BA Production Arts and Design

Welcome to Production at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Production consists of both the BA Production Arts and Design and the BA Production Technology and Management programmes. Production students will work very closely with each other in the classroom and on RCS productions.

Ros Maddison is Head of Production and has been leading the department since 2002, before which she taught stage management. Prior to this, she worked as a freelance stage manager across Scotland. Ros has been External Examiner for a variety of other institutions including RADA and Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Dublin. She became a Fellow of the Royal Conservatoire in 2012.

The Production Arts and Design programme has been designed to create a high-level conservatoire learning environment for aspiring scenic artists, prop makers, stage carpenters, costume makers, and set and costume designers. You will learn in an environment where your technical knowledge is as important as your creativity and individuality.

You will be accepted based on your profile in one particular area, taken from the five subjects on offer (scenic art,  set construction, costume construction, prop-making, and set/costume design). You will follow an individually-negotiated pathway based on a major and minor study to ensure a quality learning experience and afford you the opportunity to engage with the broad and diverse range of performance programmes.

The opportunity to work with film-makers, dancers, musicians and actors is unique and the facilities in which we do this are second to none. The Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks has purpose-built production workshops and design studios and the Renfrew Street building houses five public performance spaces including a fully-equipped proscenium arch theatre and a black box studio theatre. The combination of professional venues, extensive workshops, construction spaces, design studios and the latest stage and workshop technologies provide a fantastic learning environment.

As our standards are rooted in industry practice we have exceptionally strong links with professional partners from across the UK and beyond. We have very close relationships with the key Scottish national companies, such as Scottish Opera, the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet as well as the majority of regional theatres such as the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. We work closely with industry to ensure the expertise you acquire is current, competitive and of the highest professional standard.

If you have an employment opportunity in any of the following areas please contact Ros at r.maddison@rcs.ac.uk with full details and she will be happy to share this information with the relevant students:

• Stage management
• Lighting
• Sound
• Stage technology
• Prop making
• Scenic art
• Costume construction
• Scenery construction
• Set/costume design

Students on this programme are interviewed and accepted based on their profile in one particular area of study taken from the five subjects on offer (scenic art, set construction, costume construction, prop making and set/costume design). This subject becomes their major study and is the basis for their pathway through the programme and potential employment opportunities after graduation.

Year One

You will experience all areas of the theatre production process as well as build initial skills and knowledge in your major subject. You will receive a broad-based introduction to the production environment and the standard practices both in production arts and design and also in its sister programme production technology and management. In the five core subjects, the design process is examined through a range of projects, workshop rotations and collaborative projects culminating in the choice of a minor subject to complement your major study pathway. You will also investigate the collaborative nature of production and performance and have the opportunity to work with year one students from across RCS.

Year Two

You will consolidate your skills and knowledge and be introduced to more advanced approaches and techniques including management and self-promotion.

Production Arts students engage with practice-based work on RCS productions as part of a collaborative team with students from third year. Processes, skills and techniques are gathered as well as the opportunity to observe senior students in managerial positions. Design students explore the design process from concept to final presentation through personal projects and begin the process of designing for a fully-realised production. This leads to an allocation as Designer for an RCS production – normally realised on stage in the first weeks of year three. Here begins your individual pathway, as negotiated with your subject staff, where learning is designed to promote your own individual development and achievement. Personal and professional development sessions focus on building an individual portfolio and personal promotion skills. You will also have ‘Options’ modules where you can choose from a range of modules on offer from programmes across the institution.

Year Three

Year three enables you to consolidate all of your learning and exploration and develop specialist skills in autonomous situations. Each student negotiates their individual pathway in third year to take advantage of the available production roles, personal projects, options modules and work placement opportunities. The work placement ensures you are making contacts with industry practitioners and potential employers. A showcase of work is exhibited and a range of potential employers are invited to view your work.

