Leaders Award
Leaders Award – Young People
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Overview
The Leaders Awards are an opportunity for talented young people to enhance their skills in various aspects of study.
The awards focus on three main areas of study:
- Performance
- Leadership
- Engagement with profession
The award acknowledges and gives credit for the range of activities that young people are already undertaking whilst enhancing skills in planning, goal setting and reflective practice.
In addition, learners are required to develop their knowledge and application of leadership skills as they take on a leading role in a related activity. Learners have the opportunity to engage with professional, whilst enhancing their participation and engagement with the local authority provision in their area.
There are currently three different Leaders Award options:
- Music Leaders
- Music Technology Leaders
- Drama Leaders
Leaders Awards comprises three levels:
- Bronze (24 Credits, SCQF Level 5)
- Silver (24 Credits, SCQF Level 6)
- Gold (30 Credits, SCQF Level 7)
Please click into the different sections below for more information.
The important details
Age:
Secondary 1-6
Bronze Award Cost:
£40
Silver Award Cost:
£45
Gold Award Cost:
£55
Leaders Awards
Disciplines
- Bronze (24 Credits, SCQF Level 5, Grade 5 level in Music Performance or equivalent)
- Silver (24 Credits, SCQF Level 6, Grade 6 level in Music Performance or equivalent)
- Gold (30 Credits, SCQF Level 7, Grade 8 level in Music Performance or equivalent)
The award is aimed at learners who already play a musical instrument to the standard required (as above); who are participating in a musical ensemble and are interested in developing their skills in musical leadership.
- Bronze (24 Credits, SCQF Level 5)
- Silver (24 Credits, SCQF Level 6)
- Gold (30 Credits, SCQF Level 7)
The award is aimed at learners who already play a musical instrument to the standard required (as above); who are participating in a musical ensemble and are interested in developing their skills in musical leadership.
- Bronze (24 Credits, SCQF Level 5)
- Silver (24 Credits, SCQF Level 6)
- Gold (30 Credits, SCQF Level 7)
The award is aimed at learners who already engage in drama activity in their school or extra-curricular activities at a level similar to their National 5, Higher, or Advanced Higher levels.
Important Details
- Information Sessions
- How to Sign Up
- Costs
- Accessing Resources and Assessment Deadlines
- Timeline
- Useful Links
Information Sessions are designed to give new schools or organisations an insight to the Leaders Awards.
Anyone considering delivering this award in their school or organisation, or any individual wishing to enter themselves in the Leads Awards should attend one of these prior to signing up:
Drama Leaders:
Music Leaders:
Music Technology Leaders:
After you attend the information session, the Leaders Award team will share the presentation so you have an overview of the awards and how they fit in with you/your learners.
After you attend the information session, you will be sent the presentation and the sign-up form. For school teachers, sign-ups will be done through a Microsoft Form. For individuals, it will be through our booking system. Please be advised, you will be required to enter a candidate’s full name as listed on their birth certificate/formal ID.
To sign up as an individual please contact the Leaders Awards team who will be able to help you on LeadersAward@rcs.ac.uk
To sign up as a school teacher please contact LeadersAward@rcs.ac.uk for further information and to register your students.
The fees for entry in 2025-26 will be:
- Bronze – £40
24 Credits, SCQF Level 5 - Silver – £45
24 Credits, SCQF Level 6 - Gold – £55
30 Credits, SCQF Level 7
Resources and submissions will be available through Moodle. Access to Moodle will be given after we have received your sign-up form.
On Moodle, you will find:
- Key Dates and Deadlines
- Module Descriptor
- Planning and Evaluation guidance
- Critical Review guidance
- Portfolio suggestions
- Logbooks and Forms required for submissions
Leaders Awards run throughout the academic school year. Please see a general timeline of the Awards programme below:
- Sign-ups – completed by middle of December
- Payment – individuals, at time of booking; schools, by invoice in March/April
- Submissions – completed by middle of June
- Marking – we aim for marking to take place throughout the end of June into July
- Outcomes – by end of August
- Leaders Award Ceremony – end of August
Specific dates for the above will be available on Moodle.
Moodle: https://shortcourses.rcs.ac.uk/login/index.php
If you have been added to the Moodle, you can access the Log In page here.
Further Information
We want to ensure as many children, young people and adult learners as possible can access the performing and production arts education that is offered through Short Courses at RCS. Financial support options available for Short Courses include:
Agnes Allan Bursary
Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.
The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.
Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.
James McAvoy Drama Scholarships
BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.
James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.
The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.
You can find more information about these funds on our Financial Support page.
We run various promotional offers for our Short Courses and Summer Schools. You can view our current offers on our Promotional Offers page.
You should contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk to request your discount code before booking a course.
Please note, only one promotional offer can be applied per course and should be used at the time of booking as we are unable to apply a discounts retrospectively.
Please see our Short Course FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.
Please see our Short Courses – Terms and Conditions for more information about your contract with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Cancellation and Refund policies.
Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.
Short Courses
shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk
Summer Schools
summerschools@rcs.ac.uk
Credit-Rated
credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk
Bursary and Scholarship
bursaryscholarship@rcs.ac.uk
