LAMDA Exams & Specialist Speech Coaching

Empowering you to find your voice

Over a hundred thousand people take LAMDA Exams every year, from all over the world, and from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities. They are not just for children either - learners range up to 90 years old! You can enter at any level and I will work with you to assess the level you are best suited to begin at. No pre-requesite knowledge is needed - all you need is enthusiasm and passion.

Taking LAMDA exams can be a rewarding and fun experience for personal and professional growth. You will develop valuable life skills, boost your confidence, and earn recognised qualifications, whether you're pursuing a career in the performing arts or simply want to improve your communication ability. LAMDA Exams provide valuable evidence for applications to higher education or for employment, in any industry.

LAMDA Acting & Communication Exams:

LAMDA Exams cover a wide range of performance and communciation skills. We offer LAMDA Exams in Acting, Devising, Mime, Speaking Verse and Prose, Speaking in Public and Reading for Performance. Lessons can be delivered in person or online, as solo or duo lessons.

Benefits:

• Develop Life Skills: confidence, public speaking, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, creativity, accept and respond to feedback, self-discipline

• Develop Performance Skills: voice projection and articulation, expressive body language, emotional expression, active listening, specific performance techniques

• Earn Recognised Qualifications: internationally recognised, valuable for your CV, get UCAS points (for high levels), build a foundation for a career in the Performing Arts.

Qualifications:

LAMDA Exams are Ofqual Regulated Qualifications, externally assessed against published Assessment Criteria, aligned at Level 2 to GCSE level and at Level 3 to A Level. Fees are payable for examinations in addition to lessons (see pricing details below). Exams take place at centres all over the UK and International students can take exams online.

Specialist Speech and Communication Coaching

If you are not focused on examinations but do want to find a way to improve the clarity of your speech for daily life, I can help you overcome vocal obstacles that you may face, perhaps due to a long-term speech impairment, a specific disorder, illness or injury. I will work with you to understand what you need to develop your confidence, articulation, and clarity.

My methods could be considered unconventional, they are designed to empower you as a communicator whether you are just beginning to find your voice or looking to hone your storytelling skills. I work creatively and may incorporate augmentative articulation techniques, combining gesture, body language, facial expressions and rhythm, to empower you to express yourself in a way you feel comfortable with.

I offer one-to-one lessons so that you feel safe to fully explore your vocal potential in a non-judgmental, non-competitive space. After an initial free assessment, I devise tailored exercises and techniques to help you overcome your unique challenges. Although this is not speech therapy, my approach has enabled my students to make progress where traditional methods have been ineffective.

What you get with specialist coaching:

• A free 45 minute initial assessment so that we can both see if and how we can work together.

• ‘Outside the box’ thinking: I look holistically at what you want and need.

• Online or in person sessions, from my home office or in the comfort of your own home.*

• Fun! I believe humour and laughter are essential ingredients to help you relax and achieve optimal progress.

  *In-person lessons are recommended, but I am afraid these are restricted to the Gloucestershire region only (UK).

I will help you to:

• Use your body, face, voice and gestures to communicate expressively

• Use your breath to become a balanced, calm and confident speaker

• Strengthen your voice so that it becomes richer, fuller and stronger

• Strengthen your muscles to build auditory dexterity for clear speech

• Use your full vocal range to project, emphasise, emote and engage, with awareness and control of dynamics, pacing, pitch, tonality, subtext and meaning.

Whether you are seeking to enhance your everyday conversation skills, prepare for a significant public speaking event, gain UCAS points or to develop confidence as a performer, I will coach you to achieve your very best performance.

About Cheryl Stapleton

Cheryl Stapleton BA(Hons) Drama, QTS Drama.

Speech & Performance Coach

Cheryl holds a BA(Hons) Drama (Brunel) and graduated from École Philippe Gaulier as a professional actor. After ten years teaching Drama and Theatre Studies in secondary schools across London, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire, she founded Learning Through Theatre in 2013, specialising in commedia dell’arte, physical theatre, and storytelling. Cheryl now teaches all ages and provides Continuing Professional Development for drama teachers, along with delivering curriculum-linked workshops for GCSE, A Level, and International Baccalaureate students. She also travels with the International School Theatre Association (ISTA) as a Visiting Theatre Artist.

Cheryl has developed a portfolio as a Speech Coach, focusing most recently on students with specific speech difficulties. Since 2014, she has provided coaching in Public Speaking to students at prestigious UK private schools and for corporate clients.

Fully insured, Safeguarding and Child Protection trained, Enhanced DBS checked.