How to Get More Students Taking More Than One Class at Your Performing Arts School
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5 min read
The quickest way to grow a performing arts school isn't always finding new families. It's helping the families you already have do more. A student who takes drama could be a natural in musical theatre. A ballet student might love contemporary. A child who sings in the shower might be waiting for someone to suggest singing lessons.
This post covers how to encourage students to move from taking one class to signing up for two or three. See how Class Manager can find the right students, invite them, and follow up without adding hours of admin.
Why More Classes Per Student Matters
Marketing to new families costs time and money. An existing family is already signed up with you, already knows you, and already trusts you. Getting a current student into a second or even third class has several benefits:
More income without more marketing. A family moving from one class to two adds a full class fee, with no advertising spend.
Students who stay longer. A child with friends and teachers across several classes has more reasons to keep coming, even if they go off one discipline for a while.
Fuller classes. Under-filled classes are often the ones existing students would enjoy most, if only they knew about them.
Stronger performers. Singing, acting, and dance feed into each other. Students who train across disciplines tend to perform better in shows, which parents notice.
It also suits the way many parents think. They'd rather their child's activities happen in one place, with one timetable, one payment and one set of teachers they trust.
Step 1: Find Your One-Class Students
Start by seeing who you’re marketing to and what families have the capacity to extend their classes. Pull up your student list in Class Manager and look for students enrolled in just one class. Filter by age and class so you end up with clear groups, such as:
Drama students aged 8 to 11 who don't take singing or dance
Ballet students aged 11 and over who don't take any other style
Families with one child at your school and a younger sibling who isn't enrolled yet
Students who used to take two classes and dropped one
The last group is worth a look on its own. A student who dropped a class last term might come back if the time, the group, or the price works better now.
While you're there, check which classes have room for new faces. Our post on how to measure if your class is performing covers the numbers to look at in your reports.
Step 2: Pick Each Student's Natural Next Class
A generic "why not try another class?" message rarely works. A suggestion that fits the child does. Think about which classes lead naturally into each other:
If they take... | Suggest... | Why it works |
Drama | Musical theatre or singing | They're already comfortable performing; singing adds a new skill |
Ballet | Contemporary, jazz or musical theatre | Technique transfers, and it's a chance to try something freer |
Singing lessons | Musical theatre or drama | Builds confidence in performing a song, not just singing it |
Musical theatre | Ballet or tap | Stronger dance technique lifts every show |
Street dance | Acro or jazz | Builds on the same energy and strength |
Any children's class | An adult class for the parent | Parents who sit in reception every week are a ready audience |
Your teachers are the best source of these suggestions. Ask them to add a quick Note to a student's record when they spot potential, such as "lovely voice, would enjoy musical theatre" or "ready for a second ballet class". When you send invitations, you can mention it: a recommendation from their own teacher carries far more weight than a newsletter.
Step 3: Let Them Try Before They Commit
Most parents won't add a full term's fees on a whim. A free or low-cost taster takes the risk away.
In Class Manager, you can set up trial places in the classes you want to grow, with capped numbers so the class doesn't get overwhelmed. Then switch on Automated Trial Emails. Families get a welcome message before the taster, with what to wear and where to go, and a follow-up afterwards inviting them to enrol. You don't have to remember to chase anyone, which matters when you're teaching back to back.
The benefits of automated trial emails post go into the set-up in more detail.
Three ideas that make tasters work better for existing students:
Run a "try something new" week. For one week each term, open every class to existing students for a free taster. It gives everyone a reason to try a second discipline at once.
Hold a half-term workshop. A one-day musical theatre or acting workshop is an easy, low-commitment way for dancers to try something different.
Bring a friend or sibling. Invite current students to bring a sibling to a taster, so the family gets two children in one place.
Step 4: Make the Timetable Work for Families
The biggest barrier to a second class is often logistics, not interest. If drama is on Tuesday and musical theatre is on Thursday, that's two extra journeys a week for a busy parent.
Look at where you can place natural pairs back to back:
Stack classes by age group. If your 8 to 11s have drama at 4.30pm, put their singing or jazz class at 5.30pm on the same day.
Build a Saturday block. A morning of ballet, then musical theatre, then drama is easy for parents to plan around.
For more on building a timetable that avoids clashes, see Class Manager's class scheduling features.
Step 5: Make Saying Yes Easy
Once a student has tried a class and enjoyed it, the decision usually comes down to price and effort.
On price, a multi-class discount or a bundle makes a second class feel like good value rather than a second bill. We've covered how to set these up in our posts on performing arts billing and Packages, so we won't repeat it here. The key thing is to mention the savings in your invitation. Many parents don't realise a discount exists until they're asked.
On effort, make enrolling a single tap. Families who already use the parent portal can book an extra class in seconds, with their details already saved. Put a direct link to the class in every message you send.
Step 6: Ask at the Right Moments
Timing makes a big difference. The same invitation lands very differently in a quiet week in November than straight after a show. The best moments to suggest a second class are:
Re-enrolment. When families confirm their place for next term, they're already thinking about the timetable.
End-of-term progress updates. If you share skill tracking results, add a line on what their child could try next.
Straight after a show. Students are buzzing, and parents have just watched them perform. It's the perfect time to suggest musical theatre to a dancer.
After a taster. Automated Trial Emails handle this one for you.
Use a scheduled email for the main invitation, then a short Chats message a week later for anyone who hasn't replied. You can also share photos from a taster week or workshop on Spotlight, Class Manager's in-app feed, so other families see what they're missing.
Example invitation
Subject: A new class idea for [Child name]
Hi [Parent name],
[Teacher name] has been so impressed with [Child name] in drama this term, and thinks they'd love our musical theatre class too. It's on Tuesdays at 5.30pm, straight after drama, so there's no extra trip.
We'd love [Child name] to come and try a free taster session next week. If they enjoy it, our multi-class discount means the second class is [X]% off.
Book the taster here: [link]
Any questions, just reply to this message.
[Your name]
Notice what this does: it's personal, it comes from their teacher's recommendation, it solves the logistics, and it mentions the price before the parent has to ask.
Track What's Working
Pick one number to watch: the average number of classes per student. Check it at the start of each term in your reports, and you'll see whether your tasters and invitations are making a difference.
A few other things worth checking:
Taster conversion. Of the existing students who tried a new class, how many enrolled?
Which pairings work. If drama students take to musical theatre but rarely stick with tap, focus your invitations where they land.
Attendance in second classes. If students sign up for a second class but drift away within weeks, the time slot or the group may need a rethink. Attendance tracking will show you early.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I encourage students to take more classes without being pushy? Make it personal and useful. A recommendation from their own teacher, a free taster and a class that fits around their existing timetable feels like a helpful suggestion, not a sales pitch.
Should a second class be discounted? It usually helps. Even a small multi-class discount makes the decision easier and rewards your most committed families. Whatever you offer, mention it in the invitation.
When is the best time to suggest a new class? At re-enrolment, alongside end-of-term progress updates, straight after a show, and after a taster session.
What if my timetable doesn't allow back-to-back classes? Start small. Moving even one or two natural pairs next to each other can make a big difference, and you can use what you learn when you plan the next term's timetable.
Does Class Manager charge more as students take more classes? No. There's no monthly subscription, just a payment processing fee on transactions. See our prices.
Grow From the Inside
Your current families are your best chance to grow. With the right suggestion, a taster session and a timetable that works, a one-class student can become a two- or three-class student, and a more committed member of your school.
Class Manager gives you the tools to find those students, invite them and follow up, all in one place. Book a demo to see how it works for your school, or open your account and set up your first taster week today.
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