LAMDA Success and a Goodbye from Frances Simon

"Huge congratulations to all LAMDA students who sat their exams recently. The Distinction and Merit scores showed a high calibre of learning.

A special commendation goes to Fourth Former William who received a Distinction for his Grade 7 Silver Medal Acting Solo.

LAMDA began offering examinations in the 1880’s when it was founded in 1861 and traditionally learners of Grade 7 Silver Medal were at least 17 + as it requires a great deal of maturity in both the performance and technical aspects of the course. William would be one of the youngest students in the country to have sat the Grade 7 Silver Medal and certainly the youngest in my 19 years history of teaching the exams so very well-done.

It has been a great pleasure teaching William over the last 5 years where he was first taught by me in J3 at Peters 8-13. He has always taken the craft seriously, has been eager to learn and worked very hard.

Students at Peter’s 13-18 also sat Public Speaking exams and Devised Drama exams and received Distinction scores. Well done to Olivia and Emily who were awarded Distinctions for their devised Drama exams at grade 6. Both learners were required to perform two prepared scenes of their own devising, based around a contemporary issue and around the sense of taste. They chose the subject of Post-Natal Depression for their contemporary piece and to explore the sense of taste they devised a scene set in Russia in 1920 at the height of Famine. Their creative writing skills and sophisticated discussion based on the research they had undertaken impressed the examiner.

Although we have students working towards exams in March. This will be my last news sharing at the school as I will be finishing working as a LAMDA teacher at St Peter’s at the end of the Easter term as I move into pastoral work. I have already started work as a school Chaplain at another school.

I have worked at St Peters 13-18 for the last 9 years and Peters 8-13 for the last 5 years. Altogether across the whole school we had 62 Distinctions and 10 Merits last term which is a lovely reminder to me of what an incredibly talented LAMDA cohort there is at the school.

Kind regards,
Frances Simon"

Congratulations to:

• Joshua Entry Level Duo with Distinction
• Sebastian Entry Level Duo with Distinction
• Xanthe Acting Grade 4 Solo with Distinction
• Sam Acting Grade 5 Solo with Merit
• Alexander Acting Grade 5 Solo with Merit
• Christabel Acting Grade 5 Solo with Distinction
• Serene Speaking in Public Grade 5 with Distinction
   
• Emily Devising Drama Grade 6 Duo with Distinction
• Olivia Devising Drama Grade 6 Duo Distinction
• Taras Acting Grade 6 Solo Bronze Medal with Merit
• Anna Acting Grade 6 Solo Bronze Medal with Distinction
• Florence Acting Grade 7 Solo Silver Medal with Distinction
• William Acting Grade 7 Solo Silver Medal with Distinction
• William Acting Grade 8 Duo Gold Medal with Merit
• Beatrice Acting Grade 8 Solo Gold Medal with Distinction

And to Jamie who received a Grade 8 Gold Award with Distinction whilst doing LAMDA outside of school.