For ages 12-18 years Summer School

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

Duration: 1 week

Locations: Essex

Minimum Age: Applicants should be aged 12 to 18 years at the start of the course, and have some experience in dance.

Please be aware that we have a limited number of places available and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Course dates: 27th July – 31st July 2026

Course fees: £430

This fee includes a light lunch, a Performers T-shirt, and all evening activities.

£100 non-refundable deposit.

Accommodation (optional): approximately £170 for a 5-night stay with a host family.

Be inspired by an exciting practical workshop with a special guest West End performer. During this session, you will learn a musical number from a popular musical, and there will be a Q&A with our guest so you can ask all of those burning questions you have about life as a professional musical theatre performer!

You will learn choreography, vocals and scenes from an exciting musical, and our expert tutors will work on techniques that help you to integrate the skills of singing, acting and dancing into a seamless performance.

In our singing sessions you will work with one of our Musical Directors and vocal coaches to develop your singing technique. You will sing in harmony during ensemble classes, and there will be the opportunity to sing solo during the course for those who would like to work on their individual performance skills.

During our intensive Summer School, you will participate in practical workshops in a huge range of dance styles including Classical Ballet, Tap, Technical Jazz, Musical Theatre Jazz, Hip-Hop/Commercial, and Contemporary Fusion/Lyrical. Our industry choreographers and dance specialists will inspire you to explore new genres and styles, and help develop your performance and presentation skills.

Acting for both stage and screen will be covered within the Summer School, with sessions including spoken voice, text, and improvisation. You will work with our directors on scripts for television and stage and will build your screen acting technique in front of our high-spec camera equipment.

Our Essex Summer School is renowned for the extra experiences that truly set us apart from other programmes. Across the week, you’ll enjoy wraparound care for three of the four evenings you spend with us, if you choose to, of course, with no pressure to attend!

Your first evening will be a relaxed ‘getting to know you’ night, filled with fun activities, music, dancing, and plenty of opportunities to socialise, plus a well-deserved sweet treat for everyone!

On either night two or three (to be confirmed), you’ll head into London’s iconic West End to experience an incredible live theatre performance, an unforgettable highlight of the week.

On the Thursday evening, you’ll round off the week in style. You’ll be invited to our Student Ambassador Showcase, followed by our iconic silent disco where you can dance the night away, and enjoy a delicious snack from one of our selected food trucks.

All in all, it’s an incredible experience that perfectly complements the high-quality training and day-to-day activities at Performers College.

Our host family offering is a great way to experience a true home away from home during your Summer School. We work with a network of trusted host families who are long-established partners of Performers College and have supported our students for many years.

A host family stay includes the option of shared or private rooms, travel to and from campus, breakfast and dinner each day (with lunch provided at the college), and access to all essential amenities including WiFi and laundry facilities.

Prices are typically around £170 for a five-night stay (Sunday to Friday). For more information, contact us using the details below.

For families who prefer to stay nearby, there are several options within easy reach of our Essex campus.

Premier Inn Basildon South is the closest option at 2.0 miles, with free parking, family rooms, and a Beefeater restaurant on site.

Travelodge Basildon and Holiday Inn Basildon are both located at Festival Leisure Park, around 5 miles away, with a range of dining and leisure options close by.

For something a little different, Orsett Hall is a 4-star boutique hotel set in 12 acres of Essex countryside, approximately 5 miles away, with a spa and restaurant on site.

The Bell Inn in Horndon on the Hill is a characterful village inn approximately 3.2 miles from campus.

If none of these options suit, we’d recommend checking booking sites for availability and pricing, or contact us for help.

“I remember my daughter Beth nervously signing up for her week at Performers College Summer School. She didn’t really know how she would feel spending a week away with strangers, but her love of dance — and the friendly staff and students from Performers College that we’d previously seen at Move It — meant she plucked up the courage and went for it. She didn’t look back!

Everyone she encountered was so friendly. She was absolutely buzzing after day one, where introductions had been made and ice-breaker games were incorporated to help the group get to know one another. She made friends right from the off, and all the staff were also incredibly supportive, kind, and approachable.

Throughout the week, Beth was involved in a range of dance genres and loved the different choreography and tutors she was lucky enough to engage with. The classes were pitched at a level appropriate for the group, so she left feeling stretched and challenged, but never out of her depth.

Extra activities including a games night, a theatre trip to the West End, and a final BBQ with a photo booth were thoughtfully executed and really helped to balance the week, bringing the students together and forging friendships both inside and outside the classroom.

It confirmed for Beth that Performers College was a great fit for her, and she is just coming to the end of three incredibly happy years studying for a Musical Theatre and Dance degree. She has no regrets, and only wishes she could do it all again!”