SPEECH AND DRAMA HANDBOOK 2025
INTRODUCTION
Speech and Drama is an exciting program of private lessons offered in addition to classroom Drama and Dance. A beloved co-curricular activity since the College’s inception, it is a favourite among students from Year 3 to Year 12.
Speech and Drama lessons are engaging and designed to develop confidence, creativity and effective communication through a range of enjoyable voice-related and drama activities, under the guidance of qualified and experienced specialist staff.
Secondary School students can choose to take lessons individually, in pairs or in small groups of four. The focused environment allows for personalised attention, enhancing each student’s strengths while addressing specific areas for improvement.
The program caters to both experienced performers and those who wish to build their confidence and communication skills. Many Secondary School students in leadership positions have successfully applied their Speech and Drama training to oral presentations and interpersonal relationships.
Senior Speech and Drama students frequently audition for Dramafest, the interhouse drama competition in Term 1, and the annual College Production in Term 3, where they showcase their performance talents.
Additionally, senior students can count their Speech and Drama lessons and examinations towards their Duke of Edinburgh awards, fulfilling the ‘Skills’ component of the program.
BENEFITS OF SPEECH AND DRAMA
• A creative imagination
• Confidence, poise and healthy self-esteem
• A pleasing and expressive vocal quality, with attention to colour, tone and strength
• Correct breathing and posture for speech
• Clear articulation and effective speech habits
• Maturity in interpersonal skills and conversation
• Empathy through opportunities to view life from different perspectives
• Improved memory and concentration, with benefits across other curriculum subjects
• Collaborative and active listening skills
• Creative problem-solving abilities
• An appreciation and interpretation of a wide variety of literature
• A love for the beauty and power of the spoken word
• Oral reading skills
• Confidence in oral presentations and assessments, particularly in subjects like English and Drama
• A deeper understanding of dramatic performance as explored in Drama
• Mime and creative movement skills
• Improvisational skills
• Characterisation skills for acting, reading, preparation and performance of pieces from various styles and periods by world dramatists, poets and writers
• Proficiency in accents and dialects for acting
• An understanding of stagecraft
• Public speaking skills
• Coaching for external theatre auditions and entry into tertiary drama schools, both in Australia and overseas
SPEECH AND DRAMA AT PENRHOS
SECONDARY SCHOOL
The Speech and Drama program emphasises voice quality, resonance and production, encouraging clear articulation and the development of effective speech habits.
Lessons are filled with engaging activities such as oral reading, poetry speaking, mime, improvisation, character development, acting, and script work.
Lessons
The program consists of 32 lessons per year, with 8-10 lessons each term. Each 30-minute lesson is scheduled within a 45-minute window to allow time for arrival, preparation and administration.
Students in Year 7 to Year 9 can take lessons individually, in pairs or in groups of four. Students in Year 10 to Year 12 can take lessons individually and in pairs.
NOTE: When selecting the ‘Event’ (enrolment invitation) in Compass, there will be a different Enrolment Event for Solo, Pairs and Group. Please select the correct Event to ensure the correct payment amount and option is offered to you.
Lessons are scheduled during school hours on a rotational basis, similar to individual instrumental music tuition. This means your daughter’s lesson will be on the same day each week but at different times to ensure the same subject isn’t missed repeatedly.
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 are given priority for lessons before school, during recess, pastoral periods and lunchtimes.
At the start of each Term, all students are provided with a list of their lesson times, which they will record in their diaries during their first lesson. Additionally, a weekly Speech and Drama timetable will be emailed to all students at the end of each week for the week ahead.
Occasionally, lesson times may need to be adjusted to accommodate public holidays, excursions or class assessments.
Your daughter’s learning needs are of paramount importance. Please consider her current workload and commitments when deciding to take on co-curricular activities.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
The Junior School Speech and Drama program provides Year 3 to Year 6 students with the opportunity to develop their communication, performance and acting skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Lessons
One-hour lessons are offered before school (7.25-8.25am) and after school (3.304.30pm) throughout the year, with each class accommodating up to 15 students. A waitlist is available.
ENROLMENTS
Applications are completed via the Compass invitation link at the beginning of each year.
The closing date for enrolments is Friday, 7 February 2025. It should be noted that there are limited opportunities for students to enrol in Semester 2.
MISSED LESSONS AND NON-ATTENDANCE
Missed lessons are not made up. In the event of illness or if your daughter is unable to attend, catch-up lessons can be arranged provided notice is given by 7am on the day of absence.
