Stagecoach

On Sunday morning Yarm AM Stagecoach was pleased to welcome Jean Harding to our school. Jean is the chief of Harding Associates - an independent team of inspectors who inspect each of my schools every year.

The inspector`s arrival is unannounced and therefore provides the most reliable kind of feedback because we cannot put on a “show for the inspectors”. What they see is a normal week in action. Many of the inspectors that we see, are Ofsted inspectors during the week so they know what they are looking for. I have been very touched in the past by how positive has been their reaction to Our Yarm and Darlington  schools

I was very flattered when Jean said that she had been reading a succession of excellent reports from my schools for years and had to come and see for herself.

At the end of the morning, she was very enthusiastic in her appraisal of what she had seen. I quote from her report on the Early Stages class:-

“A delightful school. Students learn well and behave well as a result of the very good teaching. The principal, teacher and helper work very well together, as a result the children enjoy their practice for the show.”

Of the Yarm AM Main school she chose to call the teaching “Outstanding” and said that “the inculcation of creativity is a strength of this school. The teaching is organised and creative. Students respond accordingly and acquire not only very good skills but a `feel` for performance.”

In her summary, she said “This is a super school. Students display a wide range of well-developed integrated skills and also have great fun. They are very well behaved because they are so focussed. Fabulous range of genre. Students LOVE coming.”

This was a particularly pleasing report because Jean is such a senior inspector, with many years of experience to call upon.

In 12 years, I can honestly say that all our reports have been ones to be proud of.  As we get future reports I will post the results to the web site and if I get five minutes might also get chance to post up some past reports too.

Staff, Students and Parents all agree that this summer`s workshop week for Early stages students (aged 4 - 8years) was very successful  - I believe the most successful we have ever had. 

Below I have posted some of the photos as souvenirs for the parents

Here are some of the craft sessions that

Kira and Alex are brother and sister and when asked to draw a family portrait were obsessed with drawing their big brother`s hairy legs. By the time they had finished giggling about it, the whole family had hairy legs!!

Here we are in Singing

Dancing…….

Doing their drama ….

And action shots in the mini-shows

And posing for photos after the show!!!…….

Anniversary Messages from original students

                   ZOE BIRKETT

Hi Trudy

Zoe Birkett here,

First of all congratulations on 10 successful years of Stagecoach! That`s amazing! I can`t believe how the years fly!

I`ve currently just returned from touring the  U.K in the brand new Michael Jackson Musical ‘Thriller’  where I was the lead female. The show was fantastic. It captured the life of the king of pop from his early “Jackson 5″ years, right up to his current music. The show was a sell-out every night and got such a great response! I have also been asked to star in it again, as it takes off to Europe, then returns, with thoughts of it heading to the West End full time. How exciting!!

You can also catch me on T.V. in August, on a few programmes, One is part of a brand new hidden camera show on I.T.V., which will be aired at peak time, to millions (after Xfactor). The other is a programme for BBC3 - a countdown show of the most loved pop music moments. I was one of the celebrity faces involved.

Later in the year, I will be returning to my home town Darlington, where I will play Snow White at the Civic Theatre in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. It is for 8 weeks, over the Christmas period, and I can`t wait!! I had so much fun doing it last time, and not only that but I get to be back at home for Christmas!!
 
Have an Amazing night everyone. You deserve it!!

Thank you for always supporting me! I`m sorry I can`t be there at the celebration.

See you soon

Love Zoe x

Caroline Cook

Friday, July 27th, 2007

Congratulations on 10 years of Stagecoach! I have the most fantastic memories of my time with you and the rest of the gang, as both a student and a teacher.

I hope you know how grateful I am for all that Stagecoach has done for me. So sorry that I couldn`t be there to celebrate with you on Saturday - I hope you all had a fantastic night - you deserve it! Hope to see you soon.

Lots of Love

Caroline and Family XXXXX

Jade Johnson

Friday, July 27th, 2007

Trudy I must say CONGRATULATIONS on your 10th Anniversary. It must be about 10 years since I started!?

