We all want our children to be happy in their own skin. Confident and comfortable with who they are. That’s why we celebrate the individual characters, talents and passions of each and every child. We’re here to help them feel truly proud of who they are, enabling them to express themselves whenever and however they feel comfortable.
Our academies are run by an amazing network of Principals who bring a wealth of performing arts experience to the table. They’re backed by their own teams of dedicated teachers, teaching assistants, and academy staff, all working together to deliver top-notch sessions for our students. And then there’s our HQ team, who keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. They’re based near Beaconsfield, just down the road from where it all began for us in 2007. It’s a true team effort!
Our Classes
At PQA, we’re proud to do things a little differently. Since 2007, our Main Academy has offered a diverse range of classes in Film and Television, Comedy and Drama, and Musical Theatre. Our Poppets enjoy their own performing arts classes. Our unique approach combines creativity with practical experience, allowing young people to try more, discover more, and develop valuable life and industry skills.
We also take pride in our student-led ‘Project-Based Learning’, where students learn through doing. Our distinctive learning skills framework encourages hands-on exploration of topics, themes, and genres, putting young people first and ensuring they gain both performance skills and personal growth.
We believe that the performing arts is an incredible tool for helping to shape young people into grounded, confident adults. Not only can your child learn show-stopping, scene-stealing industry skills that they can show off to their friends and family, but they’ll also be set up with a whole host of life skills too.
All of our academy projects have a set of age-appropriate industry and life skills as a learning outcome. This means that your child will walk away from every project and showing of work, armed with an impressive repertoire of key skills that they’ll be able to call-upon at school, university, in their careers and in their personal lives!
Whether it’s learning all about leadership and teamwork through working within a film crew, testing your memory and concentration through script work, or developing presentation skills through performance – the performing arts contributes massively to personal development at every age.
PQA and Your Child
At PQA, we empower young people to unlock their full potential through creativity, confidence, and self-expression. Our inclusive academies provide a safe space where individuality is celebrated, and every child is encouraged to thrive, grow, and discover their unique voice.
Pauline Quirke MBE’s passion for performing arts and belief in its transformative power inspired her to create PQA with her husband Steve. With a career spanning over 50 years, Pauline has not only entertained millions but also paved the way for young people to build self-belief, creativity, and lifelong skills.
Blog
Explore the latest from PQA, from the life changing benefits of performing arts to exciting updates from HQ and inspiring stories from our academies nationwide. Our blogs offer a closer look at the wonderful world of PQA and what we’re all about.
We collaborate with leading experts and charities to enrich our drama, acting, and filmmaking classes, including Angel Shed, who support our SEN students, and MediCinema, bringing cinema experiences to NHS patients.
Our academy projects are created with renowned names like Aardman, Les Enfants Terribles, and Coram’s Shakespeare Schools Foundation.
Each year, we celebrate student achievements with Regional Film Festivals at the BFI, Vue, and Cineworld, and host West End shows at His Majesty’s Theatre in London.