Assessment

Most work is assessed through staff observations of your practice but reflection underpins the approach to assessment, and reflective journals and summary statements form a key component of assessment in Personal and Professional Development modules. There is a strong emphasis on the assessment of process including working with others. Students in levels two and three engage in portfolio building as an element of professional development planning, specifically designed to aid their self-promotion, and transition into the workplace.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is in the World Top 10 for performing arts education 2016, 2017 and 2018 (QS World Rankings) 

• Only degree of its kind in Scotland
• 100% of graduate respondents are in employment or full-time study (HESA, 16/17)
• Industry placement and final year showcase
• Workshops and masterclasses with distinguished visiting professionals
• Invaluable industry partnerships including National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Scottish Ballet, Citizens Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Disney Cruise Lines, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, The Envelope Room, Society of British Theatre Designers and Scottish Opera
• Purpose-built production workshops, design studios and five ,public performance spaces
• Study abroad opportunities in Europe, Australia, California and Hong Kong
• Continuing student success on major TV shows such as Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones, Outlander and The Crown and on major films such as The Outlaw King.

Head of Production

Ros Maddison

Teaching staff

Gary Fry – Lecturer in Scenic Art

Zander Lee – Lecturer in Scenery Construction

Martin Mallorie – Lecturer in Design and Props Construction

Christine Murphy – Lecturer in Design and Costume Construction

Robin Peoples –  Lecturer in Design

The BA Production Technology and Management Programme team deliver a range of sessions on your programme especially throughout year one. Also led by the Head of Production, the team consists of four dedicated lecturers and four tutors.

Steve Macluskie – Lecturer in Stage Technology

Susan May Hawley – Lecturer in Stage Management

Christoph Wagner – Lecturer in Lighting

Claire Hibberd – Lecturer in Sound Technology

Yvonne Carruthers – Stage Management Tutor

Dave Evans – Lighting Tutor

Malcolm Stephens – Stage Supervisor (Tutor)

Central Production Unit (CPU)

The Central Production Unit consists of tutors who mentor and supervise students in the production arts workshops including tuition and tutorial support. There are also three Production Managers in the CPU who will be your line managers on production work but who are also there to support your learning. The CPU is separate to the School of Drama, Dance, Production and Film and supports all RCS productions as required.

CPU Staff

• Lynfryn Mackenzie – Head of Technical Production
• Stephen Roe – Production Manager (Sabbatical 2018-19)
• Kevin Murray – Production Manager (Cover 2018-19)
• Colin Bell – Production Manager
• Gillian Affleck – Costume Tutor
• Gill McLeod – Costume Tutor
• Linda Logan – Costume Tutor
• Lynne McGinley – Costume Tutor (PT)
• Anna Antczak – Costume Tutor (PT)
• Simon Cook – Workshop Manager
• Matt Doolan – Construction tutor
• Astrella Oldham – Props Tutor
• Merlin Currie – Props Tutor (Maternity Cover)
• Rhonda Barclay – Production Support Assistant (Stores)

Venues’ Team Technicians

The Venues Team mentor and supervise students in the RCS venues and provide advice and guidance in production practice. They also work independently to the School of Drama, Dance, Production and Film and have responsibility for all RCS internal venues. The team is led by:

Kevin Robertson – Resident Stage Manager

The Programme also has administration support from the AAS staff:

Kirstin Halliday– Programme Support Administrator (Production & Film)

Visiting Staff and Practitioners

Design students are sometimes mentored by a professional designer as well as full-time staff in order to make contacts and reap the benefit of advice straight from the industry. In addition to this, the department works with a range of professional practitioners in order to support RCS productions. These include; designers, scenic artists, prop makers, costume makers and carpenters.

In addition to being an academic institution, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is Scotland’s busiest performing arts venues. Its outstanding and well-equipped performance facilities provide a rich resource for the community, and are regularly hired for public presentations by local and national performing arts companies for dance and drama productions as well as for music concerts and recitals. This makes RCS a hub for performing arts activities in Glasgow and provides a stimulating contribution to Production students’ learning environment.

The Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks are excellent, fully equipped design and workshop spaces where both production work and student practical training occur. These facilities are second to none and include three props workshops, a paint shop with full-sized paint frame and motorised bridge, a fully equipped machine shop and construction workshop with welding bay, ample costume construction workshops with considerable wardrobe stock stores and a design studio for set/costume design students.

