Little Voices

What Little Voices does

Little Voices Limited is a UK private company founded in September 2007 by Jane James, headquartered in Leyland (Lancashire) and operating across England and Scotland. The company delivers structured drama and singing lessons to children aged 4-18 through small group classes organised by friendship, age, and ability, alongside private one-to-one lessons and holiday workshops or theatre weeks. The product portfolio is age-tiered: Mini Voices (4-7 years, 30-45 minute sessions), Little Voices core classes, Voices (older children and teenagers), and One-to-One Lessons. A core differentiator is preparation for LAMDA accredited examinations in Musical Theatre, Drama, Acting, and Communication, with founder Jane James reporting a 100% pass rate over 8+ years and QCA-accredited UCAS points at Grades 6-8.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and franchise model. Parents book free trial lessons and enrol directly through local principals who run territories such as Clitheroe, Peterborough, Preston, West Kent, Hertfordshire West, Rutland, Mid Kent, South West London, Brentford/Ealing/Wembley, North Hampshire, and Feniscowles. Lesson fees are billed on a recurring termly/ongoing basis during school term time only, supplemented by one-time enrolment and uniform fees, holiday workshop pricing, LAMDA exam entry fees, and franchise joining and royalty income. A dedicated Schools channel extends delivery into educational institutions as a B2B segment, addressing the gap left by cuts to music and drama curricula.

The company's internal technology stack is intentionally lean: LV CONNECT, an internal management system used to securely store personal information and administer operations, paired with Google Analytics on the website. The company holds Children's Activities Association Full Accreditation, BFA Associate Membership, EWIF partnership, LAMDA Registered Examination Centre status, and is GDPR and Equality Act 2010 compliant. Little Voices is founder-owned, has no external private equity or venture capital backing, and operates with 51-100 total employees spanning HQ and the franchise network.

Name

Little Voices

Legal name

Little Voices Limited

Website

https://littlevoices.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Little Voices is a UK-based, founder-owned performing arts franchise founded in 2007 that delivers small-group drama and singing lessons to children aged 4-18, preparation for LAMDA accredited examinations, and one-to-one tuition across multiple UK franchise territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Voice Lessons (Vocal) (EDAMANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Children's performing arts
• Drama lessons
• Singing lessons
• LAMDA examinations
• Performing arts franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Leyland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Lesson Fees: Weekly drama and singing lessons for children aged 4-18, organized in small groups. Fees are charged on a termly/ongoing basis during school term time only.
2. Franchise Fees: Franchise opportunities for individuals to run their own Little Voices centres. Franchisees pay to join the network and receive training, systems, and ongoing support.
3. Uniform and Enrollment: Enrolment fees include polo shirt and sweatshirt as part of onboarding. Additional uniform available for purchase.
4. LAMDA Examination Fees: Preparation and entry for LAMDA examinations in Musical Theatre, Drama, Acting, and Communication. Examinations held approximately 6+ times per year.
5. Holiday Workshops and Theatre Weeks: Holiday camps and theatre weeks run during school holidays, providing intensive performing arts experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Little Voices is a performing arts education franchise that delivers structured drama and singing lessons to children aged 4-18 through a UK network of franchise-run centres. Lessons are organised in deliberately small, age-, ability-, and friendship-grouped classes, and can lead to LAMDA accredited examinations in Musical Theatre, Drama, Acting, and Communication. The business additionally offers one-to-one private tuition, holiday workshops and theatre weeks, and licences its proven operating model to franchisees who run local centres.

Product overview

Little Voices is a multi-award winning performing arts education network offering structured drama and singing lessons for children aged 4 to 18 years. The core product portfolio includes age-differentiated class tiers (Mini Voices, Little Voices, and Voices), one-to-one lessons, and holiday workshops/theatre weeks. Students can work towards LAMDA accredited examinations in Musical Theatre, Drama, Acting, and Communication. The organisation operates through a franchise model, providing entrepreneurial opportunities for individuals to run local Little Voices centres under the established brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mini Voices: Drama and singing lessons for young children, typically ages 4-7, with sessions lasting 30-45 minutes.
• Little Voices
• Voices
• One-to-One Lessons
• Little Voices Together
• Big Futures

