The wizarding world is returning, not just to our screens, but in a landmark move, to the classroom. Warner Bros.’ £1 billion redevelopment of Leavesden Studios for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series includes more than just sets and special effects; it now houses a full educational campus, a “mini school” built to educate the child actors cast in leading roles.
While the initiative might seem whimsical at first glance, it brings to the forefront serious legal considerations for both employment and education professionals.
From an employment law perspective, this represents a textbook case of what it means to balance the commercial priorities of a high-pressure production schedule with the legal and ethical obligations owed to working children.
The employment spellbook
Child performers in the UK are protected by a robust statutory framework. The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and associated regulations strictly limit the number of hours a child may work, mandate rest breaks, and crucially require that their education must not suffer. Local authority-issued child performance licences, chaperone supervision, and adherence to working time restrictions all form part of this framework.
Productions like this one must therefore operate within tight parameters. For the Leavesden mini school, this means providing a minimum of 15 hours of education per week during the production period, in a form approved by the local authority, and ensuring that tutors are suitably qualified and DBS-checked. But it’s not just about ticking boxes. There is also a positive obligation to safeguard the welfare of young workers and ensure that work does not adversely impact their development, health, or educational attainment.
The presence of a dedicated head teacher, subject tutors, and a timetabled curriculum signals serious compliance and a growing industry trend: treating child performers not simply as working assets but as dual-status individuals, children first, professionals second. In employment law terms, this shift reflects the evolving duties of employers in safeguarding and promoting equality, particularly under the Children Act 1989 and the Equality Act 2010. Employers must avoid any form of indirect discrimination, including through unreasonable scheduling or failure to accommodate learning needs.
More practically, the emergence of long-term, full-scale onsite schools may raise future questions around employment status, continuity of work, and even how such arrangements sit alongside existing employment protections, including those relating to rest breaks, notice periods, and pay, especially for children represented through agencies or working under fixed-term performance contracts.
So, while the idea of learning spell craft between takes may be enchanting, the real magic lies in structuring these opportunities lawfully, ethically, and sustainably.
These employment law considerations underpin an equally vital issue: how we ensure the educational rights of child performers are upheld in a non-traditional setting. As this production creates what is arguably the UK’s most visible alternative provision school, several questions arise in education law.
From statutory duty to school design: An education law perspective
Behind the magic of film and television, especially in large productions like the Harry Potter series, is a carefully balanced system ensuring young actors receive a proper education while working. In England, this balance is protected by law, with clear responsibilities placed on production companies, parents, schools, tutors, and local authorities.
The education of child actors is governed by the Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014, which aim to protect young performers’ rights to learning and development – whether they’re playing a student at Hogwarts or starring in a commercial.
Lessons beyond Hogwarts: Ensuring continued education
Though Harry Potter portrays a magical boarding school, the real life cast still must complete their actual schooling behind the scenes. Any child actor working during school time must be issued a Child Performance Licence, which includes detailed plans for their education.
If a child misses more than five days of school for a role, they must receive suitable, structured learning – often delivered by a private or on-set tutor. The goal is to ensure that, even amid spells and stunts, the child continues to learn maths, English, science, and other core subjects.
Production duties: Creating a classroom on Set
In major productions like the Harry Potter film series tutors were employed full time to teach the child case during filming. Generally, producers must hire a tutor if filming interferes with school time, provide a quiet and appropriate space for lessons – sometimes just off set, schedule at least 3 hours of education per working day, up to 5 hours maximum, and adhere to licence conditions and maintain records of attendance and progress. This can often mean rotating between filming and studying, with child actors taught in trailers or quiet rooms designed to feel like a regular classroom – minus the wands. The introduction of a full educational campus housing a mini school for the Harry Potter series is intended to meet these requirements.
Tutors: The real professors behind the magic
On-set tutors during large scale productions play a critical role in helping young actors maintain their academic standing. The law requires these tutors to be qualified teachers (holding QTS or equivalent), teaching in small groups (no more than six) and ensuring that the education provided matches the child’s age, needs, and school curriculum.
These tutors helped Emma Watson achieve top GCSEs and A-levels during the franchise – proof that academic success and acting aren’t mutually exclusive.
Parents and guardians: Keeping the balance
Parents or legal guardians have a duty to protect their child’s education and welfare, not just their career. These responsibilities include ensuring that if a child remains on roll at their former school, that the child’s absences are authorised and fully licensed, approving educational arrangements in the performance licence, and staying engaged with tutors and schools to track their progress.
Local authority oversight
Local Authorities can issue performance licences and are responsible for inspecting educational and welfare arrangements. They can review tutoring qualifications and lesson plans, visit the set or location to ensure compliance, and revoke licences if a child’s education is being compromised.
Real-world education in a magical setting
The creation of a mini school for the child actors of the Harry Potter series shows the world how large productions can balance artistry with responsibility. While young actors deliver magical performances on screen, a structured, legally compliant educational system will work behind the scenes to keep them grounded and growing.
Educating child actors in England requires thoughtful coordination and legal diligence. When done correctly, young performers can achieve both academic and professional success – proving the real magic happens when education and creativity work together.
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