In 1968, Scher started an extracurricular performing arts school at Islington's Ecclesbourne Primary School. 70 pupils came the first week, including future
Birds of a Feather stars
Pauline Quirke (aged 9),
Linda Robson (aged 10) and
Ray Burdis (aged 11). so moved to the custom converted mission hall on Barnsbury Road in 1976, when the performing arts school was established as an independent charity. Scher's teaching style produces what critics call a natural delivery, but Scher comments that she just uses their natural voice. Of her
improvisation technique, she told
Simon Hattenstone of
The Guardian in 2004: In 2000, Scher suffered ill health through depression and stepped down during her recovery period. In 2005, the remaining staff and board set up a new school but Anna Scher went on to continue her theatre school under her own name at the nearby Blessed Sacrament Church Hall, Islington. Since 2009, the Anna Scher Theatre has been teaching from the St Silas Church in Islington and classes are run twice a week. Anna Scher stepped down as a teacher in 2020, and since then classes have been run by former student, and actor, Dickon Tolson. ==Alumni==