Pupils at Chetwynde School have been showcasing their creative talents in speech and drama exams and professional workshops.

The school, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, held Trinity College of London Speech and Drama exams for more than 20 students across primary and seniors this month.

Everyone passed with merit or distinction with Iona Harvey, a Year 11 pupil and drama prefect, and Nathan Lee Cheong achieving distinctions in Grade 8.

Drama teacher Colynne Hicks was delighted with the results.

She said: “Congratulations to all our students, particularly Iona and Nathan, who passed the highest possible Trinity Grade with extremely high marks and now receive UCAS points.

“We are unique in the area for having so many students involved in Trinity and currently three who have achieved Grade 8, which is most often taken at sixth form level.”

She said Rodi Bektasoglu and Gray Sutherland both passed with distinction in their first ever Trinity exams and Tilly Thwaites overcame challenges to perform two memorised pieces to a live examiner and pass her Grade 2 with merit.

Meanwhile Year 10s at Chetwynde who are studying GCSE performing arts had the opportunity to work with a professional film and stage fight director.

Mark Ruddic showed them how actors film fight scenes in Hollywood movies and theatre productions in a stage combat workshop.

Katherine Parkinson, Head of Faculty for Creative Arts and PE, said it had been a fantastic month of achievements for the pupils.

Katherine Parkinson said: “The Trinity grades are excellent and our GCSE students really enjoyed taking part in the stage combat workshop will now be able to use the skills they have learned in some of their own pieces.”