Stagecoach Ipswich

A very warm welcome to Stagecoach Performing Arts Ipswich, where we provide quality part-time training in the performing arts for children aged four to 18 years in the Ipswich, Kesgrave and Martlesham area.  Open since 1999, we aim to nurture and support our young people, providing them with innovative and creative tuition in singing, dance, acting and drama, encouraging our students to be imaginative, dynamic, and to perform better at school, in their future careers and in life. 

All our performing arts classes are taught by experienced teachers with an excellent track record within the arts. The school is located at Cliff Lane Primary, Ipswich and Gorseland Primary, Martlesham and run by Sarah Corbett who has led the school for 18 years


Principal Sarah Corbett - BA(Hons); PGCE; MA(Mus)

Your child is in safe hands. All of our Team are Enhanced DBS checked.


Noticeboard

The big summer show

We believe that as well as skills training, our students need regular outlets for their hard work. We stage a musical production once a year- our winter 2025 one was Beauty and the Beast. We also have an annual major showcase. The next is 11th July 2026 at the Ipswich Regent, featuring every student enrolled in the school.

Childcare Vouchers

As we are an OFSTED-registered school, we accept all childcare vouchers and tax free childcare which effectively saves 20% on school fees, and offer flexible monthly payment options for all our schools. Other methods of payment include standing order, Direct Debit and payment card.

The Stagecoach Programme

Each term, our confidence-building lessons will include training in drama, dance, singing and musicality, musical theatre and film projects. Our priority is always student wellbeing and it’s all done in a nurturing atmosphere, which fosters creativity, and the development of social, memory and other skills useful at school and in life.

Your child is special

At Stagecoach, you will not see the same children always getting the main parts. We want every child to leave us feeling better about themselves and it’s important to us that they all get a chance to shine. With that kind of confidence, they can go out into the world with the best possible chance - because self-belief is most of the challenge.

Spring 2026

As well as K Pop workshops coming up, we’re delighted to welcome Jake Bailey to lead our West-End workshops this year. Jake was Bruce in the original West-End Matilda, and has since had roles in Mamma Mia, Hairspray and now Annie. He’ll be visiting the school for dance workshops and a Q and A on stage and screen performance in February.

Buying jazz shoes

In order to give you the best possible experience and assortment of Jazz shoes, Stagecoach now has its own unique online shoe store which is part of the dancewear specialist - Mydancestore. Simply click the button below and it will take you straight there. Please do follow the supplier’s advice when choosing the shoe size. Happy shopping!

Other opportunities

As well as our school performances, we offer extra opportunities for our students. Our dance troupe rehearses for major performances. We also have good links with the industry - recently our students have performed with Brendan Cole, The Ellen Kent Opera, G4 and the Barricade Boys.

Free session for 4-6s

The age of 4-6 is a great time in development to learn resilience and social skills and improve focus and memory in readiness for school. See why our Early Stages has been consistently graded as outstanding by booking a place in one of our free open sessions where children can take part and you can watch and ask questions. Contact us for info.

LAMDA drama exams

We have a dedicated teacher for LAMDA and the results of his students have been superb. We offer tuition across the weekend at Stagecoach. We have noticed a dramatic difference in gesture and stage presence in those who have these one-to-one sessions alongside their Stagecoach training.

Weekly Classes

Early Stages (for ages 4-6 yrs)

Stagecoach Early Stages

Our 90-minute Early Stages classes run alongside the main Stagecoach schools, giving young performers the chance to learn key skills in each of the three musical theatre disciplines of singing, dancing, and acting each week. These fun and engaging sessions build skills and confidence, so it is an easy step when it is time to transfer to the next stage.
 

Main Stages (for ages 6-18 yrs)

Stagecoach Main Stages
Our 3-hour weekly Main Stages classes are split in three age appropriate groups, where young people learn new skills in each of the complementary Musical Theatre disciplines of singing, dancing, and acting. We nurture the shy and apprehensive, until they find their feet and voice, whilst at the same time developing and channelling those with bundles of talent, confidence and energy. We believe in the potential of every child!

 

Further Stages (for ages 15+ yrs)

Stagecoach Further Stages
Our advanced musical theatre sessions give talented students the chance to extend their performance skills.  Through in-depth training and master classes, we help students to hone their skills in singing, dancing and acting.  We also give students the confidence to audition for theatre and vocational drama schools (if that is their goal) and make sure they are well prepared for interviews and auditions. 

Fees in accordance with Main Stages.

Meet The Team

Principal - Sarah Corbett - BA(Hons); PGCE; MA(Mus)

Sarah took over at Stagecoach in 2006, having first taught singing there for five years. She has twenty five years of experience working in theatre arts, beginning by organising two major music marathons and running a school band when in the sixth form at school. She graduated firstly with a French and English honours degree and taught these subjects for eight years at Stowupland High School, running the 70-strong school choir and directing the music for the school shows in the lunch break. However, music was what she loved most so she left the school in 2001 to complete her second degree, teaching singing and piano part-time, and in 2009 completed her Music MA gaining distinction. She is also co-founder of an award-winning musical theatre company which toured Suffolk annually and has written eleven successful musicals for them. Sarah carried the Olympic torch in 2012, with the principal reasons for her selection being her quest to get people to love music, and the money that Stagecoach Ipswich has raised for good causes since 2009, which now exceeds £60000. These days, she is also very involved in organising the project to save her village church from ruin or closure.  In her spare time, Sarah is learning aromatherapy, grows many varieties of chillies and loves walking in the country and on the coast or exploring her beloved France with her husband and two dogs.


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