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Rye College Proposal to set up a Studio School in Rye

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Rye College is to apply to the Department for Education to sponsor a Studio School for young people aged 14-19. Not only would this plan bring post 16 courses to our town, it would establish provision that would be unique for this area, putting Rye on the map. The Rye Studio School would be set to open in September 2013 as one of less than fifty such schools across the country. It would be the only one of its kind in Sussex and Kent and it is envisaged that young people would be attracted to it from a wide area between Ashford and Bexhill.

A Studio School is a government innovation aimed to support young people in developing much needed employment skills. Eventually, students graduating from a Studio School will have the expertise they need to set up their own successful businesses.

The Rye Studio School would build on Rye College’s success in the visual and performing arts and support young people to develop careers within the creative industries.

Rye College’s plans would see the development of a 300 strong school, offering a range of visual and performing arts courses, events management programmes and courses in the technical aspects of performance such as lighting and sound engineering, costume and set design, film making and animation.

Already, Rye College has widespread support for this proposal from local universities, art galleries and theatres and local employers who would support students by sharing their expertise, offering real projects on which to develop their skills, by coaching and by offering work placements.

Principal Ann Cockerham said “The Rye Studio School would put Rye at the forefront of education nationally. Our focus will be on those skills that will support the local labour market. The creative industries are expanding nationally. We live in an artistically rich community with lots of local expertise and talent to be shared with young people. The skills that our students will develop as creative thinkers, problem solvers, adaptable team workers, events organisers, would be welcome in any work place. We have been overwhelmed by the strength of support from a wide range of employers for this proposal and we are currently speaking to businesses in the Rye, Hastings and Ashford area about ways in which we can work together to help create exciting futures for our young people.”

Employers, arts practitioners, parents and prospective students who would like to find out more about this proposal should follow the links on this page. Rye College is seeking your letters of support and completion of online surveys, which will all be used to support the application to the Department for Education.

Our deadline for responses is February 17th 2012.