Meet The Team
Kirsten Charters
Owner/Lead Drama and LAMDA Teacher
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​​Kirsten attended Adele’s Dance School and The Sylvia Young Theatre Saturday School and was involved in numerous school productions and concerts where she found a love for the performing arts.
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Kirsten read Theatre and Professional Practice at Coventry University and was awarded the Performing Arts Scholarship 3 years consecutively. She was founder and Vice President of the Musical Theatre Society.
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Kirsten went on to train at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, where she gained an MA in Professional Acting.
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Kirsten then went onto perform professionally and theatre credits include: Bad Form (Queen's Theatre) Picasso’s Women (Edinburgh Fringe Festival/Gallery Different), Eleanor Marx: The Jewess of Jews Walk (Sydenham Centre), The Air Raid (Market Theatre), Changing State (Hen & Chickens Theatre), Aladdin the Panto (UK Tour) and Macbeth (Lion & Unicorn Theatre).
Kirsten has also featured in numerous short films, commercials and music videos. In corporate settings, her work includes professional role play.
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Kirsten has taught drama and LAMDA at stage schools, independent, SEN and mainstream schools across London and Essex, with students ranging in age from 3 to 16+. Kirsten has also been head of the drama department at several stage schools. She has written and directed adaptations and original plays and has a specialism in facilitating within neurodiverse settings.
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In 2019 she was honoured to be invited to sit on the board of examiners at LAMDA and she travels all over the UK assessing learners. LAMDA has published Kirsten's original writing within their anthologies.
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Kirsten is also an elected parish Councillor and volunteers for the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership for the NHS Mid South Essex Trust.
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Kirsten holds Level 3 Pediatric first aid including EYFS, an Enhanced Roaming DBS and a range of Safeguarding and education based qualifications.​
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Hello, I’m Sophie Catney, a member of OLOR staff and I’m delighted to be a part of this drama club.
I have a strong background in the creative arts, holding a Level 3 qualification in Visual Design and a Level 4 in Creative Enterprises. Growing up, drama clubs were a huge part of my life, and I continued performing until the age of 17. Those experiences inspired my passion for creativity, storytelling, and working with children.
Before beginning my career in education, I worked as a freelance graphic illustrator, combining imagination and design to tell stories through art. I later completed my degree in primary education, where I developed a particular interest in supporting children with a variety of learning needs.
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I also hold a Level 2 qualification in Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health and regularly attend the TES SEND Show to keep my knowledge up to date in supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities.
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Safety and wellbeing are always my top priorities. I am Paediatric First Aid trained (Level 3) and have completed additional training in asthma care, allergies, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, safeguarding, cyber security, and data protection.
I’m very excited to meet all the children and to help them grow in confidence, imagination, and teamwork as we bring stories to life together through drama!
Sophie Catney
Assistant Drama & LAMDA Teacher
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