Professional actor and former Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School student Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis led an acting masterclass at the Anna Fiorentini's school’s Camden branch based at Parliament Hill School.

This was part of a community day revolving around the themes of diversity and celebrating uniqueness. Earlier this year, the Fiorentini School won a grant from the National Lottery enabling it to deliver anti-bullying themed performing arts workshops in local schools as well as community days.

On 13^th July, over 75 young people aged 7 to 16 were able to hone their acting technique alongside the West End and CBBC performer whilst building their confidence and making new friends. They explored ways of how they could make their differences work for them and enable them to contribute positively to society. They also practised role-playing exercises encouraging empathy; something that the Fiorentini School is passionate about developing especially in this day and age where bullying is destroying lives of so many young people. (According to the stopbullying.gov website approximately 30% of young people admit to bullying others in surveys and 70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools).

They will also had the opportunity to take part in the singing and dance classes led by leading industry professionals including Vivienne Smith who has just finished a season with the RSC.

During the singing class they wrote and performed their own songs.  Lyrics that the young people wrote included: "We all have our own unique spark", "Different is good, you don't have to fit in to be amazing", "We are strong on the inside..."

Jayden is best known for playing Frankie in the CBBC series Frank Zipzer, a role he landed after attending the Fiorentini School. He has also appeared in the BAFTA and British Comedy Award-winning Rev (BBC 2.

The Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School was established in 2001 as a Prince’s Trust Business to enable 7 to 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to access professional performing arts training. It has since won 3 Business of London awards and in 2012 Anna Fiorentini won the Inspirational Leader/Business Person award for The Camden and Islington Business Awards. Students have gone on to land leading roles in film, TV and on stage, including Orla Hill (Song for Marion and Swallows & Amazons), Tahj Miles (Simba in the West End's The Lion King, Nipper in Oliver! and CBBC's Class Dismissed) and Jermain Jackman, who won The Voice UK 2014 shortly after winning Fiorentini's Got Talent. The school now has branches across Greenwich, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Camden.

Founder and principal Anna Fiorentini says “drama school gave me the confidence and self-belief to start my own business and grow it to this level. Access to the arts should be available to everyone, irrespective of their background or circumstance and that is why the work of the school is so important to me, creating the opportunity for children to get the same benefits as I did even if their parents do not have the means to send them along.”