Loughton Campus
Our Loughton campus is perfectly located, offering a peaceful setting in which to study while still providing easy access to the rich cultural diversity of London
Situated on the edge of Epping Forest, a 6,000-acre ancient woodland, but also just a five-minute walk from Debden Underground station, where you can hop on a Central line train to London’s shops, restaurants and theatres, Loughton Campus has the best of all worlds.
Our Three Sites
Our East 15 Acting School Loughton Campus consists of three sites:
Hatfields, a beautiful Georgian dower house set in five acres of lawns. The site boasts of 14 rehearsal spaces, a dance studio, a radio recording room, a library, screening rooms, a large café, common areas, and the Corbett Theatre.
Just a 10-minute walk from Hatfields is Roding House, which contains 10 rehearsal rooms, a green room, a black box theatre space, and our costume department.
Next to Roding House is Unit Four, home to the Stage Management department. The Unit contains a large workshop, paint shop, prop shop, prop storage facilities, a sound recording studio, computer lab, and teaching spaces.
All of this is set in five acres of formal gardens, peppered by lawns with orchards, a tree lined pond, and revery-inducing pathways.
If you fancy getting off campus for a while, The Plume of Feathers is the closest pub, just a 15-minute walk away on Church Hill. You'll also find a good selection of cafes, restaurants and bars not far away on The Broadway in Debden or the n Loughton High Street.
Accommodation
Our Loughton students live off-campus in the surrounding town. This gives you the flexibility to choose between living in a shared house or renting your own place.
While we don’t have on-campus accommodation to offer you, our Student Services Team is on hand to support. They can connect you with trusted local landlords and letting agents to help you find the right place. They also help new students get in touch with each other to find housemates.
We know a lot about living and learning in Loughton, so you can reach out to us if you have any questions.
Life in Loughton
Our Loughton Campus sits at the edge of East London. Situated in a leafy suburb near the Epping Forest, while only a tube ride away from the West End, students at this campus enjoy the best of both worlds.
Epping Forest is an area of international importance for its unique habitat and rare species with 50,000 ancient trees and over 100 lakes and ponds. If you’re not afraid to get muddy, grab a mountain bike, or saddle up and try horse-riding. Alternatively, take a gentle walk throughout the 6,000 acres of beautiful, ancient woodland, and see what rare wildlife you can spot.
The historic market town of Waltham Abbey is very close by, where you can visit the botanical Abbey gardens, browse the traditional market stalls, and step back over 500 years into a 15th century pub for lunch.
As well as our local leisure centre, just 20 minutes on the Central Line will take you to Stratford, home of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Take a swim or hit the gym at the Aquatics Centre, or take a ride on the unique Arcelormittal Orbit, the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide.
While there, pop into Westfield Stratford City, where you'll find shops and restaurants galore and an entertainment complex including cinemas and live music venues.
For music lovers, Loughton is home to the National Jazz Archive, the most comprehensive collection of artefacts, documents, photos and history of jazz in the UK. The archive also hosts events and concerts.
Not too far from campus, you'll find the Theydon Gallery of Fine Art or the William Morris Gallery, in Morris's own family home, an impressive Georgian mansion built in the 1740s.
For the best theatres, museums and galleries in the world, hop on the central line from Debden and head into London.
Or, explore London's nightlife and head into central London, the night tube runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays on the Central, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.
Professional standard facilities
Our stage and performance facilities at Loughton include a full range of rehearsal, recording, editing and technical spaces as well as an on-site theatre equipped for public productions.
For quiet study, we have study facilities and five acres of gardens, a lake and a café for socialising and taking a break.
Based on the Hatfield site, the Corbett Theatre is a unique performance and learning space. The theatre is a converted medieval tithe barn, transformed into tiered seating for 130 people, equipped with dressing rooms and full technical facilities. East 15 host many public performances throughout the year here, alongside lectures, rehearsals and technical classes.
Home to our Stage and Production Management Department, Unit Four is a £1.5 million facility containing a large workshop, paint shop, prop department and teaching spaces.
Just play is our free sporting offer for students at Loughton, to help you improve your health, wellbeing and fitness as an actor in training. We have provided activities such as ballet, circuit-training, stage combat, kickboxing, yoga and more.
Students' Union
When you join the University of Essex you’re automatically a member of Essex Students’ Union.
