THE Downs School, Colwall, was awarded first place in the U13s Choir Competition at the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts.

Malcolm Taylor, the class adjudicator, awarded school a rare outstanding' mark of 90 out of 100 and particularly commended them for their "sense of rhythm and fun, secure pitching and confident, convincing singing."

The choir performed a difficult two-part arrangement of the popular folk tunes This Old Man and Michael Finnigan, at the event last Thursday, May 10. This contrasted well with a performance of You Raise Me Up.

Headmaster Alastair Ramsay said: "I am particularly proud of the choir, which has worked extremely hard to produce such high calibre music making.

"Our head of music, Wendy Blunn, has inspired the children to enjoy their singing, enabling them to compete confidently with the other preparatory, and junior schools who took part.

"The Downs School has always had a good reputation for music and it is good to see the choir making the headlines again."