My name is Charlotte, I am a Year 9 student and I will be studying Drama GCSE. This year I have had the incredible opportunity to be a part of extracurricular plays and performances, including the Gadesden inter-house drama competition and the KS3 summer play.  

The summer play was an amazing experience, from taking part in rehearsals to feeling the excitement on opening night to getting to know new people across the school. We were also challenged with the task of coming up with our own lines, which gave me chance to test my script writing and directing skills. After everyone’s hard work, it was such a thrill to see it all come together. 

The Gadesden competition is always one of the highlights of my academic year, particularly as a prospective GCSE drama student. This year I performed a monologue about a young drama student named Sally who advocates for the importance of women in theatre, a topic I found very relevant and inspiring. I was selected for the final round and competed against 11 other performances - performing in front of my peers was challenging at times but also really fun, and everyone was so the supportive. 

Both were great opportunities to build my confidence. I strongly recommend that KS3 students take part in these activities as they are such great opportunities to build your confidence, meet new people and have more fun during your year. I have thoroughly enjoyed both my KS3 drama classes and all the extracurricular activities I have been able to take part in, and I am really looking forward to starting GCSE next year. 

Written by Charlotte, Year 9

More about the Summer Play ‘Brainstorm’ 

This term our audience were invited to step into the whirlwind of the teenage mind with our powerful Summer Play, 'Brainstorm', performed by our incredibly talented Senior School students. 
 
Adapted from the groundbreaking work of cognitive neuroscientist Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, and reimagined with the real-life voices of our students, this production dives deep into the fascinating world of adolescent brain development—full of emotion, chaos, humour, and heart. 
 
Undoubtedly a unique and powerful performance – with truth, vulnerability, and sensitivity that provoked reflection and conversation. An unforgettable performance of seeing the world through teenage eyes.