There is no law in place at the moment stopping any person from setting up a dance school, so it really is essential that parents ask a teacher about their professional training and accreditations.

It is vital to check that dance teachers have a recognised qualification. All teachers registered with the leading dance teaching organisations, for example the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD), have passed rigorous teaching exams and understand the best way to teach young pupils. They are able to ensure young bodies stay safe and healthy as they grow and progress through the syllabi.

Staff at the South West School of Dance are registered and qualified teachers of the RAD (Ballet), ISTD (Tap and Modern), IDTA (Musical Theatre), iD Company (Contemporary) and Acrobatics Arts associations.

Teachers also hold qualifications to teach Progressing Ballet Technique and Alixa Flexibility.

We ensure that all our teachers abide by the RAD and ISTD Codes of Conduct and follow a programme of Continued Professional Development each year to continually update and improve teaching knowledge and skills.

Parents should look for a balance of experience and a passion for teaching within any dance school.

It is always worth parents asking a dance school how long they have been established and how many years of experience the teaching staff have. Good teachers evolve and develop over time and there is no substitute for the depth and breadth of wisdom acquired from years of teaching experience.

The South West School of Dance has been a thriving dance school since 1985 and the current teaching staff have over 60 years of teaching experience between them. This experience, combined with a passion for teaching, ensures every child is getting the very best tuition.

Parents should be assured that their child will not only be taught well, but cared for and supported in a safe environment. Any reputable school will have a child protection policy in place and all teaching staff will be DBS cleared and First Aid qualified.

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, it is also essential that a dance school has policies and risk assessments in place to ensure the safety of its teachers, students and their families.

Where schools offer exams, it is useful to ask about their track record of exam results and to check that they follow accredited exam syllabi. Whilst of course learning to dance is about much more than doing well in exams, it does give an indication of the quality of the teaching.

At The South West School of Dance we offer exams to those pupils who are ready and wish to take them and gain a reward for their hard work, however these are optional and there is no pressure at all to take exams if pupils would rather not.

Websites and social media can give a good flavour of the ethos of a dance school, and show how active the school is in sharing photos, news and achievements. There is, however, no substitute for experiencing the school and the teachers first hand. A good school should offer new pupils a trial period before asking parents to sign up their child.