Education: A-Z of Colleges of Higher Education - Central School of Speech and Drama

Age: 92.

History: Founded for training actors by the formidable Miss Elsie Fogerty. Moved from its original Albert Hall base to the Embassy Theatre, Swiss Cottage, in 1957, with the help of a distinguished alumnus, Laurence Olivier, who led a fundraising appeal.

Address: Main site is at Swiss Cottage, a huge roundabout on the edge of Hampstead. Second smaller site in St Pancras Way, Camden, close to Mornington Crescent Underground station.

Ambience: Hotchpotch of architectural styles centred around Edwardian theatre. Both sites conveniently located beside Tube stations. And Swiss Cottage is close to Primrose Hill, Regent's Park and Hampstead. Great sports centre, library, and Hampstead Theatre on the doorstep. College is small, which creates friendly, sociable atmosphere.

Vital statistics: Has 720 students, one-quarter on postgraduate programmes. Offers foundation course in art and design, acting BA, postgraduate diploma in voice studies, and teacher training. Degrees are validated by the Open University, but the college plans to apply to the Privy Council for the power to award its own.

Added value: Claims to offer the widest range of courses in theatre arts. Particularly noted for introducing new forms and practices alongside classical theatre. A few years ago, began the country's first BA in puppetry. Circus degree is now in the pipeline.

Easy to get into? Not for acting. The BA acting course auditions 1,000 students for 30 places. It turned down Sir John Gielgud and Antony Sher (oops!). Applicants for design courses need strong portfolios. For teacher training, students need GCSEs grade C or above in English, maths and science, and a minimum of two A-levels at C or above.

Glittering alumni: Lord Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Judi Dench, Julie Christie, Jennifer Ehle, Dawn French, Cameron Macintosh, Harold Pinter, Vanessa Redgrave, Tony Robinson, Jennifer Saunders, Deborah Warner, Zoe Wanamaker.

Transport links: Main campus is on the Jubilee Tube line and will be within easy reach of the Millennium Dome - or maybe not. Good for buses, too. Parking is a nightmare.

Who's the boss? Professor Robert Fowler, former staff HMI, who has put a son and daughter on the stage, despite Mrs Worthington's advice.

Teaching: Rated 23 out of 24 for drama, dance and cinematics by the Quality Assurance Agency. The latest Ofsted inspection judged teacher training to be good or very good in all areas.

Research: Awarded a 3b in art and design (top grade is 5) in the 1996 research assessment exercise. Performed better than 27 new universities in the RAE league table.

Financial health: In the black. Is hoping for a windfall when the Higher Education Funding Council publishes its review of specialist institutions in the new year.

Night-life: Student bar runs more than one event a week (eg disco/quiz night). Plus two or three parties a term.

Cheap to live in? No. Local student rents range from pounds 70 to pounds 90 a week. It gets cheaper the further out you go. No halls of residence, though you get the help of a part-time summer accommodation assistant.

Buzz-question: Is that my stage left or your stage left?

On 7 January: Cheltenham and Gloucester.