About us

Learn more about the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy

Developmental drama

Reach new heights with our curriculum

Our curriculum is specifically designed to develop children’s speech, confidence and communication skills.

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Each of our lesson are carefully planned. The curriculum includes introductory activities, speech, verbal dynamics, creative movement, mimes to music, language development, structured improvisation, dialogue development, snippets, scene starters, mini-scripts, dress-up days, parent day presentations and end of year productions on a main stage!

Our classes

Our classes will help:

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• Children who need a confidence boost

• Aspiring young performers who want to develop their acting talents

• Young people who feel shy about talking in front of or to others

• Children for whom English is a second language

• Youngsters who would like to improve their social skills

• Children who want to have fun & make new friends!

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Our teachers

Teaching drama is our passion

All Principals and teachers have undergone extensive training in Helen O’Grady curriculum and teaching methods and, naturally, all are DBS checked.

Our specialist trained teachers will help to nurture your child’s development and bring out their full potential using positive re-enforcement, praise and encouragement.  

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JANE KORTLANDT, Principal

Jane has been involved with theatre and drama for more than 35 years, ranging from school plays, youth theatre, professional school tours to amateur dramatics. She also has a passion for education, having worked with primary-age children on summer holiday camps in Germany and taught in a secondary school as a language assistant in France. She has been working in an office for many years, but when the opportunity arose to combine her two passions in Helen O’Grady she grasped it with both hands.

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Jane fell in love with drama from a very young age. She says:

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“I caught the bug during drama lessons at school, did speech and drama exams, and then joined a club in the evenings. Drama is the most fun, and I have made many really good friends, but it is much more than that. It gave me confidence when meeting new people, and it helped me to stand up and present my ideas both at work and in social settings. As an adult, I know that if I had to move anywhere in the country, that I would have a way of making new friends, by joining the local drama group.

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I am thrilled now to be working for such an inspiring organisation and to be able to share my passion for drama with the next generation, and hopefully fill them with as much enthusiasm for it as I have.”