Performing Arts

Alongside subject based skills, Performing Arts is an excellent opportunity for pupils to build their self esteem, improve communication, develop social and team building skills, improve their ability to problem solve and increase resilience.

Within Performing Arts pupils are provided with the opportunity to present their work to an audience, with pupils keen to show what they have learnt and also gain recognition for all of their hard work.  Performances take place at Christmas and at the end of the Summer term.

In Key Stage 3 pupils follow a Dance and Drama curriculum which allows them to learn basic skills for developing, rehearsing and performing a piece of either Dance or Drama. They also have the opportunity to follow a Music curriculum for one rotation in Year 8, which is currently being led by SoCo Music.  During Year 8 and 9 pupils start to bring their skills together through projects that require a variety of skills across Music, Dance and Drama.  To do this they explore Shakespeare through the format of “The Shakespeare Schools Festival” and a “musical” project which is performed at the Summer performance.

Pupils follow the Edexcel Level 1 Certificate in Performing Arts.  Throughout the course pupils are supported in building their skills across the Performing Arts so that they develop and improve their ability to become “performers”.  Pupils are also guided in becoming more “independent” learners so that by the end of the course the performances they are producing are more student led and a product of their creativity and development rather than being totally led by a director or choreographer.  During the course pupils take part in four public performances where they showcase and are assessed on the work they have created for the course.