Dramatic Christmas films and a moving Remembrance Service

The show must go on … so the saying goes and, despite all the problems that Covid-19 keeps throwing at us, our show certainly has gone on! The children put together a very entertaining Harvest Festival, with our Year 1s and 4s singing jolly songs and other members of the Upper School reading seasonal poems. This was followed by a very moving Year 6 Remembrance Service and will be topped off by the many musical and dramatic Christmas offerings that have been filmed. Speech and Drama students have had lots to celebrate. They began the term by basking in the many successes of the Summer LAMDA exams. No less than 10 Merits and 34 Distinctions were achieved. What a great haul! This term, students have once again made a great start to the school year and research has already begun on pieces and background for the next set of LAMDA exams. We want to be even better! A huge thank you goes to Mrs Ray who works so hard to help every child achieve their very best. Our little dancers have also been hard at it and Miss Debbie and Miss Charly report as follows: “What a wonderful term of ballet we have had at Copthill. Miss Charly has welcomed so many new faces and classes have certainly been joyful and fun. With Mrs Bidwell playing beautiful music on the piano, dance has been embraced by the children. Sadly no tutus but hopefully at some point next term we hope to wear our ballet outfits again. We wish you all a beautiful Christmas and look forward to seeing you all in 2021.” I can’t wait to see all of the little ones walking across the playground in their ballet outfits again, with their ballet shoes skilfully tucked into the front of their leotards so that they don’t get lost en-route! Mrs Dimbleby really does have all the good ideas! Our musicians have also had their considerable skills tested. An ABRSM examiner arrived at the end of November to put 19 of our children through their paces. The results prove that everybody gave an excellent account of themselves. We are waiting on the results of the ABRSM theory exams. What a night to remember that was - not only for the children, but also for Mr Simon Teesdale and myself! In these Covid times, the theory exams have moved online and it is an enormous operation for the ABRSM. There are still a few teething problems with the software, but we all kept smiling (just about) and everyone completed their exam! Thank goodness there are a few months before we go through the process again! I have so missed our music ensembles and live concerts this year and especially this Christmas but, thanks to a great community spirit, we have still managed to keep that festive spirit and I do hope you enjoy your Christmas Copthill films. Sit down with a mince pie and take comfort from the fact that you are watching our performances in a place a little warmer than our beautiful Uffington Church! That said, we all look forward to resuming our traditions next year but, for the time being, let’s just be thankful for all the wonderful things that we do have. Have a wonderful Christmas!