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Stuart Worden, Principal of The BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology has been awarded an OBE for services to education in the King's Birthday Honours list 2025.
Stuart grew up in Chichester and joined The BRIT School from a career as a theatre producer and developing new plays working for the National Theatre, Royal Exchange Manchester, Playwrights' Co-operative and Working Title Films, and founding The Steam Industry which produced theatre at the Man in the Moon at The Finborough.
Stuart made a transition into education and began working at The BRIT School in 1994 where he founded the Musical Theatre Course and was Director of Theatre. Stuart became Principal in 2012.
Stuart has driven The BRIT School to widen access to arts and culture for thousands of young people from all backgrounds, against the odds of a challenging funding backdrop and shortfall in funding to deliver it’s ambitious vocational arts education. Stuart has guided the evolution of the school - it’s bravery to run vocational courses, to prioritise arts education and to put individuals and the community at the heart. The BRIT School today is a beacon of creativity, a triumph of economic success and an essential part of the talent pipeline across all areas of the arts in the UK. Last year, Ofsted rated it Outstanding across all categories saying “Pupils love to learn here”.
Proud to be in, and a part of Selhurst, Croydon, Stuart has established deep partnerships with local schools and organisations working with marginalised communities- ensuring every student works with the community using art as a force for good and social change. His own interest in palliative care has led him to create a project which originally ran at St Christopher’s Hospice and is now being mapped out around the world.
Stuart said:
“I am delighted for this recognition of The BRIT School and the BRIT Community. At the centre of the school is adventure and kindness. We give students the educational playground with guidance and rules to experiment and try and explore and have adventures. And a culture of kindness matters. We all know that young artists are fragile, and students in particular need to feel that someone is there for them, encouraging them, listening to them, allowing them to fail from time to time, giving them a voice and guiding them to be creative and dream big. We hope the BRIT School does that”.
Since opening its doors in 1991, The BRIT School has expanded from 300 to 1,400 full-time students who study the national curriculum whilst specialising in a chosen creative field. With examination results well above average and over 13,000 graduates working predominately in the creative industries, the School has produced talent working across the globe; onstage, off stage and in all areas of the creative sector.
The School has launched many careers including household names Adele, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Tom Holland, The Feeling, Loyle Carner, The Kooks, Bashy, Cush Jumbo, and Katie Melua as well as pioneering new talent Lola Young, Sacha Keable, Olivia Dean, Cat Burns, Rachel Chinouriri, King Krule, Geordie Creep and Strandz.
Beyond the music industry The BRIT School has pioneered education in film, television, art, fashion, dance, theatre and digital art.
Stuart says:
“The BRIT School is in every corner of the arts industries. Those kids have changed the cultural landscape and will continue to make the world a better place”.
Commenting on Stuart Worden’s honour, Tony Wadsworth CBE, Chair of the BRIT Trust, said:
“My fellow Trustees and I are absolutely thrilled that Stuart Worden, Principal of the BRIT School, has been recognised in The King’s Birthday Honours with an OBE for the exceptional contribution he has made to The BRIT School and to the creative arts over the past 30 years – vital work the BRIT Trust has been proud to support. He is an inspirational educator and human being, and, as an industry that benefits greatly from the talent the School produces, we all owe him and his staff a huge debt of gratitude.”
Josh Berger CBE, Chair of The BRIT School Board of Trustees, said:
“The BRIT School is widely recognised as one of the leading performing and creative arts schools in the world. This is due, in no small part, to Stuart’s inspired leadership. He has dedicated his life to the personal and creative development of thousands of children. Many supremely talented individuals have passed through the halls of the BRIT School and gone on to achieve global success in the entertainment industry. They all share one defining characteristic, that they have benefitted from Stuart’s steadfast belief in nurturing creativity and talent in each and every one of the students in his charge to the fullest extent possible.”
The BRIT School contributes to the £124bn UK economy, society and culture- providing a talent pipeline to a sector that employs 2.4m people. Over 60% of BRIT School alumni work in the creative industries and 67% of them are from Global Majority backgrounds. Year on year, 98% of students progress into education, training or work within three months of graduating.
Photograph: John Marshall - JM Enternational