Media release: ELMHURST BALLET SCHOOL CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING OFSTED

[Jan McNulty]

Media release: 28 November 2023

 

 

ELMHURST BALLET SCHOOL CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING OFSTED

 

Elmhurst Ballet School students, staff and governors are celebrating after being graded ‘Outstanding’ in its latest Ofsted report.

 

The three-day inspection in October, involving two inspectors from Ofsted, was comprehensive and rigorous, and the result is a glowing report on the work of all areas of the school.

 

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. It inspects services providing education and skills for learners of all ages. It also inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. Elmhurst was one of the first schools to be inspected under the new framework introduced in September.

 

The inspectors visited between 10 and 12 October, scrutinising compliance at Elmhurst and assessing the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, safeguarding and leadership, and management. Inspectors carried out a number of activities including lesson observations, meetings with students, key members of staff and Governors throughout the inspection days. Both accomplished and well-respected educationalists, the inspectors observed a range of artistic and academic classes to endorse and validate the outstanding work of staff and students.

 

The report, released today, describes the high-quality provision at the school, as well as the excellent support and exceptional facilities. It states that students “become highly proficient dancers while also developing their academic skills and knowledge” and that they “are very well prepared for the pace, challenge and pressure of auditioning for professional work in ballet companies around the world.” The inspectors also comment on the “outstanding attitudes and resilience” of the students, and confirm they “develop the skills, knowledge and professional behaviours they need to be successful.”

 

Jessica Ward, Principal said, “I could not be prouder of our entire school community in the year we celebrated our centenary, as we go from strength to strength and look forward to the next 100 years. Elmhurst Ballet School aims to provide every student with the highest standard of dance training, combined with a strong academic education in a nurturing environment, and this report highlights that and more. Our students are fantastic, and inspectors noted this when they visited. Throughout the report, praise is quite rightly given to them, as they are the ones who make the school such a wonderful place in which to live, dance and learn.

The report also recognises the high quality of our staff, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone in the Elmhurst team for their hard work. Time and time again, they go above and beyond the call of duty in order to create an environment where students flourish and feel cared for. I am incredibly lucky to work with such an incredibly passionate and dedicated team of professionals. Finally, I would like to thank our Governors for the invaluable support they give the school, allowing us to focus purely on the wellbeing, training, and education of our young people’.

 

Jim Harris, Chairman of the Governors added, “I would like to congratulate everyone at the school on this glowing report. Elmhurst’s mission is to develop ‘exceptional dancers, exceptional people’. The report describes just that and is the result of talent, hard work, and dedication on the part of students and staff every day. I know how hard everyone works, and how committed the staff are to providing the best education, dance training, and life experience for every student at the school. I also know how wonderful the students are. I am delighted for everyone that their work has been recognised in this way and I am extremely proud of each and every individual involved in the school.”

 

The full report can be found here: 50233776 (ofsted.gov.uk)

 

To find out more about Elmhurst Ballet School, please visit the school website elmhurstballetschool.org or follow the school’s social media channels.

 

 

Notes to Editors

 

About Elmhurst Ballet School 

Elmhurst Ballet School is a world-renowned centre of dance excellence in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, which trains young dancers aged 11-19. Celebrating its 100th birthday in 2023, the school was founded in Camberley, Surrey in 1923 and relocated to Edgbaston in Birmingham in 2004.

 

The school aims to nurture individuality through dance training, academics and health & wellbeing and guide students to become independent, collaborative, and versatile artists. Elmhurst's dance training is delivered by current and former dance professionals. The training is enhanced by the association with Birmingham Royal Ballet, an ongoing relationship with Studio Wayne McGregor, and many visiting choreographers and dance artists work collaboratively with the students during the school year.

Elmhurst’s exceptional training opportunities is available to young dancers regardless of their financial, social, or cultural backgrounds. Although Elmhurst is an independent school, 89% of students benefit from UK Government support or in-house bursaries to train at the school. Recent graduates are working with companies across the UK and internationally including Birmingham Royal Ballet, New Adventures, Northern Ballet, Scottish Ballet, and the Royal Ballet.

 

Wayne McGregor CBE is President of the school, and Carlos Acosta CBE and Dame Merle Park are listed amongst the school’s Vice Presidents. Elmhurst Young Dancers’ Programme provides weekend pre-vocational training in Birmingham, Manchester, Plymouth, and Sunderland. A new Research and Performance Department is the first in the world to support evidence-based practice in a vocational dance school setting.

www.elmhurstballetschool.org

 

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Instagram: @elmhurstballetschool

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