reflected on the online classes they had during the lockdown -

“The pandemic was a big knock for us but knowing that Stagecoach was behind us all the way was extremely reassuring”

While talking about their experience at their Stagecoach school Lizzie mentioned that-
“Stagecoach was a safe space where you can be yourself and act your heart out. It is a happy environment that we cannot wait to return to week after week.”

Stagecoach Shirley will be performing at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the Autumn and Lizzie will be there cheering them on.

To find your local school please visit our website.

Option 1
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£25.00
Remaining term fees payable on second week	£137.00
Total Fee (per term)	£162.00
Option 2
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£25.00
Remaining term fees payable on the first day of term by two cheques for £70.00 post-dated respectively 1 month and 2 months after the first day of term (includes £3 admin fee)	£140.00
Total Fee (per term)	£165.00

Option 1
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£50.00
Remaining term fees payable on second week	£274.00
Total Fee (per term)	£324.00
Option 2
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£50.00
Remaining term fees payable on the first day of term by two cheques for £138.50 post-dated respectively 1 month and 2 months after the first day of term (includes £3 admin fee)	£277.00
Total Fee (per term)	£327.00

A sibling discount of 50% is available when enrolling a student to our Main Stages or Further Stages Schools.

Option 1
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£50.00
Remaining term fees payable on second week	£274.00
Total Fee (per term)	£324.00
Option 2
Deposit - covers first two weeks (Non-refundable)	£50.00
Remaining term fees payable on the first day of term by two cheques for £106.50 post-dated respectively 1 month and 2 months after the first day of term (includes £3 admin fee)	£277.00
Total Fee (per term) for 3 hour class *	£327.00

* Please contact your Principal for Further Stages class / payment options. A sibling discount of 50% is available to families enrolling a second or subsequent student to our Main Stages or Further Stages Schools.

