Clevedon School is the only state school in the South West to be nominated for a string of prestigious drama awards – totalling twenty – five over the past three years.

The high-achieving school produces West End quality productions that involve hundreds of students, ex students, parents and the entire community. This year they are competing against top amateur dramatic societies with their production of Calamity Jane.

They have received  five nominations in the North Somerset Fellowship of Drama, David Beach Awards. The awards recognise technical theatre, acting and directing, art and design and the orchestra. Their nominations are for:

Best Homemade Set which included a fully moving stagecoach, Best Female in a Leading Role, who is Hannah Filer, now the current Head Girl, and Best Musical Direct for Teacher, for John Pitts and Marianne Murray.

The school was also nominated for Best Youth Chorus for the first time and for the third year running Best Youth Musical (following similar nominations for Little Shop of Horrors and Guys & Dolls).

Director of Dance and Drama Debbie Morgan said: “These nominations are a credit to everyone involved, ex-students, parents, students and the whole community. By valuing the arts in our curriculum and being inclusive, everyone has an opportunity to be part of our productions. The support we receive from sponsorship and our own fundraising enable us to put on such spectacles that involve everyone who wants to be part of them.”

The numbers of students, staff, parents and the local community involved in the production was phenomenal; those supporting in the background far exceeded those on the stage. When these four groups work together in an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding, the levels of commitment, energy and motivation are high and the consequences for the students and the whole school community are far-reaching.

Congratulations Clevedon School, everyone is so proud of you and you so deserve these nominations. Have a lovely evening at the Awards Ceremony.