The SU is a separate organisation completely led and driven by our 13,000 student members. The SU is here to ensure that your voice is heard and that action is taken on the things you care about.
The SU at East 15 holds a variety of events throughout the year from self-defence classes to craft evenings and everything in between. If there are events you'd like the SU to hold, you can have your say!
A closer look at our three sites....
Hatfields
Courtyard Studios – six large rehearsal spaces
Radio Studio – equipped for the recording of radio plays and voice-over work
Orchard Studios – three additional rehearsal spaces
Dance studio
14 additional studios
Screening room – equipped with a large screen and stereo sound, used for lectures, guest speaker presentations and for screening films produced by our students
Roding House
10 rehearsal rooms, a green room/café, a sound recording studio and a video editing suit
Extensive costume department
Unit 4
Situated next to Roding House and home to East 15’s Stage & Production Management department.
Unit 4 contains a large workshop, paint shop, prop shop, prop storage facilities and teaching spaces.
The Corbett Theatre
The Corbett Theatre is named in honour of Harry H Corbett, a key member of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop and early benefactor of East 15.
It is used extensively for student productions and is a practical training hub for our BA Stage and Production Management students.
The building is a medieval tithe barn that was dismantled and transported to Hatfields in the 1960s. These unusual origins create a unique performance space with a special atmosphere.
Renovated to include full technical facilities, tiered seating for 130 people and fitted dressing rooms, the theatre provides an excellent resource for public productions, while the adjacent Bar and Café provides a social meeting point for students and staff
Computer facilities and Library
Our purpose built IT suite provides students with access to PCs, free internet access, printing and photocopiers.
Our library facilities linked with the University of Essex Southend and Colchester Campus libraries, which hold over one million books, periodicals and microfilms.
Alongside our own comprehensive collection of literature, books are delivered to Loughton via a regular courier service between the campuses.
Outside dining
Outside dining
Notable East 15 Alumni
Daniel Ezra
Daniel Ezra is a British actor who rose to fame for his portrayal of Spencer James in the popular American TV series All American. Before this role, he appeared in British dramas like Undercover and The Missing. Ezra's has earned recognition both in the UK and internationally.
Meng’er Zhang
Meng’er Zhang is a Chinese actress best known for her dynamic role as Xu Xialing in the Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Trained at East 15 and the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, Zhang’s performance made a major impact in the global film scene, highlighting her martial arts skills.
Clint Dyer
Clint Dyer is an actor, director, and playwright whose career spans theatre and film. Known for his thought-provoking works, Dyer’s contributions to the arts have been influential, often exploring themes of race and society. After his training at East 15, Dyer became a prominent figure in the British theatrical scene and is the former Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre
Corinna Brown
Corinna Brown is an English actress celebrated for her role as Tara Jones in Netflix’s hit series Heartstopper. Her performance in this show has been lauded for its authenticity and for her portrayal of teen romance and LGBTQ+ themes.
Stephen Daldry
Stephen Daldry is an English director, known for his work on films like Billy Elliot, The Hours, and The Reader. Daldry, has been recognized with numerous Academy Award nominations and is renowned for his compelling storytelling and directorial vision across both film and theatre.
Patricia Allison
Patricia Allison gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Ola Nyman in Netflix’s Sex Education. A graduate of both Colchester Institute and East 15, she has been praised for bringing a fresh, authentic energy to the show’s ensemble cast.
Kyran Thrax
Kyran Thrax is an actor known for their work across television and film, Thrax most notably was crowned the winner of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK in 2024. After completing their studies at East 15, Thrax has appeared in a range of productions.
Alison Steadman
Alison Steadman, an iconic English actress, has left an indelible mark on film, TV, and stage from her role in Abigail's Party to her portrayal of Pam in Gavin & Stacey. Steadman has earned prestigious accolades, including an Olivier Award and BAFTA nominations.
Blake Harrison
Blake Harrison is best known for his role as Neil in the British comedy The Inbetweeners. Harrison’s career has spanned both comedic and dramatic roles, including his appearances in The Festival and White Gold.
Ruth Sheen
Ruth Sheen is an acclaimed English actress, recognized for her roles in both film and television. After training at East 15, she went on to deliver performances in films like High Hopes, which earned her a European Film Award for Best Actress. Sheen has also graced TV screens in productions like The Bill and Brassic.
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