Celebrating Our 2025 ISTD Exam Results – More Than Just Marks

Exam day is one of our absolute favourite days of the year. There’s a special kind of energy in the studio - nerves, excitement, and so much pride. From last-minute practice to the proud faces of parents waiting outside, it’s a day full of joyful buzz and community spirit.

We love seeing students come out of their exams beaming, proud of what they’ve just achieved. Whether it’s their very first time or a higher grade they’ve worked towards for years, the sense of accomplishment is clear, and it’s shared by everyone there. 

Parents, teachers, and dance friends all come together to celebrate not just the taking of the exam, but the courage and hard work it took to get there.

Now that the results are in, we get to continue that celebration by recognising the brilliant achievements of each child—not only in terms of their marks, but in the growth, confidence, and resilience they’ve shown throughout the process.

The Numbers Behind the Smiles

This year, 61 students stepped into their exams with courage, confidence, and plenty of hard work under their belts. For some, it was their first time. For others, it was a chance to build on previous progress and rise to a new challenge taking a higher grade. Out of the 61 exam entries, we are proud to announce a 100% pass rate once again!

Let’s start with a little snapshot of how things went:

• 18% were awarded Distinctions

• 76% were awarded Merits

• 6% were awarded Passes

Behind each of those numbers is a story of growth - of children who turned up week after week, took feedback on board, and gave their all.

Exceptional Achievements Across Dance Disciplines

Our students participated in a range of dance exams, showcasing their skills in Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre, and Tap Dance. These exams, certified by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), are internationally recognised for their high standards, and our students certainly rose to the occasion.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Imperial Classical Ballet: Our ballet students danced incredibly, earning Merits and Distinctions across the board.

• Tap Dance: This is a technically demanding style, and we’re so proud of how they tackled it! With a 100% pass rate and 83% achieving the higher awards of Merit and Distinctions, we wouldn't be prouder!

• Modern Theatre Dance: Our Modern students blew us away this year. 40% achieved Distinction, and the overall standard was exceptional. We loved seeing how much joy and style they brought to the work.

It’s Not Just About the Result

For us, exams are never about chasing Distinctions or holding back students to protect statistics. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to take part, regardless of whether we predict a Pass, Merit or Distinction.

That’s why we’re so proud of all 62 children who stepped into the exam room this year. Some did so a little ahead of schedule—because we saw that spark of readiness and knew they’d benefit from the experience. Others took their time and entered when they were ready (One students only wanted to start taking exams once she hit a certain age. She progressed through our graded classes without taking an exam and then right on target she told us she wanted to try it this year. She stepped into the exam so confidently and came away with a wonderful result!). Every child progresses in their own time, and we honour that.

Practice Makes Progress

We want to shine a light on the incredible support our families gave behind the scenes. From helping children practise their unset sections at home, to pretending to be mock examiners in the living room, your efforts made such a difference.

We know that remembering all the arm lines, timing, and musical changes isn’t easy, especially for younger children who’ve never taken an exam before. The calm reassurance, extra practice, and encouragement from grown-ups at home helped so many dancers step into their exams feeling confident and capable. Thank you for being part of the journey.

Prepared With Care

Our approach to exam preparation is always child-centred. We spend months preparing students in a supportive, structured way, ensuring they not only know the work but understand the "why" behind it.

Rather than drilling, we build confidence gradually, with clear expectations and lots of opportunity to ask questions and improve. We include both classwork and independent tasks, encouraging children to take ownership of their learning. That’s what makes exam day feel empowering, not overwhelming.

We also tailor our exam prep around each child’s pace. That might mean waiting to enter a student until the technique is solid, or fast-tracking a student who’s ready to fly. Either way, our focus is always on doing what’s best for the individual child in front of us.

What’s Next?

We’ll be handing out certificates in class when we return after the Summer break and celebrating these achievements in class. We’ll also be using examiner feedback to guide our next steps in class—whether that’s polishing posture, improving strength, or building more expression into performance. There’s always something to work on, and we’re excited to keep moving forward.

And while with this post we’re celebrating those who took exams this year, we’re equally proud of the many children who are working hard in class towards other goals. 

We have a large cohort already making brilliant progress with their syllabus work as they prepare for next year’s exams, and we can’t wait to see what they achieve.

It’s also important to say that not all children take exams. Some classes follow a different curriculum, and some children prefer to express themselves in other ways. Whether it’s through show performances, parent watch weeks, bi-annual teacher reports, or simply showing up each week and growing in confidence, we make sure every dancer’s achievements are seen and celebrated. Exams are just one of many pathways we use to support progress and pride—every journey is valid, and every milestone matters.

A Final Well Done

To our dancers: you’ve done something big. You’ve stepped up, you’ve challenged yourself, and you’ve grown. These results are just one reflection of the effort you’ve put in and we see so much more beyond the marks.

To our parents and carers: thank you for being our partners. From car journeys and last minute confidence boosters to learning the difference between a time step and a shuffle hop step, you’ve been brilliant.

To our teachers: you are just incredible. Thank you for everything you pour into our students week after week. The thoughtful corrections, the encouragement, the creative ways you break down tricky syllabus steps, and the patience you show at every stage—it all adds up to something really special. We know how much care and preparation goes into getting each child exam-ready, and we’re so lucky to have such a dedicated and nurturing team guiding them.

Here’s to another year of learning, dancing, and growing together.

Well done, everyone!