Who Are We?
The Team
Ron Price
Course Director
Ron Price is the co-founder of the Ufton Drama Summer School. Teacher and lecturer, Advanced Skills Teacher for Drama and Theatre, author, and Ex-Artistic Director of Scene Productions. He is currently a visiting lecturer at Reading University, Chair of the Board of Studies at The Institute of Education, Reading University
Ron has been an examiner for both GCSE and Advanced level Drama and Theatre, education adviser to the National Theatre and has been a consultant to the Arts Council.
His proudest achievement is the Ufton Drama Summer School.
As Course Director my role is to lead the creative development of the course. I bring together some of the most exciting talent in Drama education and contemporary theatre into a team that creates a truly unique, challenging and, above all, enjoyable week for all our students.
It is the best week of my year, every year, and I never fail to be proud and inspired by the outstanding achievements of all the students.
Ron’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Focused, imaginative, innovative and cheerfully bonkers
Scott Cairns
Course Manager
A creative anarchist, Scott has been working with summer school since 1994. A former student on the course and advancing to provide support for the teaching team he is now the course manager. Scott has run his own businesses since 2004 and is now a full time writer and designer.
Not only does the course benefit from his logistics skills in bringing each course to the table but Scott also provides his creative talent with additional tutoring, essential technical support and expert guidance. His energy, enthusiasm and passion for summer school help to give each student a buoyant and vibrant experience.
My role on the course is to create the perfect conditions to allow our students to be as creative and productive as possible. To do this, they need to feel safe and valued with access to the best resources and learning environments. I get an enormous amount of professional pleasure helping our young adults achieve exceptional practical work and take pride in the way they develop over the week.
Scott’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Unconventional, industrious, entertaining and always dependable.
Peter Ging
Course Tutor
A former head of the highly achieving Drama department at The Emmbrook School in Wokingham, Peter has lectured for a range of external companies on successful delivery of Drama at GCSE and A-Level.
He specialises in physical devising and has worked with a range of companies such as Frantic Assembly in creating effective visual and energetic work.
As well as being part of the Ufton team since 2010, Peter has completed all four courses himself as a student and regards the Ufton Drama Summer School as the pinnacle of his teaching year.
As a tutor on the course, my role is to provide students with a high-quality and dynamic theatrical learning experience. I also manage the intern position on the course and help give aspiring teachers and creative artists an unforgettable week of creativity, challenge and inspiration. I adore all of the courses we run and feel passionately that Ufton is one of the most superb dramatic experiences anyone could come across.
Pete’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Patient, thorough and always experimental
George Ring
Course Tutor
George is Head of Drama and Theatre studies at the Charters School in Ascot . Alongside her teaching, George has directed many productions and her passion lies in writing plays and devising theatre. George has recently written an adaptation of the Classical Greek tragedy Antigone which is currently being edited for publication.
George works closely with the University of Reading to assist with the training of new Drama teachers to develop their knowledge of Drama and mentors them in the delivery of dynamic and contemporary approaches to teaching the subject.
My role as a tutor on the course is to support students to produce work that far surpasses their own expectations of what they can achieve.
Each year I am truly humbled to work alongside such creative, adventurous and talented individuals and always love seeing the breath-taking and unforgettable performances that round-up the week’s work.
George’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Dynamic, innovative, engaging, collaborative and ambitious
Emma Gilbey
Course Tutor
Emma teaches English and Drama at Charters School as well as being their Reading and Literacy Coordinator.
She holds an MA in Acting and worked as an Actor and Literary Department reader for The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and The Finborough Theatre prior to teaching full time. With this experience she brings a understanding of how Drama and Theatre Studies prepare students for professional work in The Arts and uses her experience to enable access.
Having experienced the course as a student myself, I understand its potential impact on a student’s education both practically and socially.
Every year I’m reminded how fulfilling the course is from both an academic and pastoral perspective; watching students push themselves to collaborate, preserve and foster a greater sense of empathy is testament to the power of theatre.
Emma’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Resourceful, creative, inquisitive, motivating and patient
Brad Welch
Course Tutor
Brad is a performer, director, writer and collaborator studying MA Advanced Theatre Practice at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. He is interested in new approaches to the devising process, movement based performance, and critical approaches to making theatre.
Brad has completed all four courses as a student, and can attest to the success, development, and nurturing network of talented collaborators the Ufton experience provides. He is excited to bring his creative and organisational talents to the already superb staff, and looks forward to providing the same incredible experiences he himself had as a student.
My role is to help support students and staff across the week to make sure that the course runs smoothly and safely over the action-packed week the team has planned, and ensure that every student can make the most of their Ufton experience. Outside of Ufton I am a working Theatre Maker, and aim to provide students with a further connection to contemporary professional working practices. I can say that my own career wouldn’t be where it is without my time as a student at Ufton.
Brad’s Personality ‘In a Nutshell’:
Creative, thoughtful, fun, caring, and experimental
Intern Position
The programme aims to provide the intern with an experience of working within a creative team to provide a high quality artistic experience for young people in a residential setting.
As we have observed over the years, working on the Summer school can provide people with a significantly enhanced profile when seeking employment, training or education both within and outside of the education profession.