Providing opportunities to build confidence

Co-curricular drama promotes creativity, imagination and team-working skills in a supportive and non-threatening environment. Skills in acting and communication help develop each girl’s ability to express her views with confidence. To this end we take an inclusive approach to drama by aiming to provide a broad range of opportunities so that everyone can take part.

We are equally passionate about inspiring younger prep school students and host events such as Day of Musical Theatre to promote the dramatic arts.

Performance opportunities

Alongside the curriculum drama lessons and Speech and Drama lessons, there are a host of performance opportunities. These include the annual House Drama and  Musical Theatre competitions. There are also various large productions such as the Lower School production, the Upper Fourth production and the much-anticipated Founder’s Weekend productions as well as lots of theatre trips to watch and learn from the professionals.

The most recent Founder’s Weekend show was a spectacular production of Billy Elliot complete with live accompaniment and wire-flying.

See the full album of photos from Billy Elliot here.

Every year the Lower School put on a musical production, most recently Aladdin.

Check out the photos from the latest Lower School Production of Aladdin.

Registered Arts Award Centre

A new partnership with Trinity College London saw Downe House become a registered Arts Award Centre. This provides Upper Fourth girls with the opportunity to work towards achieving the National Arts Programme Bronze Award by the end of the year. The structured programme aims to develop drama skills, ignite creative thinking and foster an appreciation of the Arts.

Speech and Drama lessons

Around three hundred girls elect to take group and solo Speech and Drama lessons each year. Girls work towards appropriate Trinity Guildhall Awards in Speech and Drama, Musical Theatre and Communication Skills as well as the RADA Shakespeare Awards.

From play reading and improvisation to musical theatre and vocal development, lessons encourage an appreciation and understanding of literature and the spoken word. They also promote technical skills such as clear articulation, confident physicality and breath control.

Read more about Speech and Drama at Downe House.