Telford RankedIndependent rankings of local services in Telford
Assessment · dance schools round dance-schools-2026-09

Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts review

Ranked 3 of 10 in Dance schools in Telford

Best for: RAD and ISTD exam teaching from 35-year school

Sole Trader

The Depot, 9 Holyhead Road, Oakengates, Telford, Shropshire, TF2 6DW · Service area: Telford

Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts in short

Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts is an Oakengates school teaching graded RAD ballet and ISTD modern, tap and jazz from nursery to advanced level, calling itself Telford's longest established family-run school with thirty-five years behind it. It became an ISTD approved centre in the late nineties, and the principal holds ISTD licentiate diplomas with RAD teaching certificates across the staff. Our review finds the exam-track depth here unmatched in this round.

Customers are unanimous: five stars on Google, though across the smallest review base in this round. Festival and show routes run alongside the grades for pupils who want the stage.

What counts against Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts are the gaps: no fee amounts and no insurance details on the pages checked. Two missing lines keep a distinguished teaching record from a higher finish.

Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts reviews and ratings on other sites

Every public rating we hold for Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts, with the source, scale, count and the date we read it. These are customers' ratings, not ours.
SourceRatingReviewsRead on
Google5.0 out of 55

Our verdict

Our judgement: Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts suits families who want exam-track ballet, tap and modern from career teachers, with 35 years behind the school and an approved-centre record [1] [2]. What counts against it are the gaps: no fee amounts and no insurance details on the pages checked. Its 5.0 Google rating across 5 reviews, seen 4 September 2026, is spotless but the smallest base in this round [5].

Score summary

Scored on the home trades rubric v2.0. Insufficient evidence takes the neutral value and is not shown as a low mark.

Composite score
67.6 / 100

Customer evidence C1 · weight 30%

72

Google 5 out of 5 from 5 reviews [5].

Qualifications and accreditations C2 · weight 25%

75

ISTD Approved Dance Centre and RAD teaching qualifications membership is listed on the business's own website [1] [2].

First-hand responsiveness C3 · weight 15%

Insufficient evidence

Insufficient evidence

Trading history C4 · weight 10%

80

The business states 35 years of trading [1].

Insurance and safeguards C5 · weight 10%

Insufficient evidence

Insufficient evidence

Pricing transparency C6 · weight 5%

55

Monthly or half-termly tuition billing is stated, with no amounts published [4].

Website and service information C7 · weight 5%

80

The site sets out classes, teachers, timetable and contact routes with a dedicated contact page [1] [2] [3] [4].

Evidence

Every fact held for this provider, with its source and check date.
FactValueSourceRead
Years trading35Source provider-website

Industry qualifications

Sourced from the issuing registers, the business's own website and platforms such as Checkatrade and Which? Trusted Traders, on the date shown.

Strengths

  • The school states over 35 years of training dancers and teachers, calling itself Telford's longest established family-run dance school [1].

  • It became an ISTD approved centre in 1998, and the principal holds ISTD licentiate diplomas with RAD teaching certificates across the staff [1] [2].

  • Graded RAD ballet and ISTD modern, tap and jazz run from nursery to advanced level with festival and show routes [1] [4].

Limitations

  • No insurance details are published on the pages checked [1] [3].

  • Tuition is billed monthly or half-termly but no fee amounts appear on the pages checked [4].

Response from the business

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Verified customer reviews

Reviews from customers who showed us their invoice.

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Questions about Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts

Is Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts any good?

On the evidence, yes for exam-track families: it sits third in our Telford table with five stars on Google and career teachers behind graded RAD and ISTD classes. The review base is the smallest in this round, so read it as a bonus rather than the case. Ask about festival routes too.

Is Carmichael School of Dance registered with a dance teaching body?

Approved-centre status with the ISTD going back decades is stated on the school's own site, and the principal holds ISTD licentiate diplomas with RAD teaching certificates across the staff. No mandatory registration applies to dance schools. Ask which syllabus each of your child's classes follows.

What does Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts charge?

Tuition is billed monthly or half-termly but no fee amounts appear on the pages checked. That means the quote does the talking: send the classes your child would take and ask for each figure together. Confirm the notice period and exam extras before agreeing anything.

Where does Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts work?

The school teaches from The Depot on Holyhead Road in Oakengates, Telford. Graded classes run from nursery to advanced level on its timetable. Send your postcode with the enquiry to confirm the right class. Expect a reply by email or phone.

How is Carmichael School of Dance and Theatre Arts ranked?

It ranks third of the ten dance schools in our September round, picked for exam-track teaching from a long-running Oakengates school. What customers say counts most toward every score. Read the full review alongside the table before enquiring about the right syllabus for your child.

Others assessed for this trade

  1. Silhouette Dance Company70.1 / 100Ranked 1. Best for long-running Telford school with IDTA teaching and cover.
  2. The Arts Centre Telford69.6 / 100Ranked 2. Best for stage school with published prices and exam record.
  3. Telford Academy of Performing Arts66.4 / 100Ranked 4. Best for pay-as-you-go performing arts for ages 2 to 70.
  4. ToriArts Studios (Madeley)65.4 / 100Ranked 5. Best for aerial and performing arts at the Madeley studio.

Sources

  1. Carmichael homepage — 35 years, exam genres and approved centre Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  2. Carmichael teachers page — RAD and ISTD teaching credentials Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  3. Carmichael contact page — address, email and enquiry route Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  4. Carmichael classes page — genres and tuition billing terms Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  5. Google Maps listing — Carmichael School of Dance & Theatre Arts Retrieved 4 September 2026.

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