The award-winning facilities and equipment have been acknowledged as sector-leading both nationally and internationally and RCS has an established track record for providing the highest quality education in the Technical and Production Arts.

The Renfrew Street building houses a variety of sophisticated, state-of-the-art venues, which were purpose-built to accommodate different types of performance genre and production styles to varying audience sizes.

The New Athenaeum Theatre is the largest performance venue with small intimate 344 seats in comparison to its full size (16m x12m) stage. It boasts manual and counterweight flying with a 15m working height and two different types of automation show control by Stage Technologies and Kinesys. The forestage is hydraulic and lowers to form a large orchestra pit which can accommodate up to 30 musicians.

The Chandler Studio is a 13m x 13m space which has a retractable bleacher style seating bank for 114.  The seating can be retracted allowing for a flexible, adaptable space. The Studio is often used for smaller scale, more intimate and experimental theatre work, but is nevertheless fully equipped with lighting and sound equipment.

The Alexander Gibson Opera School houses rehearsal and coaching rooms and a relatively adaptable performance space for small-scale drama projects, opera scenes, music recitals and concerts.

Students may also work in external spaces and venues such as the Citizens Theatre, the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, the Kings Theatre and the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh and the Criterion in London.

Take a look at our impressive facilities. 

Recent graduate destinations include Assistant Carpenter (Royal Lyceum & Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Assistant Scenic Artist (Royal Opera House, Royal Lyceum, Citizens Theatre & Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Art Department (BBC), Principal Costumes (Game of Thrones) Costume Intern (Scottish Opera, Outlander), Costume Assistant (Cirque du Soleil) plus design roles with the BBC and National Theatre of Scotland.

• Basia Binkowska (Class of 2016) Linbury Design winner
• Marian Colquhoun (Class of 2005) Head of Props, Scottish Opera
• Connor Gallagher (Class of 2015) Carpenter, Scottish Opera
• Jade McNaughton (Class of 2015) Principal Costumes, Game of Thrones
• Lyndsay Sinnamon (Class of 2006) Head Scenic Artist, Outlander
• Louie Whitemore (Class of 2005) Set and Costume Designer, work includes Royal Opera House and Sadler’s Wells
• Siiri Korhonen (Class of 2016), Royal Television Society Scotland, Student Television Craft Award for Production Design 2018
• Cara Roxburgh (Class of 2014), BAFTA Scotland New Talent Design Award 2016, Gilly Slater (Class of 2017) The Bayreuth Scholarship, Richard Wagner Stipendienstiftung 2017
• Kenneth MacLeod (Class of 2015) Guest Designer: Eden Court Theatre, Cunard Line, Dundee Rep, National Youth Ballet, MacRobert Arts Centre, Zoe Roy (2015), props intern, Outlander
• Nicole Green (Class of 2018) Props Assistant Scottish Opera

 

Tuition fees for academic year 2020-21

• Scottish/EU Students – £1,820
• Rest of UK (RUK) Students – £9,250
• International (Non EU) – £17,685

Scottish/EU students

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) will pay tuition fees for all eligible full-time Scottish-based and other non-UK undergraduate EU students, who are studying in Scotland at degree level for the first time. Students should apply to SAAS for payment of tuition fees even if they are not applying for any other means of support. Eligible students can also apply for student loans through SAAS . For further advice and to check eligibility contact SAAS directly on 0300 555 0505 or visit their website .

Rest of UK students

Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland studying in Scotland will be eligible for the same funding/loan package that they would benefit from if they attended an institution in their home country. For further advice please visit student finance England , student financeWales , or student finance Northern Ireland as appropriate.

International students

Students from outside the EU typically fund higher education by a variety of resources, depending on the home country. More specific information on funding options relevant to specific countries can be found here .

Scholarships

Any potential student who auditions for a place at the Royal Conservatoire will automatically be considered for a scholarship. They are awarded on a combination of talent, potential and financial need. More information about Scholarships is available here

Sources of external funding

For more information about alternative funding sources, including external scholarships and bursaries, please visit here.

The Conservatoire’s International and Student Experience team are available to advise and assist applicants and current students in respect of queries about funding your studies at the Conservatoire. Please email or telephone +44 (0)141 270 8281/ +44 (0)141 270 8223 for further information.

