We generally recommend taking the Trinity exam from grade 3 onwards, which is typically around ages 9 or 10. By this age, students will have built a solid foundation in drama and performance through earlier grades, making them well-prepared for the challenges of an official exam. Taking the exam at this stage allows students to assess their progress and set new goals for their growth in the performing arts.

We recommend alternative courses because they provide opportunities for students to transfer the skills learned in the Solo course to the Production course. While Solo focuses on developing individual acting skills, Production requires students to work together to tell a story. This collaboration helps students gain an understanding of the dynamics of teamwork, which is essential for creating a strong performance. The Production course also gives students the chance to fully immerse themselves in their character and the story, which enhances their ability to perform in solo pieces during Solo terms.

Yes, absolutely! Many students choose to take both courses. Doing so allows you to gain experience in both individual performance and collaborative storytelling. By participating in both, you receive a well-rounded public speaking education, learning how to perform solo and also how to work as part of a team. This holistic approach to learning helps you develop a broad set of skills that are valuable in many areas of life.

The Communication Skills program is designed for children aged 10 and up. It focuses on building strong language skills and an understanding of different worldviews, which helps students communicate ideas effectively and confidently. This program is ideal for those who are ready to expand their communication abilities and gain a deeper understanding of how to engage with different audiences.

Absolutely! If you choose not to take the Trinity exam, the Hive provides an internal exam to assess your progress. You will still receive valuable feedback from your teacher, and you will continue to advance to higher levels based on your performance. The internal exam ensures that even without the formal Trinity exam, students are still recognized for their growth and development.

Taking a Trinity exam brings in an expert perspective on your performance, offering feedback from a certified examiner. This helps you understand what’s going well and where there’s room for improvement. Taking the exam can be a great way to reflect your dedication and the progress you’ve made along the way. It serves as a milestone in your development and provides clear guidance on how to continue progressing. Additionally, it can be a great asset for college applications, especially for those pursuing theatre or communication-focused programs.

The Solo Course is all about individual performance, where the child selects their own pieces and performs alone. This course allows for a deeper focus on personal strengths and growth, with an emphasis on solo speaking and performance. On the other hand, the Production course is about collaborative storytelling. Students work together as a group to create and perform a story, which requires teamwork and a shared vision. While Solo develops individual skills, Production builds teamwork and the ability to work with others to bring a story to life.

Communication Skills is essential because it focuses on developing the ability to clearly express ideas and engage others. Students will learn how to pitch ideas, create engaging content, and understand what makes a message resonate with an audience. These skills are not only valuable for public speaking but are also transferable to various areas of life, from school presentations to professional settings. Communication skills are foundational for effective interaction in all aspects of life, whether for personal or professional growth. This course is affiliated with trinity college of London, and the students undergo the trinity exam, which can help for future college applications as well!

The production course is ideal for those who want to explore the collaborative side of theatre. In this course, students work together to create and tell a story over time, learning how to contribute as part of a team. It offers a deeper understanding of the theatre world and ends with an exciting festival towards the end of the term, where students showcase the hard work and creativity of the group. The Production course emphasizes the importance of teamwork, discipline, and the collective process of creating a performance.

The solo course is designed to help each child build a strong foundation in public speaking. It focuses on developing both strengths and areas for improvement, empowering children to become confident, expressive speakers. This course also prepares students for future college applications by providing insights inro their progress and performance. Affiliated with the trinity college London syllabus, the solo courses emphasize individual growth and skill mastery, helping the students to refine their speaking abilities and express themselves confidently. The students have the option to give the trinity exam or may choose to be assessed by a hive teacher.

Our goal is to make theatre accessible to all, especially young audiences. By keeping the festival free, we hope to inspire a love for theatre in children and create an inclusive space where everyone, regardless of background, can enjoy the magic of live performance.

The 3-ticket limit is in place to encourage everyone to engage with The Hive individually. By having different people book from their own accounts, we’re able to reach a wider audience and ensure that more people get to know about the festival and all that it offers.

Most plays run for approximately an hour. Duration may vary slightly depending on the age group the play is designed for.

Door opening times vary depending on the day and show. Generally, doors open 5 minutes before showtime. We recommend checking the specific play schedule for accurate timing.

The closest metro station is OnPassive Metro Station. While many visitors drive, the venue is also easily accessible via cab.

Of course! You’re welcome to attend multiple plays throughout the festival. With so many varied choices, we’d love for you to experience as much as you like.

While some of our plays do follow the same script, each show is unique with its own performers, nuances and blocking. Feel free to explore and enjoy the diversity in our line-up.

