So… what's CLASS all about?

Sir Ken Robinson has said: "There isn't an education system on the planet that teaches dance every day to children the way we teach them mathematics. Why? Why not? I think this is rather important. I think maths is very important but so is dance. Children dance all the time if they're allowed to, we all do. We all have bodies, don't we?" TED 2006

Many boys enjoy dance, enjoy ballet… or would do if they had the chance and the chance to do it more often. CLASS will provide boys in London with a free alternative to mainstream or vocational dance education.

The discipline, the skills, the motivation and the creativity found in dance can be channelled into every aspect of the curruculum, a curriculum that uses  the appropriate use of digital technologies to provide an education that really is suitable for the 21st century.

Back to dance though, for boys, different techniques, different style and different strengths mean that boys only classes are often a godsend as they get older. But once they get to secondary school, the numbers continuing to do ballet, and to dance decreases.

But we think that the discipline, motivation and movement found in dance enables boys to LEARN better, channelling strength, speed, creativity into and across their education.

So CLASS will fill the gap between vocational ballet school, and little or no dancing at all. It is FREE school, benefitting from the Government's Free Schools initiative. There will be no cost for any student to attend this school.

Why is the school called CLASS?

Professional dancers go to daily class at the start of every day of their professional lives. It is where they warm up, where they practice and refine their skills. It is where they meet their compatriots, where they catch up togther and where the discipline and motivation found in dance classes work together to hone the dancers skills.

Deborah Bull, a former principal of the Royal Ballet says in her book 'The Everyday Dancer' the following about daily class: "It's what we do. The ignition key that starts every day. Without class, nothing else happens. It is our daily bread, both rigour and ritual to the dancer, as the Lord's Prayer is to the Priest: an unfailing constant and inspiration, a reminder of the perfection to which we aspire…"

So what we want in this school is for the students to talk about 'Going to CLASS'. We will ensure that standards of beahvour are consistent throughout CLASS, we will welcome visitors to CLASS, but above all, by their coming to CLASS we will want to see boys leave us with an excellent academic education, highly motivated and secure in their learning and with a love of dance that will continue whatever route they decide to follow in the future.

So, we really do want to say to you, 'Welcome to CLASS'.

What do you think about our proposals?

Please take a look at our site and please share or follow us on facebook or twitter. If you are interested in knowing more, taking part in the school or are interested in having your son attend the school, please let us know.

IMPORTANT: if you would like your son to attend CLASS in year 7 from sept 2014 – PLEASE let us know as soon as possible.

This includes the parents of boys in years 5, 4 and 3 as these younger year groups will provide the first 3 years of the school opening.