Speech & Drama

Over 120 pupils are prepared and entered individually for the two local Speech and Drama Festivals. Children from Primary Two – Seven enter Banbridge Speech Festival in November (on years when there is no major Christmas Production) and Portadown Speech and Drama Festival  each year in March.

Auditions take place in November for Primary One children and then again at the end of each Key Stage. The school enjoys tremendous success at these festivals with all of our children gaining high marks and huge numbers of certificates, medals and trophies. We have won many overall wards at the Prize Winners Gala Evenings including:

• The St Patrick’s Discussion Group Shield for the overall winner in the Primary Schools Section
• The James McGaffin Cup for the Most Promising Speaker in the Primary School Section
• The Charles Cox Memorial Trophy for the highest mark achieved in the Primary School Section

The children are also given the opportunities to participate in choral groups when performing for School Carol Services. Other talents in Performing Arts are ‘show-cased’ in school plays.

At Christmas time we endeavour to vary our performances with a three year cycle of a Foundation Stage Production in which all children take part, A Key Stage Two Production which involves auditions for lead roles and a Carol Service at our local Parish Church involving both Junior and Senior Choirs, Orchestra, Choral Groups and individual Readers.