Drama, Singing & Dance Lessons

Stagecoach Performing Arts Bolton is a part-time performing arts school for children and young people aged 4 to 18, covering singing, acting and dance. Classes run during school term time across three age-based programmes: Early Stages (4–6 years), Main Stages (6–18 years) and Further Stages (15 years and above), with each group working through all three disciplines every week. Early Stages sessions run for 90 minutes, while Main Stages classes are three hours long, split into age-appropriate groups.

Throughout each 12-week term, students work towards an end-of-term performance in front of family and friends, and there are also opportunities to take LAMDA exams and take part in wider events. Holiday workshops run during school breaks for those who want extra time on stage. The school is led by Principal Kimberley Riley-Shipperbottom, who grew up training at Stagecoach Bolton herself before going on to study Performing Arts at Salford University and working professionally in theatre and television.

All teachers hold Enhanced DBS checks, and the school accepts childcare vouchers. A two-session trial is available for new students, and a 50% sibling discount applies when enrolling a second child into Main or Further Stages. Further Stages goes beyond the standard curriculum, with in-depth training and masterclasses to help older students prepare for auditions and vocational drama school applications.