No worries! Latecomers are welcome to enter. However, we strongly encourage arriving at least 10 minutes early to ensure a smooth check-in and registration process.

Yes, absolutely! We are committed to making the Hive Festival welcoming and accessible for everyone. Our venue is wheelchair and stroller- friendly to ensure a comfortable experience for all our guests.

Fantastic children and a super dedicated team! You won't regret it!

We do have had actors and students at varied learning levels. We welcome anyone who has an interest in the performing arts. If you're unsure, come in to the studio with your child and have a chat with us. Whoever you are, The Hive is a place for you.

Yes!!! Everyone who joins The Hive, becomes a part of the Hive Family. The team and the students as well, all come together in support of each other. Our students especially rally around their new classmates as they navigate the classes and learn the ropes

Skills like being able to effectively communicate, accurately express oneself, empathy, and compassion are sure to hold us in very good stead in the long run. These along with all the projected outcomes, as listed above, are lessons that can be useful to each of us. As adults as well.

Trinity College London is regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examination Regulations) in England. In the UK, Trinity's Grades 6-8 Communication Skills qualifications for individuals are eligible for UCAS (University and College Admissions Service) points for those applying to colleges and universities. See trinitycollege.com/UCASdrama for more detailed information.

The marking system is put in place more to aid the examiner in evaluating a performance, than for the student. Marks are always given along with detailed comments and pointers as to how the child has faired in the exam. It is not the be all and end all of this beautiful process.

While this is not the primary purpose of enrolling into these programmes, it is helpful in terms of giving direction and giving the children something tangible to work towards.

Needs dictate the outcome, but overall we have seen

Based on feedback from hundreds of parents and students over the years, we can attest to the fact that the one major change that takes place in students of the Hive, is a marked and sustained growth in the confidence of students here. Of course, this is an ongoing process, and each child evolves into the process as per their individual capabilities. Students are much more keen to take Initiative in their classes and school outside of the Hive with the help of their learning and experiences here.
Once children are able to over come and deal with their stage fright and initial nervousness for performing, they have a higher tendency to be forthcoming and willing to volunteer for jobs requiring leadership initiative. Students at the Hive are all Team players! In the way the classes are structured, students leave here with a deep understanding of collaboration and working together.
Growing used to the ever changing and dynamic style of drama and the stage, children are able to handle different kinds of situations and the changes in them almost effortlessly.
Students have displayed a marked improvement in their reading and language skills. Course work requires research and allows the children exposure to varied pieces of age-appropriate literature. The Hive Library is also open to all students enrolled with us, where they have access to some of the gold standards of English prose and poetry for children. With the exposure to these pieces of language and a sense of comfort wit the text, the hive has made readers and writers of many of our students!
Open Discussion driven exercises introduce our students to new perspectives and give them a handle on how to deal with opinions that may be different from their own.
One of the greatest take aways, and something that we have seen in all our students, is an ever increasing sense of empathy that develops as a fortunate side effect of being exposed to the arts in general and drama in particular. Working in groups with singular goals, requires and encourages the children to be in tune with their co-actors. Always being present and reacting to their cues. Needing to express themselves a lot of the time, also helps build an emotional vocabulary for the children. This remains a tool that is of tremendous value to them, throughout their lives.

Which of the two modules you choose would depend on what you want to achieve and the individual needs and capabilities of the child. Given the learning goals of each, we generally recommend that we start out with a term or two in the Speech and Drama, before getting into the Communication Skills classes.

Communication Skills modules will help children structure their thoughts, and formulate and express their ideas. We usually enroll existing students of The Hive and the students who are at least 10 years old. Speech and Drama sets up a foundation for Communication Skills students, providing them with the basics of stage presence and building their comfort of being on stage before they move on to creating and presenting their own work.

Speech and Drama modules are designed to bring to life literary works by authors and poets from around the world. Students are taught how to interpret and convey the emotions and messages that the creators are trying to express through their pieces.

Communication Skills classes work around students presenting their own personal pieces. Apart from the skills required to speak in front of an audience, the focus remains largely on identifying personal interests, structuring ideas, writing the piece, and finally presenting in front of an audience.

Apart from public speaking training that includes articulation, enunciation and spoken word training, children are taught how to connect and engage with their audience and keep them interested and involved in their performances.

We accept enrolments for children starting at the age of 5 and all the way up to 18.

Public speaking and communications are not different per se, in that public speaking falls under the purview of communication skills. Among the various skills that children will learn while being enrolled in the communication skills programme, public speaking is just one of the abilities that they will develop in their time at The Hive. Refer to course information for more details here here