Our admissions processes are designed to be fair, transparent and efficient. The audition/interview approach serves the dual nature of allowing the panel to assess first-hand an applicant’s suitability for their chosen programme and it also affords the applicant the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the nature of that programme and the opportunities offered by the RCS.

In arriving at its recommendation, the audition/interview panel will take account of all aspects of the applicant’s profile i.e.:

• Performance at audition/interview
• Commitment to the particular programme
• Potential to benefit from the programme
• Academic qualifications
• Personal statement
• Performance qualifications
• Performance/practical experience
• References
• Contextualised data

General Academic entrance requirements

• Scottish Highers – 3 passes (grade C or above)
• A Levels – 2 passes
• International Baccalaureate – minimum score of 24 with 3 subjects at Higher Level
• Recognised equivalences (EU and International Entry Requirements)

We welcome the Scottish Baccalaureate and will accept combinations of Highers and Advanced Highers.

We offer a flexible approach to students taking Higher over more than one academic year and/or who achieve their qualifications in more than one sitting.

Language of Study

The language of study is English. Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. We accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Level 6.5 (with no component below 5.5) is required.

Direct Entry

Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. If you wish to apply for direct entry, please mark the point of entry on UCAS Conservatoires application as 2 or 3.

Non-standard Entry

We welcome applications from individuals whose academic qualifications or English language qualifications do not match (in terms of equivalence) or fall short of the normal entrance requirements, where specified*. Having satisfied the Audition Panel that they meet the selection criteria and demonstrated that they have the capacity to pursue the proposed course of study, such applicants will be considered through examination of contextualised data provided in accordance with the Non-Standard Entry Policy. The appropriate Head of Department/ Programme will make a case in support of the applicant for consideration by the Directors of the Schools and Convener of the Quality and Standards Committee.

*Note that UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) imposes minimum English Language qualifications in respect of international (non-EU) applicants who require a Tier 4 Visa to study in the UK.

Mature Students

RCS welcomes applications from mature students, i.e. students over the age of 21 at entry to the programme. Whilst the selection procedures will still be applied, consideration will be given to appropriate artistic experience not normally expected in school leavers, which is deemed to compensate for any lack of traditional entrance qualifications. Successful mature applicants, as for all other applicants, must convince auditioning panels that they have the ability and potential to cope with the demands of the programme. Their progress, especially in the early stages of the programme, will be closely monitored and appropriate advice and support given.

Apply via UCAS conservatoires

Applications are made through UCAS Conservatoires website. The UCAS Conservatoires application system is separate from the main UCAS undergraduate application system. If you wish to apply to conservatoires and universities within UCAS, you will need to register for both services.

There is a UCAS application fee of £25 to register to use UCAS Conservatoires.

To begin a new UCAS Conservatoires application, you will need to register. You can read the UCAS Conservatoires’ advice on completing the UCAS Conservatoires application.

If you need assistance with your application, you can contact UCAS Conservatoires team by telephoning (Monday to Friday, 8.30 – 18.00). Phone 0371 468 0470 from within the UK or +44 330 3330 232 if you are calling from overseas.

Application deadline date

The closing date for all on time undergraduate applications from the UK and EU is 15 January 2020. If you submit your application after this date, we cannot guarantee that you will be invited to audition.

The closing date for international applications (non EU) is 31 March 2020. If you do consider to submit a late application, please contact admissions@rcs.ac.uk in the first instance to check we are accepting late applications. Late applications will be considered on a case by case basis.

We do not offer deferred entry. If you wish to commence in 2020, you must apply next year.

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland institution code is R58.

You will also require the following programme code to apply:

BA Production Arts and Design: 203F

Application fee

There is a UCAS Conservatoires application fee of £25. In addition to the application fee, each conservatoire charges an audition fee. For RCS, the audition fee is £55 per programme applied for. Fees are not refundable. The fees are paid via the UCAS Conservatoires website and not directly to RCS.

Audition fee

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland charges an audition administration fee of £55 per course.

