ReAct Educate
Are LAMDA Lessons Worth It? What Children Learn Beyond the Exams
When parents first hear about LAMDA lessons, the conversation often starts with grades, certificates and examinations.
Those things can be valuable. Working towards a clear goal is a useful experience for a child.
But we think the most important part of LAMDA and drama tuition is what happens in the lessons themselves.
Being able to speak clearly, explain an idea, stand in front of other people and express yourself with confidence are useful skills whether a child grows up to be an actor, a doctor, a teacher or something completely different.
That's what we want children to take away from ReAct Educate.
What are LAMDA lessons?
LAMDA offers graded qualifications covering aspects of performance and communication, including acting and speaking skills.
Depending on the examination, pupils might prepare scenes or speeches, learn how to communicate a text and develop their delivery in front of an examiner.
One important distinction: LAMDA graded examinations are different from studying a professional acting degree at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. Completing a graded exam doesn't automatically lead to a place on a degree course.
You can find the latest qualification information on LAMDA's official website.
What if my child isn't naturally confident?
This can be one of the most rewarding parts of teaching drama.
Not every child walks into a lesson desperate to perform. Some are comfortable speaking to friends but freeze when asked to address a group. Others are full of personality outside school and go quiet when they meet someone unfamiliar.
Good teaching gives children room to develop at their own pace.
For one pupil, progress might mean delivering a whole speech. For another, it might be maintaining eye contact when introducing themselves or trying a new idea without worrying about getting it wrong.
Neither should be dismissed.
Confidence isn't something you create by simply telling someone to be confident. It grows through repeated experiences in which they feel supported and begin to realise what they're capable of.
Why acting can help with communication
Acting makes you think about more than the words you're saying.
Who are you speaking to? What do you want them to understand? Are you listening? How does your body language affect the message?
These questions matter in performance, but they're also relevant to school presentations, conversations and interviews.
Here's a simple exercise to try at home. Ask your child to explain the same story to three different people: a friend, a teacher and someone they've never met. What changes? Their choice of words, the amount of detail, their tone?
Recognising those differences is part of becoming an effective communicator.
Can LAMDA or drama tuition help with school interviews?
It can help pupils become more comfortable thinking and speaking in front of somebody they don't know. That isn't the same as guaranteeing an offer or encouraging memorised answers.
For an 11+ interview, for example, you might ask: 'What's something you've changed your mind about recently?' Give the child time to think, then encourage them to explain the answer honestly.
For drama scholarships, preparation may also involve suitable monologues, performance technique and discussion of the chosen material. Always check the school's actual requirements.
The aim is for children to feel capable of expressing themselves, not to sound like they've been given a script by an adult.
Bringing drama training into schools
ReAct Educate works with schools on acting tuition, LAMDA examination preparation, group sessions, after-school drama and communication-focused training.
Depending on the school and pupil, that can include individual lessons, scholarship preparation and interview support. ReAct's current programme details and safeguarding arrangements are set out on the schools page.
We want sessions to feel serious about progress while still being enjoyable. A child who begins to look forward to speaking or performing has already gained something useful.
What happens if they want to become an actor?
Some pupils discover that performing is something they'd love to pursue more seriously. Others simply gain more confidence in school and everyday life. Both are good outcomes.
For older aspiring actors, our weekly drama-school preparation class in Islington supports students aged 16+ who are considering professional training, including auditions, monologues, interviews and self-tapes.
For younger children and schools, we'd love to talk about what ReAct Educate could offer.
Find out more about ReAct Educate.
Explore audition preparation for ages 16+.
We'd love you to come along, meet the tutors and see what you think.
See the Wednesday class