Category: Education

Discover Fair Access Creative Pathways at RCS: Upcoming Events & Information Sessions

Posted on by Ellen McNeill

 Discover Creative Pathways at   RCS 

A young person sitting smiling at table with friends

Are you aged 16+ and interested in performing or production arts?

Come along to one of our upcoming events or information sessions to find out more about our programmes: Get Into: Performing and Production Arts (16+) and brand new credit-rated Access Courses (17+). Explore your next steps towards a creative career, meet staff and students from RCS and get advice about applying. 

Online Information Sessions

Join us from the comfort of your own home to find out more about the courses, what they involve and how to apply. These sessions run from 5.30 – 6.15pm on:

  • Thursday 6 March
  • Monday 10 March
  • Thursday 13 March

Book Now buttonIn-Person Events

Join us at RCS or The Beacon Arts Centre for a fun, practical session where you get to work with our tutors to explore performing and production arts in action. These in-person events run from 4.30 – 6.30pm on:

Book Now button

Online Artform Information Sessions

Join us to delve deeper into what each of our creative pathways is all about. Meet staff and students from RCS who will let you know what to expect on the Get Into and Access Courses. These online sessions run from 5.30 – 6.30pm on: 

  • Monday 31 March (Find Out More: Production)
  • Wednesday 2 April (Find Out More: Music Education)
  • Thursday 3 April (Find Out More: Arts with Community)

Book Now button

 Who Can Apply 

Our Access Courses are fully funded and specifically aimed at people who:

  • live in an SIMD1 Postcode 
  • are care experienced 
  • are estranged and receive no support from family or carers
  • live in an SIMD1 Postcode or SIMD2 Postcode and belong to one of the following groups:
    • living rurally with poor transport links
    • Black, Indigenous or People of Colour 
    • D/deaf or Hard of Hearing

Get in touch if you have any questions or need us to check a postcode for you.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions about these activities please get in touch with us at: fairaccess@rcs.ac.uk

Brand New Access Courses

Posted on by Ellen McNeill

 New Access Courses 

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland launches brand new Access Courses for people ages 17+ starting July 2025

A man sitting while a young girl laughs holding a microphone

This eight-month accredited programme will help you discover your creative potential and take your artistic skills to the next level. It is fully funded for those who meet our Fair Access eligibility and is designed for people who are serious about studying BA Arts with Community, Music Education, or Production at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The programme is split into three areas of study and offers 40 credits at SCQF Level 6 on completion:

  • Access to Arts with Community
  • Access to Production
  • Access to Music Education

Throughout the course you will deepen your understanding and increase experience in your chosen artform. You will work collaboratively with other students to create performances and receive expert guidance on how to apply for degree programmes and prepare for auditions/interviews.

Find out more about these exciting new courses running from July 2025 – March 2026 here: Access Courses at RCS

 

Apply Now Button

Deadline to apply: 14 March 2025

 Who Can Apply 

Our Access Courses are fully funded and specifically aimed at people who:

  • live in an SIMD1 Postcode 
  • are care experienced or estranged from, and receive no support from, family or carers
  • live in an SIMD1 Postcode or SIMD2 Postcode and belong to one of the following groups:
    • living rurally with poor transport links
    • Black, Indigenous or People of Colour 
    • D/deaf or Hard of Hearing

Get in touch if you have any questions or need us to check a postcode for you.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions about these activities please get in touch with us at: fairaccess@rcs.ac.uk

School Info Sessions: New Access Courses and Get Into

Posted on by Ellen McNeill

 School Info Sessions 

New Access Courses and Get Into at RCS

A young person holding a theatre light

Are your pupils curious about creative careers? Do they want to know how to get into training and what jobs this could lead to in the world of work?

Book an in-school information session for your S5/6 pupils to find out about two exciting Fair Access courses that could be their next step.

Our staff will come and lead an interactive session about the following fully funded pathways and answer any questions that you and your pupils have:

  • Get Into: Performing and Production is for people 16+. This programme builds skills, confidence and insider knowledge. Ten weeks of practical workshops gets pupils started on their creative journey in Performance, Production for Stage and Screen, Singing Together or Arts with Community.
     
  • Our brand new Access Courses are for people 17+. This eight-month programme awards 40 Credits at SCQF Level 6. The courses are for people who are serious about studying BA Theatre Production, Bachelor of Education (Music) or BA Arts with Community at RCS. Pupils hone their skills and receive expert guidance on applying for BA programmes and preparing for auditions/interviews.

Pave your pupils’ way to employable careers in the creative industries.

