As parents, we’ve all been there. Looking into an extra-curricular activity to enrich our child’s education journey and then we stop, baulking at the price. “It seems like a lot”, “How much?”, and “I can’t afford to pay that” are common objections and it would be extremely negligent to ignore the validity of these statements at a time when the cost of living seldom spends a day out of the news.
But consider this.
The average consumer spends £451 a year on takeaway meals – and that’s per person. That is roughly equivalent to £8.67 per week, so a family of four might spend more than £30 a week on takeaway meals alone. Now, we’re not wilfully attacking takeaways here, any meal that you have as a family is time well spent but longer term, what is the value for a child?
Not a fan of takeaways? Let’s put it in the ever-popular coffee context. According to a 2018 study the average Brit spends around £303 per year on coffee, equating to a little over a fiver a week. Add in that pastry you can’t resist, or an upgrade to an extra large latte and that cost can soon escalate over time. You’ve almost definitely heard this comparison before but it bears repeating – seemingly small costs can mount up over time.
While the costs of Theatretrain classes do vary across the country, on average parents can expect to pay around £20 per weekly session, with considerable discounts for siblings who also attend. And when you think about the short and long-term value that performing arts training offers, it suddenly doesn’t seem like such a big investment.
Most Theatretrain classes run for several hours on a Saturday, with dedicated time to train in singing, acting, and dancing. Students learn all aspects of the performing arts and also collaborate with other groups in the country when it comes to larger-scale performances. Our Royal Albert Hall performances are truly something to behold, and there’s nothing quite like watching your child on a stage of that size, boldly putting into practice all they have learned on those Saturdays.
Returning Students
Former students are probably the best advocates for Theatretrain’s value for money when they reflect on their time in classes. Erin said, “Theatretrain helped me form lifelong friendships, gave me a sense of community in the shared love of performing arts and developed lifelong skills in communication and being able to express myself.” Erin went on to become a Centre Director at Waltham Forest – and she’s not the only one.
Laura became the Centre Director for Theatretrain Hagley, after starting her journey in 2003. “I am so thankful to my Mum for encouraging me to try something new all of those years ago, because who would have thought I would still be hooked 20 years on!” she said. On making the decision to join a class she added “Step outside your comfort zone and be brave to try something new because you just don’t know where it could lead to!”
We have plenty of blogs posted under our Nostalgia series from former students, some who are still with Theatretrain and others like Laura and Erin who have continued their journey as Centre Directors. It doesn’t matter whether a young person’s time with us is relatively short or ends up spanning more than a decade, there is an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the lessons they carry with them as adults.
And isn’t that something we all want for our children? Try replacing your weekly pizza with a Theatretrain class for your child and watch them flourish… find your local centre here.
