ALRA announces sudden closure claiming school is ‘not financially viable’
Hattie Fisk
Monday, April 4, 2022
In response, the Office for Students suggests ALRA students should explore the option of completing their studies at Rose Bruford College or other available schools.
ALRA
The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) has announced its sudden closure in an online statement this morning, revealing that all teaching will cease as of today, 4 April.
284 students in their final term of this academic year have been affected, alongside 28 permanent and 16 fixed-term members of staff.
In a statement, the school revealed that the closure was due to financial struggles, with a ‘lack of any significant new income streams in 2021/22’ meaning the organisation was ‘not financially viable’.
It was also stated that in October 2021 the ALRA Board attempted to find a new owner for the school to ‘ensure the college’s long-term future through an intensive sales process’, but this was unsuccessful.
In response to the closure, Rose Bruford College is offering ALRA students spaces on its courses. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students (OfS), said: ‘ALRA reported emerging concerns about its financial situation to the OfS in November 2021. It became clear that poor legacy financial management had led to the worsening of ALRA's financial position. Since we were informed of these issues, we have been working with ALRA and other organisations to ensure that the interests of students are protected as far as possible.
‘We have considered a range of options in order to achieve this, and firmly believe that Rose Bruford's offer to ALRA students is the best way to ensure that the majority of the cohort can stay together, have a positive experience of higher education, and achieve their qualifications.’
Students and staff have taken to Twitter to voice their frustration at the situation, and to ask for support from other institutions at this time.
We are heartbroken to say that we will be the final ALRA South third years. Our school has unexpectedly closed. Any industry PLEASE help the students who haven’t been signed yet. We have missed so much with covid in 1st/2nd year and now the closed school. Alra south 2022 xx
— ALRA South Grads 2022 (@ALRASouth) April 4, 2022
ALRA has deleted its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The school has been approached for a further comment.
Current students or applicants have been asked to contact the St Mary’s University Helpline on alra.support@stmarys.ac.uk or call 020 8240 2394 for help and advice.