I have many fond memories of Stagecoach and it is true to say that I actually wouldn`t be doing what I am doing today, if it weren`t for Stagecoach. Thank you for everything.

Hopefully we can catch up when I get back from Turkey.

Best Wishes and lots of Love from Jade XX

Alicia McKenzie

Friday, July 27th, 2007

Hi Trudy,Sorry for the very late reply. I’m so sorry but I’m not going to be able to make it this weekend. Iwould’ve loved to be there but I’ve just started a new job at the Unicorn Theatre for children with the education department and its been a really busy week with our schools festival. I thought I might’ve been able to make it up for the weekend but with every thing going it’ll be too difficult. Plus last weekend and this weekend I’m moving apartments.

I hope you have a lovely evening. Say hello to all of the stagecoach alumni that wil be there for me please. And a big congratulations to you on your wonderful acheivement with stagecoach. Did you imagine that you’d be here 10 years ago?

Hope it all goes well.

Alicia

                  Jodie Taibi

Remember When . . . we (Saturday evenings 97/ 98 Katie, Hannah Pierson and all the rest) learnt ‘BAD’ with Kate, and the following term we did ‘NIGHT FEVER’? I took and performed that dance at butlins and won some terrible award at The Tiger Club Talent Awards… or something like that!! Remember  When. .  . Zoe Birkett became famous and we all watched Pop Idol on the telly in one of the saturday evening classes? Remember When. . . I took you to London with me Robin Mills, to see Zoe’s concert and you didn’t tell your mam you were stayin an extra day and night, so she reported you missing??!! Ha! Ha! ha! Remember When . . . I WON the Best Actor Oscar, Robin and you didn’t!!?? But we both won the Life Achievement Oscar and stole the show with our compering skills!!! We did well considering we got the script fresh from Trudy that very morning, because AS ALWAYS she’d been up till the birds were singing writing it!! Remember When… We (Zoe Birkett) did that talent in-house contest and I cried when you sang one of your many Whitney belters and you cried when i did Rita??  We cried a lot for each other when we were there! 

Remember When… (Saturady afternoons) We used to have ROB for acting, who was great and we all (well some of us… the ones that loved acting the most) cried when he left? And then the Next term we got PHIL as a replacement, but we thought he was rubbish . . . AND THEN WE LOVED HIM TOO IN THE END?  Remember When… (Emma Headly, Jade, ) Trudy Sent us to that audition in Newcastle? None of us Got it!! some Blonde Girl from Biker Grove did, but we all made good friends and had some pictures taken in the booth at the train station, then had a dance and sing song and an acting show on the train on the way home?  And Finally REMEMBER WHEN… Saturday Afternoons were the coolest, hottest talents about - Emma Hedley, Robin Mills, Zoe Birkett, Sarah and Rachel and we  would eat all the JAMMY DODGERS and hope Trudy would never find out…. But she did, She knew all along!!!   Just a few of my many, many, many, golden memories from that wonderful place called Stage Coach.Can’t wait to do Rita for you all AGAIN

All My Love Always 

Jodie Taibi xxxxx

                    Robin Mills 

Hi to Trudy and all the gang at Stagecoach!

I hope you are all looking forward to a brand new term at Stagecoach, knowing Trudy and the staff I’m sure there will be plenty of fun activities and loads of new things to see and learn!

I’m about to start my second year at the London Studio Centre, I’ve learnt so much in my first year already that second year is going to be even more of a great challenge! Having gone to Stagecoach throughout my teenage years it really gave me a great grounding and mountains of confidence to move to London and push myself towards my goals of the West End theatres.

My course involves acting singing and a lot of dancing! I have a ballet class every morning which thoroughly warms my body up and preapares and teaches me the discipline requires to face each day!

I’ve met so many amazing people and some really great teachers, but what is really important for you to remember is that the help and support that teachers like Trudy (my diamond) is truly priceless!

So here`s to the next ten years, and for all you lads at the All Boys Dance Classes - I’ll be around in December to teach you some moves that  I’ve learnt in London!

See you soon guys!

Lots of Love From Robin Mills