CORE Education Trust

King Charles met Birmingham musical theatre students - and revealed his secret passion for dance👑.

He disclosed he owned a pair of tap shoes as he joined Sir Idris Elba at an event celebrating young talent in the industry.

Charles met National Youth Music Theatre performers and students from Birmingham CORE Education schools to mark NYMT's 50th anniversary in Victoria, central London, yesterday, Thursday, May 14.

Bill, an NYMT member, told the Press Association the King had mentioned owning tap shoes. He said the King asked him "Do you learn to tap dance?", and added: "He said he owns his own tap shoes and we offered to teach him."

Asked whether a lesson had been scheduled, the 21-year-old said: "We failed, but we will follow up."

The King also shared his thoughts on Shakespeare with the students, insisting the best way to understand the playwright's work was to "actually act it".

Addressing a group taking part in a workshop, Charles asked: "Are you all keen on Shakespeare?" The students nodded and responded enthusiastically with "yes".

The King then enquired "have you actually acted in a Shakespeare play?" and upon learning they hadn't, Charles remarked: "The best way to understand it is to actually act it."

At The Other Palace studio, the King and Sir Idris met students participating in drama and musical theatre workshops, before watching a performance by a choir comprising young NYMT performers in the theatre's main auditorium.

🎭 CORE Students Meet The King and Sir Idris Elba in London 👑✨

Students from City Academy, Arena Academy, Rockwood Academy and Jewellery Quarter Academy have taken part in a theatre workshop with the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) in London this week where they also met with King Charles III and actor Sir Idris Elba. 👑🎬

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the NYMT, the King met with students taking part in the workshop, which was designed to give young people opportunities and experiences in musical theatre. 🎭 The King was joined by Sir Idris Elba who used a grant from The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust) to attend NYMT aged 18. 🌟

The workshop this week was the final of four access workshops for the CORE students. The sessions have been led by NYMT creative practitioners and funded by the Garek Trust. This generous financial support has supported NYMT’s aspiration to make inclusion and access the focal point of its 50th year celebrations. ✨ NYMT designed the workshops to develop the confidence, communication and performing skills of young people, including in improvisation. 🎤🎬

CORE Education Trust places equity, inclusion and social justice at the centre of its mission, with its schools relentlessly focused on the removal of barriers to learning, not only to raise educational outcomes, but to disrupt cycles of disadvantage and ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to opportunity and the chance to succeed. 💙📚

National Youth Music Theatre Idris Elba The King's Trust The Royal Family

Our Year 7 Rise Awards are underway! An evening of celebration and recognition for an excellent first two terms at City Academy. Students have collected awards in each subject as well as recognition for outstanding behaviour and attendance

CORE Education Trust

💙 Thursday 2nd April is World Autism Awareness Day

This year's theme is "Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value", a call to recognise the dignity, equal rights, and unconditional worth of every autistic person.

Across CORE Education Trust, Arena Academy, City Academy, Jewellery Quarter Academy and Rockwood Academy, we are committed to building schools where every student feels seen, valued, and supported to thrive. That means creating environments that are flexible, welcoming, and built around the needs of every individual.

Autism exists on a broad and diverse spectrum. No two autistic individuals experience it in exactly the same way. What matters is that every person in our community knows they belong here.

This April, we stand with the global autism community. Every life has value. Every learner has potential.

🕊️ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Across every CORE Education Trust school, we believe in something simple but powerful, every young person deserves to feel safe, valued and free to be themselves.

That belief shapes how we teach, how we lead, and how we show up for our communities every single day.

On this day, we recommit to that promise. To building schools where difference is celebrated, where every voice is heard, and where the next generation is equipped to lead with empathy and courage. 🌟

To our students across Birmingham - you inspire us. Keep being brilliant. Keep lifting each other up. The future is yours. 💙

City Academy Birmingham is proud to announce the launch of our weekly community food market, and the impact is already being felt.

Every Friday, we open our school site to students, families, and members of the wider community, providing free fresh produce and essential cupboard staples at a time when rising living costs are hitting households hard.

The market is made possible through partnerships with FareShare and local business Mr Singh's Pizza - whose weekly donation of 100 pizzas has been a game-changer for the initiative.

But the detail we're most proud of? Our student leaders are at the heart of it. Each week, they give up their time to organise, sort, and run the market, developing real leadership skills while making a tangible difference in their community.

This is what schools can be. Not just places of learning, but anchors of community.

"By working together with our partners and our student leaders, we are creating a space where everyone feels welcome." Raj Mann, Executive Headteacher

City Academy launches free Friday food market with support from FareShare, The Trussell Trust and Mr Singh’s Pizza City Academy in Birmingham, part of CORE Education Trust, has launched a food market, a weekly event created to support students and their families, while also extending help to the wider local community.

Students and staff at CORE Arena Academy turned World Book Day into a bright mix of costumes and books, all built around dressing up as their favourite literary characters.

“At CORE Arena Academy, we’re passionate about making reading fun and accessible for every student. Dressing up as favourite literary characters on World Book Day brings stories vividly to life and helps combat the national decline in reading enjoyment we’re seeing in recent statistics.

By celebrating books in this creative way, we’re inspiring our students to discover the magic of reading and building habits that will enrich their lives long-term, in line with campaigns like Get Britain Reading.” - Raj Mann, Executive Headteacher at CORE Arena Academy

It is always good to see a school corridor filled with characters from stories. Which book character would you pick for a day?

Rockwood Academy students spent the day inside the Goldman Sachs Birmingham office, getting a real look at the kinds of jobs that keep a global finance firm running. They heard honest stories from staff about their career paths, then rolled up their sleeves for sessions on CV writing, interview practice, and the workplace skills that help you get through the day.

"It was a privilege to host the year 10 students from Rockwood Academy at our offices.

We were incredibly impressed by their high level of engagement and the proactive attitude they brought to the event. From sessions on investment banking and finance to mock trials and refining their interview techniques, the students demonstrated a genuine curiosity and a clear ambition for their future careers, and we are delighted to have played a part in their career journey.” - James Westwood, Executive Director, Asset & Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management International

Visits like this give young people space to test out their own future. What part of the working world do you wish you could walk into for a day?