Robin Thomas Bursary for Beginning Teachers

The Robin Thomas Bursary for Beginning Teachers will assist a pre-service or beginning teacher in attending the Drama Queensland State Conference LIFT OFF, on 29 and 30 May 2026.

The bursary was established in 2006 to honour the contribution of Drama Queensland Life Member Robin Thomas. It recognises Robin’s commitment to mentoring beginning teachers and her encouragement of their participation in ongoing professional learning.

The bursary is passionately run and fully funded by the generous financial contributions of the Drama Queensland life members.

The Robin Thomas Bursary is available to any part-time or full-time beginning classroom drama teacher or pre-service teacher studying Drama Education from anywhere in Queensland.

Robin Thomas

Robin Thomas was a deeply respected and much-loved member of the Queensland drama education community for more than 40 years. Robin was an early president of QADIE, now Drama Queensland. Her distinguished career included teaching Drama and serving as Drama Coordinator at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, followed by more than 20 years as the Drama Subject Adviser with the Brisbane School of Distance Studies (BSSS) and later the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), before her untimely passing.

Robin played a pivotal role in the evolution of Drama education in Queensland, overseeing the transition from Speech, Drama and Theatre to Drama as a senior subject. This was a significant intellectual and pedagogical shift for the discipline, one she led with exceptional diligence, wisdom, and creativity. She encouraged teachers to think critically, always placing students at the centre of decision-making. If she challenged an idea, she did so thoughtfully, inviting colleagues to propose new approaches, fresh strategies, and even new language that would strengthen both the subject and student learning.

Robin was also instrumental in developing and maintaining Queensland's Drama assessment and marking processes. She approached this responsibility with unwavering fairness, integrity, and a deep understanding of students. When disputes arose, she would work directly with schools, providing calm, thoughtful guidance while ensuring the integrity and consistency of the assessment system.

She was particularly committed to supporting beginning teachers and those working in regional and remote communities, recognising the unique challenges they faced. Countless Drama teachers remember Robin with great affection for her generosity, mentorship, wisdom, and unwavering encouragement. She nurtured and championed not only the subject but also the people who taught it.

Robin's legacy lives on in the strength of Drama education across Queensland and in the many teachers and students whose lives she influenced. We thank her for her extraordinary contribution, her dedication to excellence, and her enduring belief in the power of Drama and the teachers who bring it to life.