With 115 years’ experience under its belt, Woking’s Italia Conti, one of the UK’s longest-established performing arts schools, is making leadership changes as it enters a new phase of development.

Bradley Hawkins will move from being co-principal to become principal of Italia Conti, with Hayley Newton-Jarvis moving from being chief executive and principal to focus solely on being chief executive.

The revised structure is designed to strengthen Italia Conti’s strategic leadership as the school continues to expand its higher education provision, industry partnerships and long-term training vision.

Founded in 1911 by actress and teacher Italia Emily Stella Conti, Italia Conti has spent more than a century training performers for careers across theatre, television, film and dance.

Its alumni include Noël Coward, Naomi Campbell, Martine McCutcheon, Pixie Lott, Layton Williams and many more across successive generations of British and international talent.

Now based at a purpose-built, state-of-the-art campus in central Woking, Italia Conti continues to deliver conservatoire-style training across Acting, Musical Theatre and Dance, alongside specialist industry preparation for careers across stage and screen.

Under the new leadership structure, Bradley Hawkins will oversee the academic and training delivery of Italia Conti’s programmes, while Hayley Newton-Jarvis will focus fully on the wider strategic direction, growth and long-term development of the organisation as CEO.

Hayley Newton-Jarvis has led Italia Conti through a major period of modernisation and expansion, including the introduction of the school’s BA Dance course, the consolidation of its campuses into its new Woking base, and the development of its current higher education structure.

Bradley Hawkins has held senior academic and leadership roles at Italia Conti for more than a decade and has played a significant role during a period of change and growth for the organisation, including the move to its new Woking campus in 2022 and the transition to its partnership with the University of Chichester.