Now children can have fun, increase their confidence and communication skills and gain UCAS points.
For those who don't know, Ucas is a clearing house for applications for virtually all undergraduate degree programmes at British universities or colleges.
UCAS has a tariff system (more commonly known as UCAS points), which allows qualifications to be converted into points (e.g. an A at A Level is worth 120 points) and then added together to give a total that can be used as a requirement to get into a course (a course may require 260 points, for example). The UCAS Tariff now attempts to cover all UK qualifications and some foreign qualifications.
From 2008 LAMDA Advanced Graded Speech and Drama exams will be included in this tariff and students can gain between 20 and 65 points depending on grade and pass mark.
Grade 6
Pass gets you 20 points
Merit gets you 35 poimts
Distinction gets you 40 points
Grade 7
Pass gets you 35 points
Merit gets you 50 points
Distinction gets you 55 points
grade 8
Pass gets you 45 points
Merit gets you 60 points
Distinction gets you 65 points
Performance Certificate
Pass gets you 60 points
Merit gets you 80 points
Distinction gets you 90 points
LAMDA exams can be taken in most areas of the country and it seems common sense to me to start taking these exams at a young age. UCAS points start at grade 6 and if a student wants to maximise their points they really need to aim for a good pass at grade 8. Obviously the more experience you have the better you will be.
For more details of all the different LAMDA exams have a look
my explanations here.
I offer private lessons in the comfort of your own home or in my studio in Corfe Mullen from 6am in the morning until 8pm in the evening.
For more details of these lessons please see my
elocution page.
DVD to buy
If you would like an elocution lesson but can't get to one you could buy my dvd. This is nothing to do with LAMDA and is a recording of me giving an elocution lesson to a camcorder!
Don't worry if you're not a budding actress, as well as acting, exams can be taken in 'Reading for Performance' which is what it says - reading aloud a programme of work, 'The Speaking Verse and Prose' where you will recite poetry and prose to an examiner and 'Public Speaking' where you will be required to give talks on various topics.
If you're a little quiet and shy I would suggest studying for the Reading for Performance exams. These exams seem to suit less confident students because they have the words in front of them and don't feel as exposed as they would if they were acting. However, I must point out that they are not an easy option as far as technique is concerned - only the best performances will pass. Lamda UCAS points have to be earned.
Studying for these exams will not only gain you Lamda UCAS points but will greatly increase your confidence during the interview stage of applying for university places.