Everything you need, in one place
How exams work, what the grades mean, key dates — and honest answers to the questions parents actually ask.
How LAMDA grades work
Exams are marked out of 100: Pass (50+), Merit (65+) and Distinction (80+). A Merit is a genuinely good result — examiners are professionals applying a national standard, and a mark in the 70s reflects real skill. Students receive a detailed examiner's report alongside their certificate, and we always talk through what it means and what comes next.
LAMDA exams are Ofqual-regulated qualifications, and every acting exam includes a spoken knowledge element alongside the performance. The grades group into levels — Grades 1–3 sit at Level 1, Grades 4–5 at Level 2, and Grades 6–8 and the Medals at Level 3 — with the knowledge questions growing more detailed and demanding at each level.
From Grade 6 upwards, results carry UCAS points: a Grade 8 Distinction is worth 30 points — a meaningful contribution to a university application, earned while doing something they love.
Key dates
Exam sessions vary by school. As a general rhythm:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Autumn term | New pieces chosen and learned; foundations laid |
| Spring term | Polishing, mock exams, first exam sessions at some schools |
| Summer term | Main exam season; results follow roughly 4–6 weeks after |
Each school's exam dates are confirmed early in the autumn term (September–October). Choose your school below for the specifics as the year gets going.
Find your child's roadmap
Each school runs to its own rhythm of terms and exam sittings. Choose yours for a term-by-term guide to the year ahead — and start with Why LAMDA? if you're still weighing it up.
Your LAMDA year at The Beacon
Term-by-term roadmap, the March & May exam sittings, the Stage Workshop programme and the end-of-year Showcase.
Your LAMDA year at Challoner's
Term-by-term roadmap through to the summer exam at Dr Challoner's.
Your LAMDA year at Holyport
Term-by-term roadmap through to the summer exam at Holyport College.
A confident milestone, never a gamble.
Questions parents ask
My child is shy — is this right for them?
Often it's exactly right for them. Lessons are one-to-one, paired or in small groups — never a crowd — and confidence is built gradually and kindly. Some of our proudest results are quiet students who found, over a year or two, that they had plenty to say.
How long does it take to prepare for an exam?
Typically two to three terms per grade, depending on the student and the level. We never enter a student before they're ready — the exam should be a confident milestone, not a gamble.
Do they need to memorise everything?
Performance pieces, yes — and we teach how to learn lines properly, a skill that pays off across all their schoolwork. Every acting exam also includes spoken knowledge questions — they start simple and grow more detailed with each level, and we prepare them thoroughly together.
What happens on exam day?
Exams are held at school (or a nearby centre) with a visiting LAMDA examiner — one student (or pair) at a time, in a private room. It's formal but friendly, and students are always well drilled on exactly what to expect before they walk in.
How will I hear about progress and results?
You'll hear from us directly — before exams so you know what's coming, and personally when results arrive, with the examiner's feedback explained in plain English.
What does it cost?
It depends on the lesson format. School lessons are 35 minutes and invoiced each term — as a guide, one-to-one is around £30 per session, with lower per-child rates for paired and small-group lessons. Your school's page has the detail. LAMDA at Dr Challoner's runs as an after-school programme co-ordinated with the school, with fees depending on grade and group size — its page has the guide. Whatever your setting, just ask and I'll walk you through the options for your child.
Something else on your mind? Just ask.