Case Study No. 16 - BA Acting, Central School of Speech and Drama

 Elements addressed by study

Absenteeism and discipline are taken seriously. Course discipline here includes punctuality, class dress code and rehearsal behaviour. Collaborative behaviour is expected. School wide issues such as drinking, drug misuse and abuse are not dealt with here.

Description of Key Aspects:

Students are required to be on time for all time-tabled sessions. If the student is not present at the start of the class, that is when it is time-tabled to start, s/he is late, and will not be admitted to that class or any of the rest of the day's classes/rehearsals and is marked absent. It is suggested the student leaves School and fills the day with something different. It is simply a 'red light' rule and there is to be no excuse giving on the threshold of the classroom, no emotional blackmail for the tutors to deal with; it is simply a given. This demands discipline and professionalism on the part of the student, but it is an established course ethos. Absence forms must be filled in and the students also write apologies for absence to the tutors.  An unsatisfactory attendance record (three absences for lateness) will result in a formal disciplinary professional conduct interview with the Course Leader. Outcomes of this interview, dependent on the particular profile, could be the students' one and only formal warning, recasting, being taken off the production with the result of a 'Fail' or being required to withdraw from the course. 

Acting is a collaborative practice and demands a sense of group awareness from the student. Absence or lateness effects the group and the discipline code established from the beginning of the course affirms that individual responsibility and sensibility are the norm.

Any absence, which has not been agreed in advance with the appropriate tutor, is treated seriously. Any illness/personal issue requires explanation and can be considered as excused absence. A doctor's note will be required for longer periods of illness. If at all possible the student is expected to get into School and watch the session they are unable to participate in. Observing a class session is an experience of value and demands of the student another approach to learning. Each student is advised that at one time or other s/he makes sure s/he has this experience. 

A further example of the professional discipline expected of the student is that s/he abides by the dress code for movement. This requires that the student, whether male or female, wear a plain black fitted top with sleeves and tights.  The new students are given two weeks to organise themselves and, thereafter, if they do not have the correct attire, or wear watches or jewellery, wear black but inappropriate clothes, such as garments with logos or short T shirts that reveal belly button rings, tattoos etc, the student will have to sit out and watch class.  The students need to recognise that their bodies are their expressive instruments and they must be able to move freely, face themselves and transform.  The clothes need to be functional and make no personality, or fashion statement and give no shape change, no disguise or sexual messaging. They need to send out one message and that is that the students are ready to work. There is also the safety issue of the tutor being able to check on the body in use e.g. knees during twisting work.

Analysis

Such strict discipline has to be established over a period of time. (This particular discipline procedure has been practised for 13 years). It is a discipline that the students understand and embrace, seeing it as a code of conduct commensurate with being a student at one of the most prestigious drama schools in the country.

Evaluation:

There are grey areas particularly where punctuality and work ethic are concerned. There are cultural as well as personal responses to time, independent working and absences and there are instances when individual issues and circumstances do have to be teased out. Cases that need further consideration are referred to the Course Leader. There is student support if necessary