The south London community where ‘pioneering’ scholarship choristers are made

N’raeah, seven, who has won a fully funded scholarship to one of the UK’s most prestigious musical institutions. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

St Paul’s Cathedral school, one of the UK’s most prestigious private schools, has long been associated with the musical elite. So was seven-year-old N’raeah, from south London, nervous about auditioning for its internationally renowned choir?

“No,” she said, beaming. “Everybody’s counting on me to sing beautifully.”