Barbara Speake Stage School
The Barbara Speake Stage School was opened on 10 February 1945 and remains one of the longest established stage schools in the world. It is an independent school, and was initially set up as a dancing school, by the founding principal Miss Barbara Speake, MBE,[1] and is located in East Acton, London. The school is fee-paying but non-selective in its admissions.[2]
Barbara Speake Stage School | |
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Address | |
East Acton Lane , W3 7EG England | |
Coordinates | 51.51234°N 0.25517°W |
Information | |
Type | Independent school Day school Co-educational school |
Established | 10 February 1945 |
Founder | Barbara Speake |
Local authority | Ealing Council |
Ofsted | Reports |
Principal | Barbara Speake |
Headteacher | David Speake |
Gender | Co-educational |
Age | 4 to 16 |
Campus | Urban campus |
In 1961, June Collins joined forces with Barbara Speake to become the school's agent. Collins supplied the entertainment industry with children for every major production in the West End, TV and Theatre. Due to the success of both the agency and dancing school, in 1963 the decision was made to turn their successes in to a full-time educational establishment for the performing arts. Collins discovered Jack Wild playing football and decided that he was a child with potential, and persuaded his family to let him attend the full-time school. Wild went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of "The Artful Dodger" in Oliver![3][4]
One of its founders, Barbara Speake, went on to receive an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in the New Years Honours list of 2007, for her services to the arts. Collins died on her 98th birthday on 6 November 2011.
The School currently has 66 pupils aged 4 to 16 and is the only stage school providing a "Stage School" Nursery, allowing the children to grow in confidence and self-esteem via the arts.
The School received an Inadequate Ofsted rating at its last inspection (30 April 2019).[5] The decline from a Satisfactory rating began with an emergency inspection on 4 July 2014 which found that the welfare, health and safety of pupils was at risk following the installation of CCTV without appropriate changing facilities being provided. The inspection found that there were no changing facilities for female pupils.[6]
Alumni
Over the years, Collins had an eye for talent, and with Speake, the school has helped to develop some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including:
- Actress Julie Dawn Cole
- Super model Naomi Campbell[7]
- Child actor and television presenter Keith Chegwin[8]
- Drummer, lead singer of Genesis, solo artist, music producer, actor (and June Collins' son) Phil Collins[4][9]
- Comedian, actor, singer and presenter Brian Conley[2]
Writer/director/actress Sara Sugarman
- Actress and singer Michelle Gayle[10]
- Actor and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah[11][12]
- Film producer David Parfitt[13]
- Casting director Mark Summers[14]
- British screenwriter, film director and former actress Amma Asante
- British child-actor Jack Wild, known for playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver!, (1968) and Jimmy in the NBC children's television series H.R. Pufnstuf (1969) and accompanying 1970 feature film.
References
- Speake, Barbara M. "Angels in the Wings". Authorhouse.co.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- Elkin, Susan (7 February 2005). "Speake up for drama – Barbara Speake". The Stage. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- "Wichita Eagle: Search Results". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Jack Wild". Telegraph.co.uk. 3 March 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50086929
- https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2418213
- "Naomi Campbell". Vogue. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- Millar, Paul (20 November 2011). "Keith Chegwin: 'Phil Collins let me sing his first song'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
- "Barbara Speake Stage School & Agency". Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Michelle Gayle". MTV Artists. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Kwame Kwei-Armah". IMDb. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Queen's birthday honours list 2012: OBE". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "David Parfitt". IMDb. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Official biography of Barbara Speake
- Listing in the Independent Schools Guide