Stagecoach Blog

16 Year Stagecoach Journey

Browse by Category

Blog Archive

Follow Stagecoach

1.		INTRODUCTION
1.1		These Terms & Conditions apply to all our Stagecoach schools, Courses, Holiday Workshops/Camps, Workshops and any additional products and/or services offered by Stagecoach and/or its group of companies in the future for any Student (collectively "Stagecoach Activities")
1.2		For participation of a Student in a Stagecoach Activity all Parents are required to consent to these Terms & Conditions by signature or by ticking the acceptance box for these Terms & Conditions when submitting an electronic application form online. We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.
1.3		Any changes to these Terms & Conditions require the written consent or approval of Stagecoach.
1.4		A "Course" refers to a course of classes offering tuition in dance, drama, and singing which will be delivered during the Term (including online activities). Course classes will take place once per week for a certain number of hours, as detailed at the time of booking.
1.5		"Holiday Workshop/Camp" refers to Workshops (including online activities) run by some Stagecoach schools and Stagecoach Performing Arts during the breaks between Terms.
1.6		"Principal" refers to the principal of a particular Stagecoach school.
1.7		"Term" refers to one normal academic term of Stagecoach schools during which Courses are run.
1.8		"Term Dates" refers to the dates for the relevant Term.
1.9 1.10		"Workshop" refers to a one-off course (including online activities) offering tuition in dance, drama, singing and/or other performing arts related activities which will be delivered for a certain number of hours per day for a period of between one (1) and five (5) consecutive days and can run at any time throughout the year. “Online activity” refers to online streamed lessons and online Workshops utilising the Zoom platform, either delivered by a Stagecoach school or by Stagecoach Performing Arts. See section point 8.7.
2.		ENROLLING A NEW STUDENT IN A STAGECOACH ACTIVITY
2.1		To apply for a place for a new Student on a Stagecoach Activity, the Parent must agree to these Terms & Conditions and submit an application form online or by post.
2.2		Each Student's place is allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis. Applications must be accompanied by the appropriate payment/transfer, as set out for each Stagecoach Activity below ("Deposit").
		The Deposit to accompany a new Student's application form for term enrolment:
		Early Stages £25 (as at 1 July 2020)
		Main & Further Stages £50 (as at 1 July 2020)
		For Holiday Workshops and Summer Camps, deposits may vary, please check with the Principal.
2.3		If Stagecoach is unable to accept the Student due to capacity reasons, the Student may, at the Parent's discretion, be placed on a reserve list. Before a Student is placed on a reserve list, the Principal shall inform the Parent whether (i) the Deposit will be retained by Stagecoach whilst the Student is on the reserve list, or (ii) the Deposit will be refunded to the Parent and that the Parent may be required to repay the Deposit at a later date if a place is confirmed. If the Parent does not wish for the Student to be placed on a reserve list the Deposit shall be refunded. In any event Deposits shall always be refunded within fourteen (14) days of informing the Parent that the Deposit is refundable for capacity reasons.
2.4		From the date the Deposit is paid, you have a fourteen (14) calendar day cancellation period ("Cancellation Period") to change your mind and cancel the Student's place on the Stagecoach Activity, subject to clauses 2.6 and 2.7 below.
2.5		After the Cancellation Period expires, the Deposit is non-refundable and will be retained by Stagecoach.
2.6		If the start date of a Stagecoach Activity falls within the Cancellation Period and the Stagecoach Activity has finished before the Parent notifies Stagecoach of their desire to cancel, then the Deposit is not cancellable or refundable.
2.7		If the start date of the Stagecoach Activity falls within the Cancellation Period and some of the sessions of the Stagecoach Activity have been delivered before the Parent, within the Cancellation Period, notifies Stagecoach of their desire to cancel, then the Deposit may be partly refunded in proportion to the number of sessions delivered.
2.8		Times, current Term Dates, fees and all relevant course details for booked Stagecoach Activities will be confirmed in the Acceptance Letter or "Fee Note" for each Stagecoach Activity, along with a receipt for payment of the Deposit.
2.9		All such terms and conditions detailed in the Fee Note or the Acceptance shall be incorporated into the Agreement and shall be deemed to have been accepted by the Parent upon payment by, or on behalf of, the Parent.
2.10		Fees for Stagecoach Activities may vary between Stagecoach schools.
3.		BALANCE PAYMENTS
3.1		For a Student enrolled on a Workshop, the full fees are paid as the Deposit in advance, as detailed in clause 2.2 above.
3.2		For a Student enrolled on either a Course or Holiday Workshop/Camp, following payment of the Deposit to Stagecoach, Parents are required to make a subsequent payment of the outstanding balance due to Stagecoach (the "Balance").
3.3		The Balance must be paid in full, subject to any alternative agreements made with the Principal, by the first day of the Term or Holiday Workshop/Camp, by one of the following methods where offered:
		1. Bank transfer; 2. Credit card (American Express is not accepted); 3. Debit card; 4. Cheque; 5. Direct Debit; 6. Cash; 7. Childcare vouchers; or Child Tax Credits
3.4		Transaction charges apply to cheques of £1 per cheque.
4.		COURSES
4.1		A Stagecoach school may, at its discretion, offer the second child of the same family attending a Main Stage course at the same time, a sibling discount of up to fifty percent (50%) on Course fees. This discretionary sibling discount will only apply if Stagecoach is notified of the sibling relationship at the time the Deposit is paid. Only one discount may apply against the Course fee for an individual child at any one time.
4.2		Once enrolled on a Course, Term Dates for the next Term will be made known to Parents in writing at the end of the current Term.
4.3		If a Course session falls on a bank holiday then a replacement class will also be added onto the end of the current Term timetable or the subsequent Term.
4.4		Unless Stagecoach is otherwise notified in writing by you before the sixth (6th) week of the Course, a Student is automatically re-enrolled onto the Course for the following Term.
4.5		If you do not notify Stagecoach before the sixth (6th) week of the Course that you do not wish a Student to be re-enrolled onto the following Term of the Course, then you will remain liable for half of the full Term fees in respect of the next Term, regardless of attendance of the Student.
4.6		Payment is due for the next Term of Course fees before the start date of the Term, subject to any alternative payment agreements you may have with the Principal.
5.		COURSE TRIAL PERIODS
5.1		Where a new Student is attending a Course for the first time, subject to availability, Stagecoach allows a two (2) session trial period ("Trial Period") so that the Student may try the first two (2) sessions of the Course. The Trial Period only applies to Courses for new Students and the two (2) trial sessions must be taken consecutively within the first four (4) weeks of the start of the Term.

Share this article