We recognise that auditioning and interviewing for conservatoires, drama and ballet schools can be costly. The audition fee charge allows us to offer a thorough and positive experience to all applicants and we encourage you to ask the panel questions and find out more about the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to see if it is the best place for you.

We are committed to ensuring fair access to a conservatoire education for students who have the talent and potential to benefit from it, regardless of their background. In support of this, audition fee waivers are offered to applicants whom financial hardship may be a barrier to auditioning. Please see the audition fee waivers document for more information.

References

It is your responsibility to ask two separate referees to write references and ensure that these are sent to RCS.

The references must be written by two different people and we will not accept references from family, other relatives or close friends. You can submit your UCAS Conservatoires application form and send your references at a later date, but they must be received prior to your audition date.

UCAS Conservatoires provides reference forms for you to download and send to your referees for completion.

Entrance requirements

Our admissions processes are designed to be fair, transparent and efficient. The audition/interview approach serves the dual nature of allowing the panel to assess first-hand an applicant’s suitability for their chosen programme and it also affords the applicant the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the nature of that programme and the opportunities offered by the RCS.

In arriving at its recommendation, the audition/interview panel will take account of all aspects of the applicant’s profile i.e.:

• Performance at audition/interview
• Commitment to the particular programme
• Potential to benefit from the programme
• Academic qualifications
• Personal statement
• Performance qualifications
• Performance/practical experience
• References
• Contextualised data

General Academic entrance requirements

• Scottish Highers – 3 passes (grade C or above)
• A Levels – 2 passes
• International Baccalaureate – minimum score of 24 with 3 subjects at Higher Level
• Recognised equivalences (EU and International Entry Requirements)

We welcome the Scottish Baccalaureate and will accept combinations of Highers and Advanced Highers.

We offer a flexible approach to students taking Higher over more than one academic year and/or who achieve their qualifications in more than one sitting.

Language of Study

The language of study is English. Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. We accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Level 6.5 (with no component below 5.5) is required.

Direct Entry

Applications for direct entry beyond Year 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the Royal Conservatoire’s Recognition of Prior (Experiential) Learning policy. If you wish to apply for direct entry, please mark the point of entry on UCAS Conservatoires application as 2 or 3.

Non-standard Entry

We welcome applications from individuals whose academic qualifications or English language qualifications do not match (in terms of equivalence) or fall short of the normal entrance requirements, where specified*. Having satisfied the Audition Panel that they meet the selection criteria and demonstrated that they have the capacity to pursue the proposed course of study, such applicants will be considered through examination of contextualised data provided in accordance with the Non-Standard Entry Policy. The appropriate Head of Department/ Programme will make a case in support of the applicant for consideration by the Directors of the Schools and Convener of the Quality and Standards Committee.

*Note that UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) imposes minimum English Language qualifications in respect of international (non-EU) applicants who require a Tier 4 Visa to study in the UK.

Mature Students

RCS welcomes applications from mature students, i.e. students over the age of 21 at entry to the programme. Whilst the selection procedures will still be applied, consideration will be given to appropriate artistic experience not normally expected in school leavers, which is deemed to compensate for any lack of traditional entrance qualifications. Successful mature applicants, as for all other applicants, must convince auditioning panels that they have the ability and potential to cope with the demands of the programme. Their progress, especially in the early stages of the programme, will be closely monitored and appropriate advice and support given.

Selection process

Applicants who apply on time (before 15 January) are invited by email, approximately three weeks before the audition date, to RCS to undertake an audition/interview. All auditions/interviews will take place at RCS in Glasgow unless you have chosen another location.

Please note that RCS is only obliged to offer one audition/interview date per application. Alternative dates will only be provided (subject to availability) in exceptional circumstances. If you are unable to make your allocated audition date, you should email us immediately stating the reason.

BA Production Arts and Design interviews will take place from December to May.

Recorded audition

If you are auditioning via skype, please read the following information before sending us your material. Prior to submitting a recorded audition, you must apply via UCAS Conservatoires. Recorded auditions can be easily submitted online using Acceptd.

