Award-Winning Drama, Dance & Musical Theatre Classes for Children in South West London
We're incredibly excited to share some huge news: WestWay School of Performing Arts has been shortlisted for Top Performing Arts School in the UK by The Education Insider 2026.
For a performing arts school founded with a simple mission — to provide exceptional, accessible training where children can become confident, skilled and kind performers — national recognition like this means the world to us.
WestWay provides drama, acting, singing, dance and Musical Theatre classes for children and teenagers across Twickenham, Clapham Common, Southfields and Earlsfield, welcoming young performers from across South West London.
And our latest 2026 shortlist joins a growing list of awards and recognition for the school:
TOP PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL IN THE UK
Shortlisted – The Education Insider 2026
DRAMA SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Greater London Enterprise Awards 2025
10 TOP EDUCATION PROVIDERS
Featured in The Times 2025
BEST OF MUSIC & CULTURE
Featured in The Guardian 2024
COMMUNITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
Club Hub Awards 2024
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Prestige Awards 2022, London & South-East
But awards aren't why we teach.
They're recognition of something far more important: the training, confidence, friendships and opportunities our young performers experience every week.
An Award-Winning Performing Arts School for Children in London
WestWay is a children's performing arts and drama school for ages 3–18, providing weekly classes across South West London.
Our classes include:
Musical Theatre – Singing, Acting & Dancing
Drama & Acting Classes
Acting for Stage & Screen
Street Dance
Commercial Dance
Hip Hop-inspired Dance
Singing & Vocal Training
Drama School Audition Preparation
Performing Arts Holiday Schools
Musicals, Shows & Performance Workshops
Children don't need previous performing arts experience to join us.
We welcome complete beginners alongside experienced young performers and students who hope to pursue professional performing arts training.
Our aim is to meet each child at their individual starting point and help them become a more confident, creative and skilled performer.
Drama Classes for Children in South West London
One of the most popular things parents search for when looking for a performing arts school is simply “drama classes for kids near me.”
WestWay provides children's drama and acting training across Southfields, Earlsfield, Clapham Common and Twickenham.
Drama develops far more than acting ability.
Through scripts, improvisation, characterisation, comedy, storytelling and performance, children develop confidence, communication, creativity, imagination and teamwork.
Some of our students dream of becoming professional actors.
Others join because a parent wants to help them become more confident speaking in front of other people.
Both are equally welcome.
For families searching for children's drama classes, acting classes, Saturday drama schools, theatre classes or performing arts classes in South West London, WestWay provides professional-quality training within a warm and supportive school.
Musical Theatre Classes for Kids – Sing, Act & Dance
For the child who can't decide whether they love singing, acting or dancing most, there's Musical Theatre.
WestWay's Musical Theatre classes for children and teenagers combine all three disciplines:
SING. ACT. DANCE. PERFORM.
Students develop their acting through drama, scripts, improvisation and character work; their voices through singing and vocal training; and their dance technique through styles including jazz, ballet and commercial dance.
As children progress, their training progresses with them.
Our youngest performers discover the excitement of music, movement, imagination and storytelling, while older students tackle increasingly challenging material and develop the versatility required of strong Musical Theatre performers.
Whether your child dreams of the West End or simply dreams of Saturday arriving so they can get back to class, there is a place for them at WestWay.
Dance Classes for Kids & Teenagers
Looking for children's dance classes in South West London?
WestWay offers exciting dance training for children and teenagers, including Street Dance and Commercial Dance classes.
Our dancers develop:
Dance technique
Choreography
Musicality and rhythm
Coordination
Performance quality
Stage presence
Confidence
Fitness and stamina
Creativity and individual style
Our Street & Commercial Dance classes are particularly suited to children who love current music, energetic choreography, concerts, music videos and commercial performance.
Beginners are welcome alongside experienced dancers.
For families searching for street dance classes for kids, hip hop dance classes, commercial dance classes, children's dance schools or teen dance classes, WestWay provides exciting training within a supportive performing arts environment.
Acting for Stage & Screen Classes
Acting for a theatre audience and acting in front of a camera require different skills.
Our specialist Acting for Stage & Screen classes for children and teenagers allow young actors to develop both.