Information sessions last one hour – morning or afternoon slots available. Choose from our menu of dates on application form. Spaces are limited so please sign up as soon as possible.

 

Book Now button

Deadline: 31 January

 Who Can Apply 

Our Get Into programme and Access Courses are fully funded and specifically aimed at people who:

Get in touch if you have any questions or need us to check a postcode for you.

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions about these activities please get in touch with us at: fairaccess@rcs.ac.uk

Recharge Your Theatre Practice, Season Two!

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Recharge Your Theatre Practice 

Career Long Professional Learning for

N5, Higher and Advanced Higher Teachers

A woman on stage in costume, reading from an old blotted bit of paper

Build your skills in Directing Monologues for Auditions and Practical Lighting. Join us at RCS and All Saints Secondary School Glasgow for workshops to refresh your creative practice and share new ways of working!

* Applications now closed *

Directing Monologues and Audition Techniques

Practical Lighting Skills
When: Wednesday 10 May, 4 – 6pm
Where: RCS, Wallace Studios		 When: Thursday 18 May, 4 – 6pm
Where: All Saints Secondary School
Led by: Liz Carruthers, Director

Find out what a typical drama school audition process looks like from Liz Carruthers, who sits regularly on audition panels for the RCS, both in Scotland and internationally. Discover how you can best prepare your pupils or students, including choosing and working on suitable monologues, responding well to re-direction in the audition and being best prepared for the interview.  Liz will also discuss managing auditionee expectations and having a good plan B if not successful the first time, which is very common! 

 Led by: Christoph Wagner, Lecturer in Lighting RCS 

Explore what makes an effective lighting design and how to achieve this with equipment typically found in a secondary school drama studio. This hands-on session will also look at how to use lights and equipment correctly. Using short scenes as stimulus, we’ll consider how to light key moments and document this with plans, notes and cue sheets. With lots of opportunities for questions, to troubleshoot challenges with teaching lighting in school, and sharing solutions.

‘Super helpful and I have lots of ideas to take back to school! Thank you’ 

‘Really inspiring and enjoyable – I wish we had more opportunities like this’

 Contact Us 

If you have any questions or queries, get in touch with the team on: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

BEd Music Bridging Programme 2023

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 So You Want To Be A Music Teacher? 

Join our BEd Music Bringing Programme, starting this September!

Young woman with violin pointing to a class powerpoint

Are you interested in studying music teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland? This Fair Access BEd Bridging Programme here at RCS aims to enhance the educational context of music teaching and get you ready to apply.

The Bridging Programme is a great opportunity to:

  • explore the skills and qualities of a good teacher
  • learn about educational policy and the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE)
  • develop vocal leadership skills 
  • be offered optional activities such as piano accompaniment, music technology or composition
  • receive your music tuition from the RCS Junior Conservatoire

In addition, you’ll gain valuable experience before applying for the BEd and meet like-minded peers.

This free course is aimed at those aged 16+, who are either:

* Applications now closed *

Contact Us

If you would like to find out more or discuss any queries you may have, contact the team on: fairacccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Self Tape Sessions

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Self Tape Sessions 

Year of Application Students

Young woman standing in front of a camera recording an interview session.

Throughout January, we had a wide selection of Transitions students come into RCS to have audition tapes filmed for their college, university, and conservatoire applications. Students ranging in disciplines from acting, musical theatre to music teaching, were accompanied by an engineer to record their self-tapes.

Working in partnership with RCS Admissions it was great to see how prepared they all were.

The feedback has been extremely positive with applicants loving their tapes and appreciating the atmosphere in the studio. It helped students feel more confident so we hope that this is something we can offer in the future again.

Recharge Your Theatre Practice

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Recharge Your Theatre Practice 

Career Long Professional Development for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Drama Teachers. Re-energise your Practice in Directing Actors and Devising Theatre

Group of people sitting in a theatre studio having a discussion

Join us at the RCS or CentreStage Kilmarnock for workshops led by professional theatre makers which will leave you upskilled, inspired and reconnected to your artform.

* Applications now closed *

 Devising Theatre 
Led by: Theatre Maker Phillipa Clark
*Choose from either Glasgow or Kilmarnock

Wednesday 2 November
4 – 6pm
RCS, Glasgow		 Wednesday 9 November
4:30 – 6:30pm
CentreStage, Kilmarnock

This session will be practical, purposeful and playful.  Explore strategies for creating devised drama from a stimulus. Refresh your skills and develop your toolkit of theatre-making techniques in a collaborative environment.  Philippa’s influences as a theatre maker include Frantic Assembly, Pina Bausch, Quarantine, Mammalian Diving Reflex and Candoco. 