You will need to create an account, but then you can easily upload the recordings you wish to be considered. Recordings will not be considered until a UCAS Conservatoires application has been submitted. Once you have completed the UCAS Conservatoires application, you should proceed to Acceptd to submit your video recording. We will only accept recordings submitted via Acceptd and will not accept any other format, i.e. DVDs. Please check individual requirements for each programme detailed further in the Guide. Recordings should arrive by the 15 January 2020 (EU applicants) and 31 March 2020 (International – non EU).

Whilst we strongly encourage you to attend your interview and experience our facilities in person, we understand that for overseas candidates this may not always be practicable. If you would like to be interviewed by telephone or skype, please let us know as soon as you receive your interview email.

For remote interviews, all practical evidence must be submitted in advance. Please upload all relevant information to Acceptd at least 48 hours before your interview day otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your interview. Recordings should arrive by the 15 January 2020 (EU applicants) and 31 March 2020 (International – non EU).

 

Audition

The format of your interview will involve the following:

• an informal tour of the programme facilities by students currently undertaking the programme, lasting 20- 30 minutes
• a formal interview with a panel normally consisting of members of the programme lecturing staff, selected to be appropriate to your specialist interest(s) – this interview will last approximately 45 minutes

During the tour you will have the opportunity to ask the student about all aspects of their own experience of being on the programme; a parent or companion may join you on the tour if you wish.

Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to find out what life on the programme is really like. Don’t forget the interview day is your chance to discover if we are right for you!

You are invited to bring any evidence to the interview that you think will support your application. The interview panel will judge each applicant as an individual with a unique mix of qualities and in consequence, you are encouraged to bring practical examples of your work to the interview which might take the form of at least some of the following, depending on your specialism:

• art portfolios, sketches, models, photographs
• samples of practical work such as props, costume, small pieces of woodwork, etc
• set and/or costume designs either as sketches, renderings or three-dimensional models
• evidence of previous production experiences such as press cuttings or programmes, whether at school, amateur level or professionally

Attending the interview

At least three weeks prior to the interview you will be sent a predefined exercise, which is intended both to illustrate your skills as a production artist or designer and to show your approach to a given task. You will be asked to bring your response to this exercise to the interview.

The panel will invite you to discuss the process of your work with them and will also ask you to discuss a piece of theatre that you have seen recently. It is important to be well prepared for the interview as it is a short space of time for us to get to know you.

The interview panel will be assessing, amongst other things:

• the relevance and validity of your previous experiences, both academic and production-related
• your ability to analyse production requirements, make appropriate decisions and communicate and defend your conclusions
• your understanding of the production industry and the nature of the training programme have applied for
• your career aspirations and approach to achieving your goals

At the end of your interview you will be free to go although, if you are unfamiliar with Glasgow, we would strongly encourage you to take the time to look around and get a feeling for the city before leaving.

Whilst we strongly encourage you to attend your interview and experience our facilities in person, we understand that for overseas candidates this may not always be practicable. If you would like to be interviewed by telephone or skype, please let us know as soon as you receive your interview email.

NB Skype interviews can be arrange for those applicants who cannot attend in person.  All practical evidence must be submitted in advance. Please upload all relevant information to Acceptd at least 48 hours before your interview day otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your interview.

If you would like to discuss any matters relating to the programme, interview process or the set tasks please do not hesitate to telephone Ros Maddison (Head of Production) directly on 0141 270 8326 or email r.maddison@rcs.ac.uk. Questions from parents and tutors are most welcome too!

Following your audition

All decisions will be posted on UCAS Conservatoires following your audition via UCAS Conservatoires Track,  (you will need your username and password). You will also receive notification from UCAS Conservatoires when decisions on all your choices are available.

Please see below for an explanation of UCAS Conservatoires codes:

Guaranteed Unconditional (GU) RCS is satisfied from the information you have given, that you have already met the conditions for entry. Unless your application and/or qualification are subsequently shown to be fraudulent, a guaranteed unconditional offer is binding.

Guaranteed Conditional (GC) RCS has made the offer subject to you meeting certain conditions such as examination results. Conditions can be viewed via UCAS Conservatoires Track. Unless your application and/or qualifications are subsequently shown to be fraudulent, the offer is binding if you accept the offer and meet the conditions. You must meet the conditions of the offer by 31 August 2020, unless an earlier date is specified. If your conditions include obtaining IELTS (English Language test), you must meet this condition by 31 May 2020.

