Drama Kids begins 2024 by celebrating a prestigious franchise award

Drama Kids has enjoyed a blistering start to the New Year by scooping a major prize at the SME Northern Enterprise Awards. The Cardiff-based business was named the Best Nationwide Performing Arts Drama School Franchise of 2023.

And Becky Goodfield, the chief operating officer of Drama Kids, said: “This is a phenomenal start to the year. It sets the tone for 2024, which will be filled with continued growth and innovation. We aim to continue having a profound impact in empowering young minds. This award is recognition of our brand’s day-in, day-out, top class performance and serves as a catalyst for our team’s dedication. It will inspire us to reach even greater heights, as we embark on our transformative journey with each and every child that we teach.”

Drama Kids is a performing arts franchise that aims to foster creativity and confidence through drama education. The company believes that every child harbours the potential for greatness, and Becky added:

“We have crafted a curriculum that transcends conventional boundaries. We not only emphasise acting skills but also crucial life skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking. This award not only acknowledges our nationwide presence, but also applauds our franchise model, which has played a pivotal role in impacting the lives of our franchisees. By spreading the transformative benefits of drama education to communities across the country, our franchise also provides a fulfilling and prosperous business venture for franchisees”

The SME Northern Enterprise Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements of businesses and organisations across various sectors. Drama Kids were selected as winners of their category after demonstrating excellence in both the quality of their programs, as well as the positive impact their sessions have had on young learners.

A Global Drama Franchise

The global franchise was inspired by Australian actress Helen O’Grady in 1985. Her aim was to develop drama sessions which used fun and fast-paced activities to build speaking, acting and social skills in toddlers, kids and teens.

Four years later the program was launched globally and now operates in almost 40 countries, with over 100,000 students attending worldwide classes each week. And since extending to the UK, the franchise has become popular across the country.

Katie Anderson, the Principal of Drama Kids Gloucestershire, is an award winner herself. Twelve months ago she was named Franchisee of the Year and she said: “It’s great to see how our franchise is thriving, not just locally but throughout the UK and worldwide. Over the past year, Drama Kids has made big changes to its brand.”

Another award winner is Gareth Corke from Sussex. He was the recipient of the Innovation Award and believes the brand’s curriculum is what sets it apart from other companies. He explained: “It’s not dependent on whether you’re the best singer or dancer, or even whether you want to ultimately perform. It’s about feeling accepted for who you are, and being encouraged to believe you can do more than you imagined. It’s about feeling part of something great each week. That’s pure gold.”

But Drama Kids will certainly not allow the grass to grow under its feet. Becky Goodfield adds: “This nationwide award isn’t just a celebration of our past successes. It’s also about a motivation to push boundaries, while continuing to impact the lives of children and franchisees across the country. We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2024 has in store.”