The BRIT School has nurtured the creative talents of music superstars Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse, Adele and Jessie J. But the school focuses on all the arts and hopes to launch the creative careers of more than 1,000 students on its books. Andrew Jameson went to find out more...
WITH nine different departments nurturing 1,200 potential stars in disciplines ranging from singing to video game design, there is rarely a dull moment at The BRIT School.
The performing arts and technology school, in The Crescent, Selhurst, is unique in what it offers – come and have a free education where you can hone your talents and get your foot in the door in creative industries, which are notoriously hard to break into.
But there is one caveat attached to that – you have to be serious about it.
"It's important students have a commitment before they come here," said principal Stuart Worden.
"This is a vocation. They have to take it seriously – it's not a hobby."
It can be a golden ticket. Students from across the country apply for the ferociously competitive places on offer at the school.
There is no real equivalent anywhere else in the country and it has already become part of the lifeblood of the creative industries.
About a decade ago, the school began to attract an avalanche of publicity. The talents of high profile alumni such as Lily Allen, Katie Melua and Amy Winehouse came to fruition, the media took notice and the glare of the world turned on this talent factory in Croydon.
As the recognition grew, it was decided to take a step back from this blast of press attention a few years ago.
With the talent throughout this place it is sometimes easy to forget it is, after all, still a school. Comparisons to Fame or Glee are natural, given its ties to acting, singing and dancing, but they don't tell the full story.
For instance, the broadcast, digital and communication course offers students the chance to forge a career behind the camera.
Interactive media students learn how to design their own computer games, as well as web and graphic design. Community Arts Practice teaches students how they can use their skills to help those with little access to the arts.
The school helps pupils nurture whatever natural talent and creative discipline they wish to explore.
Mr Worden, who took over from Sir Nick Williams in 2012 after being a theatre teacher at the school for many years, said: "The thing is, none of them are paying for it, but they can go out and create powerful futures and are on their way to brilliant careers."
The contacts and the industry links The BRIT School has made and maintained certainly offer a leg up for its students, which is one of the big attractions of the school.
Newly-established links have been made with big companies like ITV and Google, offering unique employment opportunities to the school's graduates.
A&R representatives from huge labels such as Universal – perhaps understandably given the school's track record for producing talent – hold weekly open auditions for students over 16.
"The music industry has had a very good time out of the BRIT School, it is a very positive relationship," said Mr Worden.
The principal pointed out that a recent survey of pupils who left the school seven years ago showed about 70 per cent still work in the creative industries – a figure far higher than most university courses.
The slightly hectic element of the school errs on the side of organised chaos rather than complete bedlam.
Students, who up until GCSE level have to spend a good chunk of time on the more traditionally academic subjects, are encouraged to share their ideas and express creativity.
Mr Worden said: "It's a playground. Students can experiment here and they can make mistakes here.
"They can fall off the swing and that's OK."
What's clear, however, is you have to really want to get on that swing and, judging by the students and the distances they travel from, there are plenty who do.
That includes a nine-year-old boy, already designing his own computer games, who was being given a tour of the school – at his own request – when the Advertiser visited.
He will have to wait another five years before he is eligible to join the school, but this could well be the sort of desire that marks him out as a BRIT student of the future.
Four to watch....
THE SINGER-SONGWRITER
Natalie Shay, 15, commutes from north London every day to pursue her dream of becoming a singer-songwriter.
She had first heard about the school aged 12, when she was involved in musical theatre, but says it has given her a much greater focus since joining.
She performed last week in front of 500 people at the school's OctOBFest event and believes she is developing all the time.
She said: "My influences are really changing at the moment so it's hard to say if there's one person I'd like to be like. If I had to say one person I'm like at the moment, it would probably be Kate Nash."
THE TV PRESENTER/PRODUCER
Emmanuel Olaniyan, 16, had already carved out a considerable following online before he joined the school, six weeks ago.
One of his YouTube videos, 'Prankin' My African Dad', has already had more than three million views since February.
In the video, he pretends he has impregnated a girl.
He now studies Broadcast Digital Communications, writing scripts, producing soap operas and learning about life in front of and behind the camera.
Emmanuel, from Forest Hill, credits his move to the school with changing his life and would like to become an actor or presenter in the future.
THE ACTOR
Tyler Myers-Williams, 17, is thriving at the Brit School, recently picking up the best actor award at a festival of plays in Wimbledon.
A few years ago, Tyler was struggling badly at mainstream school and was sent to what he refers to as a "centre for bad kids" from Year 8 to Year 11.
He is now one of the stand-out actors at the school and the play for which he won his award was specially written for Black History Month.
Tyler, from Peckham, said: "At the centre, it was quite tough.
"Then a friend said, 'why don't you try this place?' I did and I feel like I have found my voice."
THE SMARTPHONE DEVELOPER
Aslan Ertan, 17, would like to be a graphic designer or a web developer after he leaves the Brit School, but in his spare time he is creating an affordable smartphone.
His model has the same specifications as that of some Android models but, he says, is much cheaper to produce.
Aslan is looking for investment while he fine-tunes his technology, but says he wants to target less affluent markets.
He said: "There are some bits of technology and software the school has which obviously people won't be able to have at home.
"They assist you, but they also help you develop ideas."
