Guildhall School of Music & Drama | Care Leavers & Looked After Children

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Walk the School with Guildhall students

During my time here, I organised an international conference based around my subject involving delegates from 4 continents

Emily Baines
DMus, ‘Mechanical Musical Instruments as a Source for Historical Performance’

The teaching staff encourage the diversity that Guildhall is known for…there is something for everyone, regardless of style and influence

Oliver Leith
MMus Composition

The research community at Guildhall is a really interesting place to be

Stefania Donini
PhD

I found it very beneficial to take a break from a busy teaching career to think and reflect on my teaching value, principle and strategies

Yushan Li
PGCert Performance Teaching

Studying at Guildhall is really cool because you are in a setting where the arts are valued by an entire community

Natasha Mbwana
BA Performance & Creative Enterprise

The projects we work on are real - we are in effect constantly getting work experience

Laurie Lumley
BA Video Design for Live Performance

Guildhall is an institution that knows it has to be connected to the outside world - that's the key thing. It's not a bubble. It has roots in the city and in the world.

Jonathan Ferrucci
Artist Diploma Piano

One minute you could be playing in the Guildhall Studio Orchestra with jazz musicians, the next you could be playing in the opera pit, then the next minute you'll be with actors doing the musical and then playing a symphony in the orchestra.

Millie Ashton
BMus Violin

I had access to people I would never have been able to meet as a young composer starting out.

Na'ama Zisser
Doctoral Composer in Residence

Care Leavers and Looked After Children

Definition

The School defines a care leaver as a young person who has been in the care of a local authority for at least 13 weeks including at the time of their 16th birthday.

The School is committed to doing its best to ensure that students from all backgrounds feel able to apply and take up a place at the School. Students from a care background may face particular challenges in progressing to Higher Education so the School has put in place two contacts who can help you navigate the application process and the start of your Higher Education career. This support will continue all the way through to graduation. Please feel free to contact either member of staff at any time

The Student Funding Officer works in the Registry and can help with completing application forms and with any questions you may have about external and internal funding opportunities, including the Access Bursary. Information about funding available to undergraduate students can be found here.

The Student Life Officer works in Student Affairs and can advise students on a range of matters from accommodation and finding a job to social events. Student Affairs supports all students in non-academic matters. More information on Student Affairs can be found here.

Confidentiality

All information provided by care leavers will be held in the strictest confidence, and only shared when required.

If you declare on the application form that you are a care leaver and subsequently are offered a place then you will need to confirm your eligibility by providing us with a letter from the local authority that looked after you. After this point we will not ask for any other personal information about you or your family.

Financial Support from the School

The School offers a range of scholarships for both maintenance and tuition fees in order to try and ensure that no student is prevented from taking up a place at the School because of financial hardship. Applicants and enrolled students who are Care Leavers will be given special consideration for scholarship support where it is declared on the scholarship form (this does not necessarily guarantee an award). Scholarships have to be applied for on an annual basis.

Accommodation

Sundial Court Halls of Residence is owned and run by the School, offering accommodation to students from the start to the end of the academic year. More information on accommodation can be found here.

When is support available?

Pre-application: Please feel free to email either contact.

Post application submission: If you have declared that you are a care leaver but have not contacted either member of staff then you will be contacted by email with the offer of support

Audition/Interview day: If you are coming on your own and would like support during any waiting times then either the SFO or SLO will try to make themselves available.

You are offered and accept a place: You will be invited to meet with the SFO and SLO to assist you in filling in all the required forms to access funding, scholarship support, accommodation and generally help you to get things organised. The enrolment requirements will be explained to ensure that you have all the required documents ready in good time for September.

Enrolment Week: The first week of term (enrolment week) can be very busy, with academic inductions, tests and other meetings. During enrolment week you will be invited to events to help you settle in and ensure you make the most of your time at the School and opportunities available to students. If needed the SFO or SLO will help you prioritise your timetable during this week to balance the necessary with the ‘extra curricula’ activities provided.

After enrolment week: The SFO and SLO will be available for regular meetings to address any concerns. Support from the SFO and SLO will be ongoing until you graduate and can be accessed at any time during the calendar year subject to School closure times.