New Performing Arts School to Open in 2025

A new performing arts school for 11 to 18 year-olds will open in west London in 2025. Located in Kensington as part of the Olympia regeneration project, Wetherby Arts School will offer training in theatre, movement, singing and acting alongside GCSEs and A Levels.

It is the latest school to be opened by the Alpha Plus Group, which owns 20 independent schools, nurseries and sixth form colleges in the UK (and one in New York) and is one of the largest providers of private education in London. Schools include Portland Place School, which has a unique hybrid model of education, and DLD College London.

Alpha Plus, which has an arts-based curriculum in many of its prep and senior schools, will partner with The BRIT School, the UK’s first free performing and creative arts school for 1,400 young people aged 14 to 19 years.

Mark Hanley-Browne, CEO at Alpha Plus Group, said:

“In our own schools we have seen, at first hand, how music, art, design, drama and dance enhance educational excellence and help children to grow and develop through self-expression. Alpha Plus prides itself on providing excellence in learning across all key subjects, and providing the Gold Standard in education, and we are fully committed to bringing these unique, life changing opportunities to the children of Hammersmith and Fulham, with our partners The BRIT School.”

Stuart Worden, Principal of The BRIT School said: 

“Having developed a very successful performing and creative arts school in South London that is now known around the world, we are excited about collaborating with a world-class school in West London.

“We will create opportunities for local young people to train in performing and creative classes and we will be working with Alpha Plus Group on developing community classes, arts festivals and local projects that we hope will have a long-lasting impact.”

Wetherby Arts School will offer a broad and traditional UK curriculum covering the core subjects of English, maths, science, technology, languages and the humanities, as well as qualifications including GCSEs and A Levels. One of Wetherby’s strengths and distinguishing features will be its special focus on visual, creative and performing arts – and students are expected to follow its wide range of arts-based GCSEs and A Levels.

Read more about Wetherby Arts School here.