Guildhall Young Artists Taunton Drama Course
Our Drama Course for ages 11–18 teaches and develops acting skills through fun weekly classes on Saturdays.
Key information:
- Course dates:
- Saturday term time
- Course times:
- 10am–1.20pm
- Age:
- 11–18
- Art form:
- Drama
- Fees:
- £380 per term (£38 per week)
- Level of study:
- Short Courses & Summer Schools, Workshops & Saturday Centres (under 18)
- Mode of study:
- In-person
- Venue:
- Wellington School, Wellington, Somerset
About the Drama Course
Welcome to our Drama Course, which has been developed over the past three years for children and young people ages 11–18, school years 7–13.
The Drama Course is suitable for children and young people aged 11-18, and focuses on teaching and developing professional drama skills and techniques to support a love for acting and drama and to support their academia and further education.
The Drama Course includes one hour of vocal coaching and singing and two one-hour drama workshops. Each term will focus on a fun and exciting theme, and students will cover specific genres or skills, learning how to act and create theatre and drama in different styles, and how to take ownership of their creativity and ideas. This course endeavours to help children and young people shine through a growth in confidence, creative ability, friendships, and more.
We are able to combine both music and drama courses for the same price as the stand-alone music/drama courses. Please let us know if this is something the applicant would be interested in when submitting an enquiry form.
Individual and paired lessons (drama only) can be arranged alongside the Drama Course for an additional cost. Please let us know if this is something the applicant would be interested in when submitting an enquiry form.
Fees
£380 per term (£38 per week)
With one-to-one lesson
Add an individual 30-minute instrumental, vocal or drama lesson (subject to availability) for an additional £28 per Saturday + the cost of the Drama Course.
With paired lesson (drama only)
Shared drama lessons are also available for those who wish to share the 30-minute lesson with one other student, in which case the lesson cost is an additional £14 per Saturday per student + the cost of the Drama Course.
Payment schedule
The course or courses signed up for will be charged for the term. The number of sessions that will need to be paid for will depend on the number of sessions left in the term. Please see our term dates for information.
After the first term has finished, sessions will be charged termly.
Five Week Trial
All new students will be given a five-week trial period (payable) if they have joined Guildhall Young Artists Taunton in the first five weeks of the term. Please see full terms and conditions on our finance and funding page.
Deposit
We ask for a £50 holding deposit to secure your place. On receipt of your application, a friendly member of our team will discuss your requirements noted on the application form and send a payment link for the reservation of a place. This payment will be taken off one terms fees, or any outstanding balance refunded to your account if you give notice within the five-week trial period.
Bursaries
We are able to offer three different bursaries thanks to the generosity of Guildhall Young Artists, Octagon Music Hub (with funds from Arts Council England), and Bishop Fox's Educational Fund, which all have different criteria. These are means-tested and will enable students to have some or all of their class fees paid for. Travel bursaries are available for students who live in West Somerset. Please refer to our finance and funding page for more information.
SUMMER TERM DATES 2026
Saturday 18 April – week 21
Saturday 25 April – week 22
Saturday 2 May – week 23
No GYA Taunton on Sat 9 May, venue unavailable
Saturday 16 May – week 24
Half Term – no GYA Taunton on Sat 23 & 30 May
Saturday 6 June – week 25
Saturday 13 June – week 26
Saturday 20 June – week 27
Saturday 27 June – week 28
Saturday 4 July – week 29
Saturday 11 July – week 30
ACADEMIC YEAR 2026-27
AUTUMN TERM DATES 2026
Saturday 5 September – week 1
Saturday 12 September – week 2
No GYA Taunton on Sat 19 Sept, venue unavailable
Saturday 26 September – week 3
Saturday 3 October – week 4
Saturday 10 October – week 5
Saturday 17 October – week 6
Half Term – no GYA Taunton on Sat 24 & 31 Oct
Saturday 7 November – week 7
Saturday 14 November – week 8
Saturday 21 November – week 9
No GYA Taunton on Sat 28 Nov, venue unavailable
Saturday 5 December – week 10
Saturday 12 December – week 11
SPRING TERM DATES 2027
Saturday 9 January – week 12
Saturday 16 January – week 13
Saturday 23 January – week 14
Saturday 30 January – week 15
Saturday 6 February – week 16
Half Term – no GYA Taunton on Sat 13 & 20 Feb
Saturday 27 February – week 17
Saturday 6 March – week 18
Saturday 13 March – week 19
Saturday 20 March – week 20
SUMMER TERM DATES 2027
Saturday 17 April – week 21
Saturday 24 April – week 22
Saturday 1 May – week 23
Saturday 8 May – week 24
No GYA Taunton on Sat 15 May, venue unavailable
Saturday 22 May – week 25
Half Term – no GYA Taunton on Sat 29 May & Sat 5 June
Saturday 12 June – week 26
Saturday 19 June – week 27
Saturday 26 June – week 28
Saturday 3 July – week 29
Saturday 10 July – week 30
Please address queries relating to GYA Taunton to gyataunton@gsmd.ac.uk or call 07754 217993.
We regret it is not possible to give refunds in the event of absence as the Centre has to continue paying professional tutors and overheads. GYA Taunton expects as close to 100% attendance as possible, to ensure you develop and get the most out of your attendance.
A full term’s notice is required to stop attending (except in exceptional circumstances). This notice period is required to fulfil obligations to the professional tutors, pay for facilities and to encourage you to be fully committed to the courses chosen.