Products and services

• Mini Voices Entry-level performing arts classes for the youngest children (typically ages 4-7), focused on building foundational confidence, diction and communication skills through fun drama and singing activities. Sessions run 30-45 minutes in local Little Voices centres during term time, with deliberately small class sizes grouped by age, ability and friendships.
• Little Voices (core classes) Main weekly performing arts lessons combining drama and singing for children, organised by friendships, age, and ability in small class sizes. Sessions run 45-60 minutes and work towards LAMDA examinations in Musical Theatre, Drama, Acting and Communication.
• Voices Performing arts classes for older children and teenagers (up to 18 years) providing more advanced drama and singing lessons to develop performing abilities, vocal technique and confidence. Sessions run 45-60 minutes and continue LAMDA preparation pathways.
• One-to-One Lessons Individualised private lessons in singing, drama, or both for children who need personalised tuition. Offers premium, quote-based pricing not publicly disclosed.
• Workshops, Theatre Weeks & Camps Holiday programmes (theatre weeks and camps) running during school breaks that provide intensive, immersive performing arts experiences in fun environments. Priced separately as a pay-as-you-go unit-based offering, with rates available from local offices.
• Little Voices Together A Little Voices programme offering collaborative group activities and shared learning experiences for students, available on a stand-alone basis via the Little Voices Together page.
• LAMDA Examination Preparation Preparation for and entry into LAMDA accredited examinations in Musical Theatre (Solo/Duo/Group), Drama, Acting, and Communication (Stages One to Three), held approximately 6+ times per year. Little Voices is a LAMDA Registered Examination Centre and reports a 100% pass rate under founder Jane James's methodology; Grades 6-8 carry QCA-accredited points contributing to UCAS applications.
• Franchise Opportunities A proven franchise system enabling individuals to run their own Little Voices performing arts centre under the established brand. Includes training, ongoing support, a national franchisee network, LAMDA Registered Examination Centre status, flexible mid-week working with no weekend commitments, and access to the proprietary age-tiered curriculum.
• Tutor Opportunities Part-time tutoring positions delivering Little Voices drama and/or singing lessons to children in small groups. Includes full training, flexible hours, no weekend commitments (other than exam dates), and the ability to teach both singing and drama.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% LAMDA examination pass rate achieved over 8+ years of examinations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Enterprise Women in Franchising (EWIF)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018EWIF partnership supports women entrepreneurs in franchising. Little Voices founder Jane James has been supported by and engages with EWIF to promote women in franchise business ownership.
• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLittle Voices is a LAMDA Registered Examination Centre. The company prepares students for LAMDA examinations in Musical Theatre (Solo/Duo/Group), Drama, Acting, and Communication (Stage One, Two, Three). Founder Jane James has worked with LAMDA for over 8 years achieving 100% pass rate. LAMDA provides the examination framework and accreditation that Little Voices uses as the core credential for students.
• Children's Activities AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLittle Voices holds Full Accreditation from the Children's Activities Association, demonstrating compliance with safety, quality, and ethical standards for children's activity providers in the UK.
• British Franchise Association (BFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLittle Voices is an Associate Member of the BFA, demonstrating adherence to ethical franchise standards and best practices in the UK franchise industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Youth Theatre: UK institution providing theatre-making and training opportunities for young people, including short courses and workshops. Adjacent in audience but operates as a national non-profit rather than a private enrichment provider.
• Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts: One of the UK's longest-established performing arts schools offering training across drama, dance and singing for children through professionals. A broader incumbent with a stronger stage-school heritage rather than a weekend/enrichment focus.
• Sylvia Young Theatre School: Prestigious London full-time performing arts school serving school-age children through professionals. Operates in the same training space as Little Voices but at a higher credentialing and price tier, with a more selective admissions model.

Direct peers

• Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School: London-based performing arts school offering acting, singing and dance classes for children and teens, with a similar confidence-and-skill curriculum. Direct competitor for the same parent-paid performing arts enrichment market in the UK capital.
• Stagecoach Performing Arts: UK's largest children's performing arts franchise, offering singing, drama and dance classes for ages 4-18 through a franchise network. Closely comparable business model, customer segment and curriculum structure to Little Voices, with significantly larger scale.
• Perform: UK provider of weekly drama and creative play classes for children aged 4-12 with small class sizes and a confidence-led philosophy. Closely aligned with Little Voices on pedagogy and target customer, though delivered through employed tutors rather than franchisees.
• Razzamataz Theatre Schools: UK performing arts franchise providing drama, dance and singing classes for children and teens through part-share local schools. Operates the same franchise model and targets the same parent customer with a similar age-differentiated curriculum.
• Helen O'Grady Drama Academy: International drama academy franchise focused on children's drama and confidence-building classes, operating in the UK via local franchisees. Direct overlap in curriculum philosophy (confidence, speech, drama) and age range.
• Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA): National weekend performing arts academy franchise offering drama, comedy, film and television classes for children and teenagers. Competes directly for the same parent-paid enrichment budget, with comparable franchise economics.
• Jigsaw Performing Arts: UK performing arts franchise delivering dance, drama and singing classes for children aged 3-18 through weekend and after-school sessions. Similar franchise model, age tiers and customer segment as Little Voices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/littlevoicesltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/LittleVoicesLimited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/little-voices-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/littlevoicesltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Little Voices