Curriculum Intent

As a department, our overall vision is to empower, inspire and engage students to develop their creative potential, practical skills, confidence and overall performance. We aim to encourage students to become imaginative, innovative and independent learners, giving them the necessary skills for further study and future careers. The skills and techniques learnt within the Performing Arts contribute to the development of the students and school curriculum as a whole, by providing an expressive, unique and free form of communication and expression.

The curriculum is carefully planned to consider the sequence of content required for children to best make progress; building on prior learning to ensure transferrable knowledge and skills enable children to comprehend subsequent learning in the future. Within KS3 we introduce a variety of topics which explore different styles and themes as well as technical and interpretive performance skills. As the students progress through the years into KS4 & 5, we foster independent and cooperative learning, critical thinking, and the deeper study of the technical and interpretive skills, along with their evaluative and analytical skills, therefore growing the students’ knowledge and understanding in preparation for further education. We expect KS5 students to develop an awareness of themselves as perspective artists and conduct themselves in a professional manner.

The subjects develop thinking - increasing perception, imagination, creativity, reflection and physical dexterity; skills which can be transferred to other areas of experience and learning.

We understand the importance of students developing skills, knowledge and understanding of Arts subjects as ways of engaging with cultural identity and personal expression, to facilitate their understanding of their community and wider society, enabling students to define themselves in relation to others, and the society in which they live.

Each year, students will explore a range of performance styles and techniques that relate to a variety of stimuli within Drama and Dance; these have been carefully selected and planned in line with the wider curriculum within the school to ensure students gain a cultural, historical and socially diverse program within the Performing Arts.

Students will develop their analytical and evaluative skills whilst watching and learning professional works, repertoire and the processes behind the performances. In doings so, we develop students’ ability to focus and observe, listen and recall information and make informed decisions and opinions