It provides vocational training in acting, specialist performance disciplines, theatre directing, stage management, and creative producing.

Margaret Bury was part of the Theatre Workshop for 14 years before starting East 15 Acting School in 1961.

At its inception, Essex's founding Vice-Chancellor, Sir Albert Sloman, emphasised that "radical innovation" would be at the heart of its approach, including new specialist performance courses and the creation of new facilities, including the Clifftown Theatre and a motion capture studio served by 30 Vicon sensors.

[2] The school provides vocational training in acting, specialist performance disciplines, theatre directing, stage management, and creative producing.

[2] It offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across two campuses, located in Loughton and Southend-on-Sea.