Students can explore acting technique, scripts, characterisation, improvisation, theatre performance, screen acting, auditions and self-tape skills.
For young people interested in professional acting, television, film or future drama-school training, these skills provide an important foundation.
For everyone else, acting classes can provide an incredible opportunity to develop confidence, creativity and communication.
Singing Classes & Vocal Training for Young Performers
Singing is another important part of WestWay's performing arts training.
Young performers can develop areas including vocal technique, breathing, projection, pitch, musicality, harmonies, ensemble singing, solos and performance skills.
Our aim isn't simply to teach children to sing the right notes.
We want them to develop the confidence and technique to communicate through music and become engaging performers.
For families searching for singing classes for kids, children's singing lessons or Musical Theatre singing training in South West London, singing forms an important part of the WestWay training programme.
Performing Arts Classes in Southfields & Earlsfield
WestWay offers drama, Musical Theatre, acting and dance classes in Southfields, SW18, conveniently located for families in both Southfields and Earlsfield.
Our Southfields school provides weekly classes for children and teenagers, including:
Musical Theatre
Drama and acting
Acting for Stage & Screen
Street & Commercial Dance
Families join us from Southfields, Earlsfield, Wandsworth, Wimbledon Park, Putney and surrounding areas.
So, whether you're searching for drama classes in Southfields, Musical Theatre classes in Earlsfield, dance classes for kids in SW18, acting classes near Earlsfield or a children's performing arts school in Wandsworth, WestWay provides award-winning training locally.
Drama & Musical Theatre Classes in Clapham Common
Our Clapham Common performing arts school in SW4 provides weekly classes for children and teenagers in Musical Theatre, acting and dance.
Classes include:
Musical Theatre – Sing, Act & Dance
Drama and acting
Acting for Stage & Screen
Street & Commercial Dance
Our Clapham school is convenient for families from Clapham Common, Clapham, Clapham South, Brixton, Stockwell, Balham, Battersea and surrounding areas of South West London.
For parents searching for drama classes in Clapham, kids' Musical Theatre classes near Clapham Common, children's dance classes in SW4, acting classes in Clapham or a performing arts school near Clapham Common, WestWay offers training from a nationally recognised performing arts school.
Drama, Musical Theatre & Performing Arts Classes in Twickenham
WestWay also provides children's performing arts training at The Exchange Theatre & Studios in Twickenham, TW1.
Our Twickenham school gives young people the opportunity to develop their performance skills within professional theatre and studio facilities.
WestWay welcomes families searching for drama classes in Twickenham, Musical Theatre classes for kids in Twickenham, children's acting classes, singing classes, dance classes and performing arts training near Richmond and Twickenham.
With Twickenham Station directly opposite The Exchange, our classes are also accessible to families travelling from surrounding areas of South West London.
Why Choose an Award-Winning Children's Drama School?
Awards aren't the only reason to choose a performing arts school.
But independent recognition can help parents understand what a school stands for.
Since WestWay was established, our work in performing arts and education has received recognition locally, across London and nationally.
In 2025, WestWay was named Drama School of the Year at the Greater London Enterprise Awards.
WestWay was also featured among 10 Top Education Providers in The Times in 2025 and within Best of Music & Culture in The Guardian in 2024.
Our commitment to making performing arts accessible was recognised when WestWay's founder received Community Champion of the Year at the Club Hub Awards 2024.
And now, in 2026, we're incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for Top Performing Arts School in the UK by The Education Insider.
It's an extraordinary journey for a school established in 2020.
Professional Training Without Losing the Fun
Children learn best when they feel supported enough to try.
That's why our approach combines high-quality performing arts training with kindness, encouragement and fun.
We want our students to develop excellent technique.
We want them to work hard.
We want them to become brilliant performers.
But we also want them to make friends, laugh, take creative risks, get things wrong, try again and genuinely look forward to coming to class.
Some students arrive at WestWay already determined to perform professionally.
Others arrive nervous about speaking in front of a group.
Our job is to help both take their next step.
From Their First Drama Class to the West End
Performance is at the heart of WestWay.
Our young performers have opportunities to put their training into practice through musicals, showcases, productions and special performances.
WestWay students have performed in the West End and at Disneyland Paris, while students have also gone on to professional productions, screen work and further performing arts training.
