The south London community where pioneering' scholarship choristers are made

"N'raeah is the fourth chorister from St John the Divine, Kennington (SJDK) to win a fully funded scholarship to one of the UK's most prestigious musical institutions in recent years. Other choristers from the church have secured scholarships at Westminster Abbey, King's College, Cambridge and St John's College, Cambridge, with some going on to perform at national events including the coronation of King Charles III."

"The achievement is striking given the challenges facing the local community. SJDK serves an area of Lambeth marked by high levels of deprivation and youth violence. Many families from migrant backgrounds have also lived through years of anxiety linked to the Windrush scandal and hostile immigration policies."

"Yet from this corner of south London, the church has built one of the country's largest youth choral programmes. Since 2013, about 1,000 children have passed through its choirs, with the parish working to remove barriers that often keep working-class children out of classical music."

"Tobin said church choirs had traditionally been formal and demanding, with families expected to organise their lives around a rigid schedule. We really try to ma"

A seven-year-old chorister from south London won a fully funded scholarship to St Paul’s Cathedral school after auditioning for its internationally renowned choir. She became the fourth chorister from St John the Divine, Kennington (SJDK) to receive such a scholarship in recent years, joining others who secured places at Westminster Abbey and Cambridge colleges and performed at major national events. The achievement stands out because SJDK serves a Lambeth area marked by deprivation and youth violence, alongside community anxiety tied to the Windrush scandal and hostile immigration policies. The church has built a large youth choral programme, with about 1,000 children passing through its choirs since 2013, aiming to remove barriers that keep working-class children out of classical music.

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