National Council for Drama Training

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NCDT logo

The National Council for Drama Training is a partnership of employers in the theatre, broadcast and media industry, employee representatives and training providers.

The council exists to act as a champion for the industry by working to optimise support for professional drama training and education, embracing change and development. It's primary role is to safeguard the highest standards and provides a credible process of quality assurance through accreditation for vocational drama courses in further and higher education in the UK.

The accreditation it provides aims to give students confidence that the courses they choose are recognised by the drama profession as being relevant to the purposes of their employment; and that the profession has confidence that the people they employ who have completed these courses have the skills and attributes required for the continuing health of the industry.

1 History
2 NCDT Reform
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

The National Council for Drama Training (NCDT) was established in 1976 following the publication of the Gulbenkian Foundation report Going on the Stage into professional training for drama. NCDT has been supported by the performing arts industry and charged with maintaining standards at the nation's top drama schools. For many years NCDT has been providing assurance for students, their parents and funders that courses approved by NCDT are preparing students for careers in the drama profession.

[edit] NCDT Reform

Over 2005-2006 the NCDT has undertaken a comprehensive process of re-evaluation and reform of both Council and accreditation, to reflect the changes in both the industry and in the funding of courses since the founding of NCDT. 2007 is the first year of the new systems' implementation with a new structure for Council, a new system of accrediting vocational acting, musical theatre and technical courses.

The accreditation process is now robust and transparent with formally selected, trained and paid personnel from the industry. It has changed to be more sympathetic to the increasing inspectorial burden on the Drama Schools and focuses entirely on the professional relevance of courses. Replacing the two accreditation boards is the Review Committee, comprising of up to 14 specially vetted and trained subject specialist who are responsible for all accreditation matters.