My name is Alice, and I am a Year 7 Drama Scholar at Blackheath High. I joined the school in Year 1, transferring from another GDST school outside of London. Blackheath High School is a great fit for me, and I am enjoying working towards my academic goals while also exploring my creative side, especially in Drama, a subject I am extremely passionate about.   

Being awarded a Girl emPowered Drama Scholarship at Blackheath High has been a real highlight for me, and I love being part of the supportive Drama community. It has given me the opportunity to work on different aspects of performance and staging, as well as learn from the talented older girls and teaching team. Since the start of Year 7, we have studied performance skills and how to apply them to monologues and duologues, and even practised stage combat, which was so much fun! Currently, I am happily focused on a piece for the Gadesden competition, the annual inter-house drama contest, and also rehearsing for the summer play, Heavy Weather.   

I was very fortunate to be cast in a minor lead role, the doctor, in the Spring Musical 9 to 5. I loved every minute of it – from auditions to rehearsals to the closing night – especially being able to perform with, and learn from, the older students and sharing the stage with some of my friends. As a Drama Scholar, I was also recently invited to join the GCSE and A-level Drama students on a West End theatre trip to watch The Play that Goes Wrong. It was a really inspiring trip and a fun play that I would recommend. 

Outside school, I have attended a local theatre group for almost seven years and with them perform in annual musicals, plays, and troupe showcases. I like working towards LAMDA exams and am about to start Grade 6 in solo acting, and I also have a couple of grades in Shakespeare. I have also had the chance to audition for roles in TV and film. I really enjoy the auditioning process, as I get to imagine the lives of so many different people. So far, I have appeared in a BBC TV show, educational programmes, and I regularly do voiceovers for FYI Sky News. 

Even though my Drama commitments keep me busy, I have also been able to pursue some of my other interests like sports and writing. Last year, I was amazed to learn that my poem placed 1st in the GDST poetry competition, and this year I managed to make the Poetry by Heart final, reciting Beowulf. 

At Blackheath High, there are so many opportunities to progress and challenge yourself alongside some very talented students. Every day is a learning experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. 

Written by Alice, Drama Scholar, Year 7