What is Accreditation

Accreditation by CDMT is only awarded to those providers that have successfully undertaken a thorough and comprehensive institutional level review by a panel of nominated industry experts, in line with the industry benchmarks for professional training in dance, drama and musical theatre.

Successfully Accredited schools satisfy CDMT’s initial criteria, which include offering a course that is either three or four years in duration, guarantees students a minimum of thirty contact teaching hours per week (or 900 over the course of a year), have been in unbroken operation for a minimum of four years, and can deliver graduate destination data, which for current providers indicates on average a 90% progression rate to performance roles. In order to enter in to Accreditation, providers must undertake full institutional inspection and programme scrutiny by CDMT, which involves submission of self-evaluation documentation by the applicant and a two day visit of the organisation by three industry consultants, as well as make annual membership payments and take part in a regular cycle of monitoring and inspections.

Accreditation is typically used by trusts, foundations and other agencies to determine which training programmes to assist, with CDMT reports employed by Ofsted and others to provide valuable background evidence for inspections. Students graduating from Accredited schools receive automatic membership of Equity and inclusion in Spotlight.