The inner city borough of Croydon might appear to have little in common with Bermuda at first glance. Its population is about five times bigger than the Island’s and its busy urban centre is a far cry from the balmy beaches found here.But nestled in a corner of the south London town is a school for children who don’t fit into an easy academic box — and a group of people here think its unrivalled success can be replicated on the Island with Bermudian students.

The BRIT School is the UK’s only free performing arts and technology academy and though its focus is very much on music, drama, arts, media and dance, its exam results in all subjects, including maths, English and science, are consistently well above the national average.

The school’s last report by the UK Government’s education inspectors in 2002 concluded that it was a “very effective school” with “highly motivated and enthusiastic” students who were helped to make the most of themselves and progressed very well.

It’s that academic prowess — achieved, according to the BRIT School’s leaders, by giving youngsters the chance to study the subjects they love and excel at as well as the national curriculum — which Shawn Murphy believes can happen in Bermuda.

The businessman and philanthropist is behind the Makeda Trust, a body set up to promote the idea of a free performing arts and technology school — called the Menelik Academy after the first Emperor of Ethiopia — in Bermuda.

His interest stems in part from personal experience — he believes his daughter could have excelled had she been able to study in a creative environment. But he is also deeply concerned about the Island’s public school system and its dismal results.

“Education is on the top of everybody’s agenda, whether Government or the private sector,” he said. “Our project is definitely becoming more real and there is broad support with everybody I have talked to. I haven’t heard a single person say that it’s a bad idea.”

Mr. Murphy said the trust was due to start formal meetings with Government and potential donors in the next few weeks. So far, he has funded the project — including a visit from the headteacher and deputy head of the BRIT to Bermuda — but realises he needs to get major financial backing in order for the school to be built and for it to be non-fee paying.

“We have almost finished with our preliminary proposal which includes a brochure for the school and its curriculum and a documentary video of the social effects that (the BRIT School) has on children that are artistically talented and who have had bad experiences in academic schools,” he said.

“We are planning that we will be able to go out in the next couple of weeks to talk to Government and to talk to donors about building the school. The next phase will be the part that will really show whether it’s a go or a no go.”

The trust has already pinpointed what it believes is the perfect place to site the school — the 19th Century Victualling Yard at Dockyard — and an architect is drawing up preliminary proposals. “The constructions themselves are very, very solid,” said Mr. Murphy. “Those thick walls are perfect for sound installation. They are very, very fitting for what we want to do. There are many sites around that area where performances can be made.

“We have all imagined the students coming on the ferry and how that ferry would be with all those talented students coming into the school and that high level of energy.”

A rough version of a curriculum — based on the one used at the BRIT for the last 15 years — has been drafted and the school’s 480 students aged 11 to 18 would almost certainly study for GCSE and BTEC qualifications.

Many subjects would be designed to meet Bermuda’s workforce needs — particularly with regard to tourism. Trust member Eugene Dean, who runs the Emperial group of companies, said: “With the tourist industry there (at Dockyard) as well it kind of bodes well with everything that we are doing in the school. That’s what makes us feel so good about it.

“Everything that’s there is very complementary. Students could do performances in the Victualling Yard and all along the water there in gazebos. If we could have a theatre we can be doing shows and entertainment.

“We can work with the craft market and the glass blowing facility. You have a movie theatre there which would tie in with digital arts and visual media. There are a lot of synergies that we see.”

The next step for the trust is to convince the West End Development Corporation — which owns the Victualling Yard — of the merits of the scheme and raise the millions of dollars needed.

Mr. Dean said: “The feedback so far has been very positive. We will be releasing our proposal sometime this month. We are just waiting for all the final pieces to come together.”

* To find out more or give feedback on the school plan visit http://www.makedatrust.org/index.php?title=The_Menelik_Academy.