News
Scroll down for all the latest news from the Conservatoire and our affiliate schools.
National Student Survey results
Wednesday 4 October 2012
The National Student Survey has had its best year since it launched in 2005, and the Conservatoire has had another excellent year, maintaining its tenth place ranking out of around 150 institutions. Our overall student satisfaction score was higher than last year’s, showing that 91% of students are satisfied with their course against a sector average of 85%.
Around 287,000 final-year students responded to this year’s annual National Student Survey, published by the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE). The NSS results will be included as part of the recently launched Key Information Sets (KIS) data, which is hosted on the new Unistats website.
Thank you to staff for encouraging students to participate in the survey.
Tim Roberts awarded prestigious National Teaching Fellowship
Thursday 26 July 2012
The Conservatoire is delighted to announce that Tim Roberts, Higher Education Course Director at Circus Space, has been awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy. Successful nominees had to show evidence of three criteria: individual excellence, raising the profile of excellence, and developing excellence.
Congratulations Tim!
Over the last twelve years Tim Roberts has developed the UK’s only progressive HE programme for Circus Arts. This consists of a Foundation Degree in Circus Arts, a top-up BA(Hons) Degree in Circus Arts and a Postgraduate Certificate in Circus Arts. His interest, as well as his expertise, lies in the creation of quality circus arts education at HE level and the role that it can play in the development of a sector as a whole. For example, graduates from the programme have not only gone on to create innovative contemporary circus performances, but also populate every aspect of the circus sector – from teaching in youth activities to creating companies and administrating other circus events.
Tim’s connections with the circus arts sector has also led to increased employment opportunities for circus arts graduates in the UK, several of whom are now touring across the country and in international companies.
Tim Roberts
His experience in the sector has been acquired through his long professional career as a juggler and comedian across Europe and in the US as well as his involvement in HE circus arts education in France. Tim’s contribution to the art form is also recognised internationally through his involvement with the European Federation of Professional Circus Schools (FEDEC) where he has held the role of President for the last four years. With FEDEC he is involved in creating a pan-European teacher training programme for Circus Arts as well as lobbying for increased mobility opportunities for all those involved with the arts; from students to teachers, through to artistic directors, educational directors and administrators.
Circus Arts have long been considered an art form on the margins of society but Tim firmly believes that through quality teaching, and the advantages that the HE sector provide, it can find a place again at the heart of the cultural landscape of the UK.
CDD Schools on board with Olympic movement
Thursday 3 May 2012
This week celebrates Universities Week 2012, running from 30 April – 7 May 2012. Universities across the UK are highlighting how the higher education sector is contributing to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the cultural Olympiad. The Conservatoire for Dance and Drama Schools have embraced the opportunity to be a part of London 2012 and are participating in various activities, from training disabled artists for the Paralympic Opening Ceremonies, to the performance of Olympic inspired choreography.
On Wednesday 2 May, Circus Space hosted a press conference announcing details of the Paralympics Opening Ceremony, which will be called ‘Enlightenment’. Circus Space is running an eight week intensive training programme for up to 50 deaf and disabled artists who will perform featured roles in the ceremony at the Olympic Stadium on 29 August 2012. The artists will work with a team of experienced circus practitioners to develop a range of aerial performance skills.
Northern School of Contemporary Dance is taking part in NewWorlds: The Many Routes to Yorkshire, which is a strand of the imove programme inspired by London 2012. imove celebrates and challenges the relationship between people and their moving bodies through a series of exciting and innovative arts projects across Yorkshire, and is funded by Legacy Trust UK, Yorkshire Forward and Arts Council England.
Second year Technical Theatre and Stage Management students at RADA were interviewed by the Olympic team, and eleven students have been selected to perform technical roles including Assistant Stage Manager, Lighting, Props, Sound and Staging.
Central School of Ballet has commissioned a new piece from choreographer Mikaela Polley for the school’s third year touring company Ballet Central. Circle of 5 is a fusion of classical ballet and contemporary dance which Ballet Central’s Artistic Director, William Glassman, describes as echoing ‘the ideals and themes of the Olympics’. The piece has been granted the Inspire Mark by the London 2012 Inspire Programme. Circle of 5 will be performed alongside other repertoire in theatres across the UK until July.
Circus Space and the Paralympic Opening Ceremony
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings, co-artistic directors for the Paralympic ceremonies, today announced their vision for the Opening Ceremony, which will have the theme of ‘Enlightenment’. As a key part of the preparations, Circus Space is running an eight week intensive training programme for up to 50 deaf and disabled artists, preparing them to perform featured roles in the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford on 29 August 2012. You can read the full statement from Circus Space here:
More information about preparations for the Paralympic Games ceremonies on the London 2012 website and on the British Paralympic Association website, where co-artistic directors Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings discuss their vision for the Opening Ceremony, and you can view images from the dedicated training space at Circus Space.
BOVTS alumnus wins Linbury Prize for Stage Design
28 November 2011
Congratulations to Jemima Robinson, who graduated from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School this summer, on winning one of the four prestigious Linbury Prizes for Stage Design 2011. Her prize is to work a the Watermill Theatre, Newbury.
The winners were announced in The Stage and this week’s edition reported on the stage design exhibition which ran at the National Theatre in November.
View The Stage article on the Linbury Stage Design exhibition