Reserve Unconditional (VU) RCS is satisfied from the information you have given, that you have already met the conditions for entry and you have been offered a place on our reserve pool.

Reserve Conditional (VC) RCS has offered a place on its reserve pool subject to you meeting certain conditions such as examination results. Conditions can be viewed via UCAS Conservatoires Track.

Unsuccessful (R) RCS does not wish to offer you any type of a place.

Replying to offers

As soon as a decision is made, UCAS Conservatoires will let you know. You must reply online via UCAS Conservatoires Track. Your reply date is displayed on Track. If you do not reply by the date given, your offers will be declined automatically. The reply date may be different to other applicants as it is based on when you receive your last decision.

Last decision by	Your reply date is
3 January 2020	31 January 2020
16 March 2020	14 April 2020
14 July 2020	30 July 2020
4 August 2020	8 September 2020
After 4 August 2020	22 September 2020

Please see the UCAS Conservatoires website for more information on replying to offers. If you make an application through UCAS Conservatoires, UCAS or UCAS Teacher Training, you cannot hold more than one confirmed place. A confirmed place in UCAS Conservatoires is a guaranteed unconditional offer as your first choice (GU1) and in UCAS and UCAS Teacher Training it is an unconditional firm (UF) place. If you receive more than one confirmed place, UCAS will ask you to accept one offer and withdraw from any others.

Policy

We have a number of policies and statements which you should read when applying to study at the Royal Conservatoire.

Please select the links below to read each policy.

• Feedback policy
• Equality and diversity
• Applicants with disabilities
• Guidance for applicants with criminal convictions
• Admissions policy

Nicola Russell, Class of 2014

How would you describe your practice?
I am a dance, gymnastic and skating wear retailer with a custom-made costume design and manufacture service. I also do non-dancewear alteration, design and  manufacture.

From your own experience, what skills and qualities would you say are most needed to be a career self-starter in your particular field?
I would say one of the main skills you need is to be committed and self-motivated. Nine to five hours, holidays and sick days rarely exist when starting your own business.
Starting out I completely underestimated how much work and time was needed. Areas such as:

• finding suppliers then getting the best price and quality
• the legal side of tenancy agreements, staff contracts, employment laws and procedures, and regulations with health and safety and First Aid
• accounting, hidden overheads, cash flow, budgeting and business banking
• website construction
• setup and ongoing social media training

I also think you need to be very critical of your own work. If it’s your name above the door and your reputation on the line then you have to be able to look at your work and
question if it is of a high enough standard for your customers. If not then act upon it.

How did the Royal Conservatoire prepare you for that?
I was very lucky that I chose a module where I could build in what I wanted to learn about during my final year.

I constructed a module all about setting up a business. I arranged sessions with Business Gateway and other professionals from my field. I also undertook research into other businesses/suppliers and competitors. Between this unit and my work experience unit, I was able to gain knowledge to help me to get to the point where I was ready
to start my business venture.

I still keep in regular contact with my lecturers and know that if I find myself in a difficult situation I can always contact them for a second opinion and support.

What have you learned through operating as a company owner?
Too many lessons to list them all and I feel I still have a lot more to learn. As this industry is ever changing and growing, we are always looking for new ways to improve the service we offer or keep up with the latest technology.

Was there a turning point or realisation in your education that set you on your current path?
It was in second year. I loved working in the theatre industry, however I also love having an active role in my children’s lives. The theatre lifestyle of long days and late nights in the city didn’t work easily with raising three young children in the countryside.

Through my children I was heavily involved in the dance industry and realised that my hobby of making dance costumes could satisfy my love of creating for performance.
This has given me a perfect balance of work and family time.

What does success look like to you?
Success to me is waking up and wanting to go to work every day because you enjoy your job. As a business owner I understand that I have to invest back into the business, and that in time I will be financially successful. I am proud when I pass the shop with my name above it, or see a customer take the floor, feeling a million dollars in their costume. I look forward to growing the business to a larger team in the future.