WITHDRAWAL
There is an expectation when signing up for Speech and Drama lessons that you commit to the full year.
We understand that circumstances change and if lessons are to be cancelled, they must be done so at the end of Semester 1 with formal written notice to the Speech and Drama teacher by the end of Term 2, 2025.
Notification of lesson cancellation after this will incur the full year charge. Cancellation of lessons at any stage during either Semester will not result in reimbursement of any portion of the lesson fees already charged. Payment for the full Semester will be incurred.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) Performance and Communication examinations
These highly prestigious international examinations can be taken in the disciplines of Solo Acting, Duologue Acting, Group Acting, Reading for Performance or Speaking Verse and Prose from Grade 2 to Grade 8 (Gold Medal) and are held in the second week of Term 4.
Students engage with the examiner in discussion to display their knowledge and understanding of both repertoire and the range of techniques that may be employed for effective and engaging performance.
The assessments and written evaluations are administered at Penrhos during school hours by a qualified and experienced UK-based examiner.
All Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 students taking LAMDA examinations receive accreditation from SCSA towards their WA Certificate of Education (WACE). Many international universities and higher education institutions recognise LAMDA examinations.
Whilst LAMDA examinations are not compulsory, they are strongly recommended as a means of measuring your daughter’s progress against an internationally applied and accredited standard.
Speech and Drama Showcase Evenings
Showcase evenings, held in June, are a popular highlight in the Speech and Drama calendar. They are a delightful opportunity for students to showcase their rehearsed theatre pieces in front of a warm and appreciative audience of family and friends in the Drama Studio.
Short Scenes
In Term 3 and Term 4, Year 7 and Year 8 students perform costumed short scenes from children’s literature for younger students in the Junior School. This is always a fun and eagerly anticipated event for everyone involved.
Storytelling
In Term 4, Year 9 students learn the art of reading stories to younger children and hold storytelling sessions in the Early Learning Centre in November.
Junior School Showcase Afternoons
Junior School Speech and Drama students proudly demonstrate their talents at Showcase Afternoons in Term 4. These special events feature a variety of performances, including dramatised poetry, choral speaking, short plays, duologues and scenes for three. The Showcase Afternoons are a wonderful opportunity for students to share their creativity and hard work with family and friends while building confidence on stage.
ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS
‘Speech and Drama’ is my go-to answer whenever someone asks me how I managed to become a working actor in Vancouver, with a manager in Los Angeles. For many, nothing can prepare you for the nerve-wracking, unavoidable world of auditioning. However, all of the performances we had to do for exams, festivals and showcases prepared me so much, so that in no time at all, I grew to love the experience. Speech and Drama was what I looked forward to every week. After five years I came away with more knowledge, confidence and worldliness than I ever would have otherwise.
I started taking Speech and Drama lessons in Year 9 and it quickly became one of the highlights of every week! Performance is a core component of Speech and Drama and participating in the Perth Speech and Drama Festival each year was a wonderful way to share in the joy of performance with other students. What I found most valuable was the extent to which it broadened my reading, as well as the opportunity it gave me to delve into a ‘practical’ exploration of literature. I am currently completing my Research Masters of Literary Studies at the University of Amsterdam and continue to attribute some of my fundamental training in literary analysis to Speech and Drama. Preparation for the LAMDA examinations also develops knowledge of the artistic process. I have used the skills I acquired in many of my own artistic pursuits including adapting and directing a theatre piece for the Paris Fringe in 2017. Speech and Drama at Penrhos is an immensely valuable opportunity and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Studying Speech and Drama during my school years was one of the best decisions I made. The skills I learned have been invaluable, both in academic and social settings. By learning to take on a persona and empathise with a character, all while performing in front of an audience, I am now able to confidently speak in public with an ease and clarity that I never had before.
Having to really think about the character you were playing and the emotions delivered in a scene has taught me to become more empathetic and understanding of people and the different circumstances that they are in. As a result, I have been able to use these skills successfully even now whilst studying medicine at university. I studied mainly Maths and Science at school, so Speech and Drama lessons were the highlight of my week, as I could use it as a creative outlet; and missing out on a bit of class didn’t hurt either! I would encourage everyone to give Speech and Drama a go. I promise you will fall in love with it!
Lakshmi Thavarasan, Class of 2014
Maddie Phillips, Class of 2011
Anna-Rose Shack, Class of 2011
