Helen O'Grady Dunfermline

In 1979, Helen O’Grady, a trained teacher and actress, hired a hall in Perth, Australia and commenced after school drama classes for children. Her aims were to provide a self-development through drama programme for children, to encourage: Enthusiasm, energy and a positive approach to life Ongoing confidence Self-esteem Skill in verbal communication Effective social interaction 40 years later, Helen O’Grady’s programme of self-development has become the largest drama organisation of its kind, with over 100,000 students attending classes each week. The Academy’s ethos of ‘Development through Drama’ aims to encourage students to be confident within themselves and to communicate well. Through structured lesson plans, the classes focus on: Developing social interaction skills Focusing on vocal and physical communication techniques Improving clarity of speech For public speaking and one-on-one communication Building self-esteem and confidence To help our students feel good in themselves and around others