PHOTO: Grace with her certificate of merit from The Wensleydale Tournament Festival of Music & Speech.

Year 10 pupil Grace Baker has been excelling in the field of dramatic arts. She recently achieved a distinction in her London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) Exam.

LAMDA exams aim to foster life skills like effective communication, teamwork, and self-confidence through the creative avenues of literature, drama, and music.

For her exam, Grace performed two songs from different musicals and answered questions about them, including their plot, emotion, characterisation and contrast.

Grace said:

“When I received my results and found out that I had got a distinction I was so happy! All the rehearsal time I put in was really worth it.”

Grace is already working on new songs for her next LAMDA exam.

At present, Grace is pursuing Music and Drama as part of her GCSEs. She actively participates in various local amateur dramatic theatre productions and also attends the Charlotte Jacqueline School of Dance.

Earlier this year, Grace also took part in The Wensleydale Tournament Festival of Music & Speech winning first place in her category and achieving another distinction. The festival, held annually in March/April, aims to encourage the study, performance, and appreciation of good music and literature, with professional adjudicators evaluating competitors' performances.

Grace’s Form Tutor, Ms Westwood, said:

“We are so proud of Grace, she continues to be a fantastic role model to others here at Risedale. She has a passion and a talent for performing arts which she has developed over many years of hard work, with enthusiasm and determination. I am so pleased, though not surprised, that her hard work is now rewarding her with the qualifications she needs to enter this exciting vocation. We’ll see her name in lights one day…watch this space!”