Sad news about ALRA

A place to talk about full time schools and post 16 training.

Moderator: busybusybusy

islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

I know we've been here before with other schools but I always feel gutted for any students involved when I hear of a drama school closing

https://alra.co.uk/
38ta
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 165
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:29 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by 38ta »

Must be so awful for them and the staff involved.
Harry2003
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 166
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:06 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by Harry2003 »

What a worrying and stressful time for all effected by this. I hope everyone finds suitable courses and employment.
lawn
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 407
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 4:19 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by lawn »

Just saw it via PPA facebook asking student's affected to contact them in case they can help.

Alra was associated with my daughter's sixth form college and offered scholarships via them. Last year though when DD contacted them they said due to the pandemic they weren't visiting. Daughter applied anyway and was recalled for foundation. When she went on their website to select how she was going to audition for foundation to her astonishment her college was listed as a venue, so she contacted them to ask if she could audition there and they said 'sorry all places full'. She queried it at college and discovered that a stand in teacher (due to regular off with covid) had not passed on the info about them now auditioning at college to every course in the performing arts department (unlike in previous years) just they one she was teaching on. DD always felt upset that she'd not been given a chance at the scholarship.

Alra like Arts Ed and Mountview charged top up fees for their degrees. Feel for their students (and parents) who have paid out and are now left looking for somewhere else.
lawn
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 407
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 4:19 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by lawn »

Rose Bruford has offered to step in.

https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/fo ... dKHm5E6yyU
islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

lawn wrote: Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:44 pm
Alra like Arts Ed and Mountview charged top up fees for their degrees. Feel for their students (and parents) who have paid out and are now left looking for somewhere else.
Students and parents are saying on social media that fees were due and paid on 1st April (last Friday). The first working day after fees were paid (Monday) they announced their closure.
amo185
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 295
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:20 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by amo185 »

We don't know anyone who has auditioned for ALRA let alone attended there. Not sure what courses it ran. But no wonder they didn't announce the closure until April 4th! Their terms and conditions allow them not to refund any money. Sounds despicable to me. Hope Rose Bruford can accommodate the students without risking their own finances! Sadly it feels it could happen at any performing arts college now - when you read of greatly reduced numbers (or the opposite - massivly increased numbers to bring in the money) or cuts in courses on offer. Really feel for everyone affected..
islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

I know several ALRA graduates. They were more straight acting, they didn't do MT or dance for example.

I'm glad that we currently have an arrangement to pay dd's fees monthly rather than termly. If the worst were to happen the most we would lose is a month's worth rather than an entire term.
lawn
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 407
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 4:19 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by lawn »

amo185 wrote: Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:36 pm We don't know anyone who has auditioned for ALRA let alone attended there. Not sure what courses it ran. But no wonder they didn't announce the closure until April 4th! Their terms and conditions allow them not to refund any money. Sounds despicable to me. Hope Rose Bruford can accommodate the students without risking their own finances! Sadly it feels it could happen at any performing arts college now - when you read of greatly reduced numbers (or the opposite - massivly increased numbers to bring in the money) or cuts in courses on offer. Really feel for everyone affected..
It ran BA Acting courses at its 2 campuses, in London and Wigan, but as above didn't run MT courses. Miranda Hart is one of of their alumni. ALRA had links to my daughter's sixth form college as previously mentioned.
jaybeeyellow
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:54 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by jaybeeyellow »

So fortunate that Rose Brufford is in a position to step in and help some students at least,
Can’t help thinking it would be good if Manchester School of Theatre at Man Met could do the same.
islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

jaybeeyellow wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:13 am So fortunate that Rose Brufford is in a position to step in and help some students at least,
Can’t help thinking it would be good if Manchester School of Theatre at Man Met could do the same.
Rose Bruford's website says that they are going to use the Wigan premises to teach the ALRA North students.
jaybeeyellow
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:54 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by jaybeeyellow »

Oh good. In all honesty not sure that MST are in any position to help tbh.
islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

It sounds like it wasn't just offered on a whim but something done in conjunction with SFE and the vallidating university St MAry's
lawn
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 407
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 4:19 am

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by lawn »

islandofsodor wrote: Tue Apr 12, 2022 2:49 pm It sounds like it wasn't just offered on a whim but something done in conjunction with SFE and the vallidating university St MAry's
I'm intrigued to know more about why they did tbh. The offer was made the same day I believe, so pretty quickly. RB foundation students - they run 4 around the UK not just at their Sidcup site - have already finished as it's only a 20-ish week course, so all finished last month. Alra foundation runs until summer - July I think from memory from when my DD auditioned, so it's not as though they've got current term's lesson plans they can just transfer over. I've heard ALRA was offering places for their 3 year degree even the week before they announced closure, so what's happening with those offers? RB only offer fully funded degrees, not Dadas and ALRA degree students had to pay top up fees - from memory a bit cheaper than Arts Ed and MV, but not by that much. I'm guessing those terms still stand.
islandofsodor
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1162
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Sad news about ALRA

Post by islandofsodor »

The website says they are in talks with Dept of Education about getting DaDas transferred.

Have a read and see what your thoughts are. https://www.bruford.ac.uk/rose-bruford- ... r-courses/
Post Reply