Elmhurst Ballet School
School summary
Founded in 1923, Elmhurst Ballet School is a specialist institution where the pursuit of dance shapes daily life for around 185 pupils. As a small, mixed boarding and day school in Birmingham spanning ages 11 to 19, it offers a distinctive blend of vocational training and mainstream academic study. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school excellent across both education quality and personal development, and judged its compliance fully met. For families seeking a serious dance education alongside formal qualifications, it occupies an unusual niche.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Latest results
GCSE grade 9-7
30%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
24%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
47%
National average 55%
Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 28 January 2025
Teaching & academics
Pupils follow a conventional academic path of GCSEs, A-levels and the EPQ alongside their dance training, with 30% of GCSE entries reaching grades 9-7, ahead of the national average of 23%. At A-level, results sit a little below national figures, with 24% at A*-A and 47% at A*-B, reflecting the demands of balancing rigorous vocational work with examined study. Popular subjects include Music, French and Drama & Theatre Studies at GCSE, and Geography at A-level. Around 15% of pupils receive SEN support.
Languages
Popular GCSE subjects
Principal · Miss Jessica Ward
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 63
Popular A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Dance is not an extra here but the heart of the school's purpose, woven through the timetable rather than bolted on. The boarding provision supports pupils who train intensively and may travel some distance to attend.
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1923
- Religious character
- None
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 14.66%
- EHC plans
- 0%
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £21,534 - £22,317
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £27,600 - £29,751
Government-funded, means-tested bursary/scholarship schemes: Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) for ages 11-16
Schools nearby
Priory School
West Midlands
King Edward's School
Birmingham, West Midlands
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Birmingham, West Midlands
Red Boots School (National Institute of Conductive Education)
Birmingham, West Midlands
Foundation Pathways at Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands
New Perspectives School
Birmingham, West Midlands
Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A specialist home for committed young dancers who want their training and their academics under one roof. The Music and Dance Scheme bursaries help widen access to families who could not otherwise meet the fees.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Elmhurst Ballet School 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.