We believe performance opportunities give children something incredibly valuable: the chance to discover what they're capable of.
The confidence gained from walking onto a stage and performing can stay with a young person long after the curtain comes down.
Performing Arts Classes for Beginners
You don't need an agent.
You don't need professional credits.
And your child certainly doesn't need to walk into their first class already able to sing, act and dance.
Beginners are welcome at WestWay.
For some students, WestWay is the beginning of professional performing arts training.
For others, it's simply the place where they discover something they love.
Our classes are designed to develop young people from their individual starting points, with age-appropriate training and opportunities to progress.
Building Confidence Through Drama, Dance & Musical Theatre
Not every benefit of performing arts can be measured by what happens on stage.
Drama encourages children to speak and express their ideas.
Dance asks them to persevere until something difficult becomes achievable.
Singing gives them the courage to use their voice.
Performance asks them to stand in front of other people and say: this is what I can do.
Those experiences can develop confidence, resilience, teamwork, communication and creativity.
That's why we're just as proud of the nervous child who finally volunteers for a line as we are of the student performing a leading role.
Looking for the Best Drama & Performing Arts Classes Near You?
Families looking for children's activities across South West London may search for:
Drama classes for kids near me
Drama school for children near me
Musical Theatre classes for kids near me
Dance classes for kids near me
Acting classes for children near me
Singing classes for kids near me
Performing arts school near me
Children's theatre school South West London
Saturday drama classes for kids
Weekend performing arts classes
Street dance classes for children
Commercial dance classes for kids
Stage school for children
Drama classes Southfields
Drama classes Earlsfield
Drama classes Clapham Common
Drama classes Twickenham
Musical Theatre Southfields
Musical Theatre Earlsfield
Musical Theatre Clapham
Musical Theatre Twickenham
Dance classes Southfields
Dance classes Clapham Common
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Whatever search brought you here, we'd love you to discover WestWay.
Book a Trial at WestWay School of Performing Arts
Being shortlisted for Top Performing Arts School in the UK 2026 is something we're incredibly proud of.
But the best way to understand WestWay isn't by reading about an award.
It's by experiencing a class.
WestWay provides award-winning drama, Musical Theatre, acting, singing and dance classes for children and teenagers across Southfields, Earlsfield, Clapham Common and Twickenham.
From complete beginners discovering performing arts for the first time to experienced young performers developing professional skills, our students receive high-quality training within a supportive community.
Book a trial at WestWay School of Performing Arts and discover why our children's performing arts training continues to receive recognition across London and the UK.
FAQs: WestWay School of Performing Arts
What is WestWay School of Performing Arts?
WestWay is a multi-award-winning performing arts and drama school for children and teenagers, providing training in Musical Theatre, acting, drama, singing and dance across South West London.
Where does WestWay offer children's performing arts classes?
WestWay provides weekly classes in Twickenham, Clapham Common and Southfields, with the Southfields school conveniently serving families in Southfields and Earlsfield.
Does WestWay offer drama classes for children?
Yes. Drama and acting are central to WestWay's performing arts training. Children can develop acting through Musical Theatre as well as specialist Acting for Stage & Screen classes.
Does WestWay offer dance classes for kids?
Yes. WestWay offers children's dance training including Street & Commercial Dance, alongside dance training within our Musical Theatre programme.
Does WestWay offer Musical Theatre classes?
Yes. WestWay's Musical Theatre classes combine singing, acting and dancing and are available for children from age 3.
Is WestWay suitable for beginners?
Yes. Beginners are welcome. Children do not need previous drama, singing or dance training to start at WestWay.
Has WestWay won awards?
Yes. WestWay's awards and recognition include Drama School of the Year at the Greater London Enterprise Awards 2025, inclusion among 10 Top Education Providers in The Times 2025, Best of Music & Culture recognition in The Guardian 2024, Community Champion of the Year at the Club Hub Awards 2024 and Performing Arts School of the Year at the Prestige Awards 2022.
In 2026, WestWay was also shortlisted for Top Performing Arts School in the UK by The Education Insider.
How can I book a WestWay class?
Families can book a trial and explore WestWay's current drama, Musical Theatre, acting, singing and dance classes for their preferred location and age group.