Dane, 19, who rocketed to fame with the all-boy band in 1997, was still at the school in The Crescent, Selhurst, when he got his big break.

But in a recent interview, the singer said the school of performing arts was unsupportive.

Dane, who grew up in South Croydon and who still lives in the borough, spent nearly four years in classes learning song and dance. He sat GCSEs at the school in June 1995 and stayed on as a 16-year-old to major in dance. He left six months short of graduation to join Another Level.

He told the Metro newspaper: "To be honest they (the Brit School) weren't amazingly supportive. I had this great chance and they wouldn't let me out of school to go to meetings and so on. So, I just did them anyway. Some of my teachers were great."

Dane's former ballet teacher and Brit school spokesman, Sarah Mackintosh, said it was sad he felt the school did nothing for him.

"The audition that took place for Another Level actually took place here and was organised through the school," she said.

A second band member, Wayne Williams, was also chosen from the audition. He has since left the group.

"What we don't allow the students to do is to take massive amounts of time outside because they should be studying. The Brit school has to teach the national curriculum exactly like any normal secondary school."

Dane told the Guardian: "I am not talking about trivial things, but things like drawing up contracts with lawyers. The people in the dance department were great, it was just those at the top."