ABOUT US

Our Story — How We
Came About

We believe individuality is the source of original
thought, the driver of change.

We believe individuality is the source of original thought, the driver of change.

ABOUT US

Our Story —
How We Came About

We believe individuality is
the source of original
thought, the driver of change.

Humble Beginnings

In 1983, Julia Gabriel opened a small teaching studio in her home in Singapore to put into practice the ideals and philosophy she had developed in England. She decided that, as speech and drama had helped her to develop confidence as a child, she wanted to share her experiences with her own children and those of her friends who became her first students.

Early Success

Speech and drama in Singapore was an instant hit. Word went around quickly and in 1990 Julia and her husband David set up Julia Gabriel Centre in an old black and white house in Halifax Road. The centre began with Julia and two other speech and drama teachers, an assistant teacher and a two-person administration team.

Initial Expansion

Fuelled by the creativity, dedication and passion of gifted educators and support staff, more programmes were added to meet growing demands: Written Language Arts (now called Readers & Writers), PlayClub for toddlers and parents, PlayNest for children from 6 months, programmes in Mandarin and our very own preschool, Julia Gabriel Preschool, formerly known as Chiltern House Preschool (in the house next door to Julia Gabriel Centre).

Julia Gabriel Centre also became the Singapore representative of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama (the external examinations department of which later merged with Trinity College London) and established a School Support Services department to take our programmes out to schools.

Going Out to Schools

In 1991, Julia Gabriel Centre became the first speech and drama centre to be registered with Singapore’s Ministry of Education. This enabled us to conduct our English EduDrama® programmes in preschools, primary schools and secondary schools throughout Singapore.

Move to Forum

In 1998, the houses in Halifax Road were earmarked for demolition. Consequently, Julia Gabriel Centre relocated to Forum in Orchard Road. Our flagship centre has remained in Forum ever since, taking up the entire fourth floor of the shopping mall. The first Julia Gabriel Preschool (Chiltern House Preschool as was) remained in Halifax Road, though it moved to another house further along, before moving to Thomson Road in 2017.

More Preschools

As the Julia Gabriel Education team grew, more preschools (originally under the name Chiltern House) opened: 1999 at Forum; 2001 at Turf Club Road; 2003 at the East Coast; and 2010 in Mountbatten. There are now three Julia Gabriel Preschools in Singapore.

Overseas Expansion

In 2002, the Julia Gabriel School of Education (our adult training division) was formed to train teachers, enabling the start of overseas joint venture centres, the first of which was in New Delhi. In 2004, our first combined Julia Gabriel Preschool (formerly Chiltern House) and Julia Gabriel Centre opened in Jakarta. A centre in Kuala Lumpur opened in 2006.

In 2007, a centre was opened in Shanghai where there are now multiple centres. In 2019, a new Julia Gabriel Centre also opened in Bangkok.

Today, Julia Gabriel Centre speech and drama programmes are now also available in Ho Chi Minh City, while Chengzhu Mandarin enrichment programmes are also available through our partner organisation in Sydney.

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Shanghai

Ho Chi Minh City

Bangkok

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

New Delhi

Sydney

For Teenagers

As part of our community service, Julia Gabriel Centre has been organising the annual Singapore Secondary Schools Debating Championships since 1999 — a competition which involves more than 80 schools across Singapore every year.

Our Milestones

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Julia Gabriel Education Milestones:

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

ABOUT US