Meet The Team

Nick trained at the prestigious actor training conservatoire, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating to enjoy success as an actor on stage, television, and film.

He began teaching in 2010 and has since worked as a university lecturer at the University of Northampton, as well as heading the acting department at a performing arts college for seven years.

In addition to teaching LAMDA and performance skills at Oakham School and Bedford School, Nick has over ten years’ experience teaching GCSE English.

He continues to work professionally as an actor in both the UK and the US, and keeps busy managing a podcast and staying active in his free time.

He also has a cat — but is terrible at pub quizzes.

Fi Fowler

Nicholas Banks

Helena Prettyman

Experienced. Passionate. Dedicated to Every Voice.

At Oracy School, we believe great teaching begins with great teachers. Our team is made up of professional actors, qualified educators, and LAMDA specialists — all with a shared passion for helping young people grow in confidence through speech and performance.

Fi took her first LAMDA exam at the age of eight. Over the following ten years, she progressed through the grades, achieving Gold Medal Distinctions in both Acting and Verse & Prose by the time she left school.

A former student of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Fi has taught at both The Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Bedford School. She has led a large and successful LAMDA department for over eight years, guiding more than 250 students through exams in Acting, Verse & Prose, Speaking in Public, Reading for Performance, and Shakespeare, across the 13–18 age range.

Fi is also a mentor in debating and public speaking, training national finalists for competitions including the ESU Mace, Churchill Public Speaking, Performing Shakespeare, Rotary Youth Speaks, and Debating Matters.

She remains active in the theatre industry, with recent work including UK tours of Les Misérables, Dear Evan Hansen, and War Horse.

Fi has two cats and loves a pub quiz.

Helena is an accomplished educator and performer, with a diverse background in the arts. Harnessing a love pf perofrmance from a young age, she achieved Distinctions in her Gold Medal LAMDA exams in both Acting and Verse and Prose.

In addition to this, she boasts a BA in English with Creative Writing from the University of Nottingham and an MA in Acting from The Arts Educational School, one of the UK's most acclaimed institutions for vocational performing arts training.

Helena had over eight years of teaching experience, starting her education career as a Special Educational Needs assistant before progressing to teach LAMDA at both Bedford School and St Paul's Girls' School, where she has inspired students with her passion for drama and performance.

She also has worked as an Assistant Stage Manager on various musical theatre productions and has enjoyed professional success as an actor.

Outside of the classroom, Helena represents Team England in Women's Box Lacrosse and recently competed in the World Box Lacrosse Championships in NY.

She has a puppy and is fiercely competetive at pub quizzes.