 Directing Actors 
Led by: Theatre Director Guy Hollands
*Choose from either Glasgow or Kilmarnock

Wednesday 10 November
4 – 6pm
RCS, Glasgow		 Wednesday 16 November
4:30 – 6:30pm
CentreStage, Kilmarnock

Gain insight into Guy’s approach to directing, with an emphasis on the director’s relationship with actors in rehearsal. The session will include some practical work on text and a Q&A and hopes to build your own confidence with directing.  Guy has worked with companies including the Citizens Theatre, Edinburgh Lyceum, RCS, Visible Fictions and 7:84 

 Click Here to Book Your Session 

‘Absolutely loved this session!
Great delivery, content, pacing…every CLPD should be like this!’
– Drama Teacher, CLPD May 2022 

In partnership with:

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Call Out for Early Years R&D Opportunity

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 Experimentation Playground 

Making Performance for Tinies

Young girl making drama scene face and hands.

Are you care experienced, estranged or a former Transitions student? Do you like the idea of making performance for tiny people? Would you like to be paid £150 to take part in a week of R&D between 25 and 29 July at RCS?

The Fair Access department is looking for 4 students to take part in a week of R&D focusing on making performance for early years. You will be working alongside 4 care experienced young people aged 18-25 from the Citizens Theatre.

We will be focusing on creative play and the week will be co-led by early years practitioner Corrie McKendrick alongside our Fair Access Manager Jesse Paul and Outreach Officer Louise Brown.

The emphasis of the R&D will be to share skills, explore early years theatre making and create joy. We are keen to hear from people across all disciplines.

If you are interested, please fill in the form below:

* Applications now closed *

Deadline: 8 July 2022 at 5pm

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Bridging Programme: BEd (Music Teaching)

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 BEd BRIDGING PROGRAMME 

Start Date: September 2022

Two young women practicing violin

Are you interested in studying at RCS in music teaching? This Fair Access Bridging Programme aims to enhance your understanding of the educational context of music teaching and in getting you ready to apply.

The core sessions will be based on the Curriculum for Excellence and aim to build understanding of related policies, vocal Leadership, lesson planning and coaching skills. Participants may also be offered optional activities in subjects such as piano accompaniment, music technology and composition. 

This course is aimed at those aged 16+ who are either living in an SIMD1 postcode area or are care experienced or estranged or black, indigenous or person of colour. 

Register your interest by clicking the button below:

* Applications now closed *

 Get In Touch 

If you require any further information or have any questions, email: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk

Apply Now To Become A Fair Access Ambassador!

Posted on by Yvonne McLellan

 FAIR ACCESS AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME 

September 2022 through to Summer 2023

⭐️ Applications are now open for our Fair Access Ambassador programme ⭐️

Young people sitting chatting in student area

 What is Fair Access? 

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is an inclusive and diverse environment. We want to encourage as many people as possible, regardless of their background, to get involved with the performing and production arts. The Fair Access department at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland run two programmes – Transitions and WACI – alongside our Fair Access Outreach and Partnership programme. 📽 Watch more here.

 The work of Fair Access Ambassadors 

Our Ambassadors work alongside our staff to help promote and provide information on opportunities around entering into the performing and production arts and our Fair Access activities and events within their local schools and communities. In return, our Ambassadors gain experience within the arts sector, working with people, and developing teamwork and communication skills alongside bespoke training opportunities.

 About you! 

The Ambassador programme is aimed at those aged 16+ who are passionate about the performing and production arts. You will meet the WACI eligibility criteria or be a current Transitions student. Checking your emails regularly, having good knowledge in social media, clear communication skills and being comfortable in social situations are an advantage.

 When will I need to be available? 

Aside from normal Ambassador activities, you will be available to attend our Ambassador meetings either at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland or via Zoom:

▪️ Residential Weekend: 2 – 4 September
▪️ Meetings: 20 Nov 22, 18 Feb 23 and 17 Jun 23.

 Sounds good, where / how do I sign up? 

Our application form will ask you to fill in your personal details and write a short response to the following questions:

▪️ Why are the arts important?
▪️ How would you promote the arts within your community to young people?
▪️ Why and how would you commit to being a Fair Access Ambassador?

*Alternatively, you can attach a short video (2-3 mins) that answers the questions above.

* Applications now closed *

 Completing you application 

To complete your application we ask that you provide a reference from someone you know who is involved in the arts. This can be a teacher, tutor, community practitioner etc.

* Applications now closed *

Get in touch 

If you require further information or have any questions, get in touch with the team at: fairaccesshello@rcs.ac.uk