Mount Juniors’ 100% Distinctions for LAMDA
Congratulations to our incredible Junior School dramatists who have once again achieved 100% Distinctions in their examination results for LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts).
This is the fifth year in a row that the Junior School has achieved blanket Distinctions: an achievement which the school has earned in seven of the past eight years.
Rachel Capper, Head of The Mount Junior School, said, “I am delighted that the girls’ exceptional skills and hard work are being acknowledged with these fantastic results. This year we have seen the girls’ commitment and enthusiasm for performing arts, which is nurtured by their LAMDA training, has beautifully transferred to their school productions. They were wonderful in the whole school production of A Night At The Musicals and their energetic performance of The Mystery At Magpie Manor sparked a most brilliant comedy, which is the hardest genre to perform successfully.”
Rachel Lavell, the girls’ Speech and Drama teacher, who has drawn so many Distinction-worthy performances from pupils over the past decade, said, “The girls are part of every element of the development process for their performance pieces. They all work together as a group on the materials they are given, and they produce their own piece, incorporating various interesting and quirky ideas. In this way, they ‘own’ the piece, and they have made me really proud.”
Molly (Year 4) said, “I used to get really nervous before going into examinations, but the examiner was very friendly and really chatty and now I’m not nervous any more in exams. I was able to relax and just really enjoy it and I think everyone else did as well.”
“There are so many benefits from the LAMDA programme,” adds Rachel Capper. “For instance two of our Year 6 girls, Ellie and Lucy, have entered the York Public Speaking Competition. I had the pleasure of hearing them rehearse. They spoke very clearly and thoughtfully. When I complimented the girls on their delivery, they told me, “We know it is the first and last time that people will hear what we have to say, so we have to give them time to take it all in.” This is the kind of confidence and level of skill nurtured by our entire Junior School staff and the LAMDA programme.”
Parents will be able to see elements of the Junior girls’ LAMDA examination pieces at the Celebration Meeting on Monday 1 July in School Hall.
In Senior School, 100% of girls taking the LAMDA Gold Medal examination also earned Distinctions.
The Mount is investing in an exciting new performing arts complex which is due to break ground over the Summer holidays.