UNDER REVIEW
Performing Arts plays an important role in the life of the school. Students follow courses in Drama and Music throughout Key Stage 3. Dance, Drama and Music are optional at Key Stage 4.
Students can get involved in a variety of projects throughout the year. Our productions invite all students to get involved. Each project has a different pattern to rehearsals and different levels of commitment are required. Students need to be sure that they can attend the rehearsals and performances before they get involved. Rehearsals can be at lunchtimes, after school and at weekends.
This year’s students have been able to get involved in the following:
Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, Percussion Ensemble,
Junior Dance Group, Senior Dance Group, Junior Drama Club, an original school show and a Hootenanny.
We organise visits to see live performances and invite some companies in with professional shows.
Drama is a group activity. Individual and team work skills are developed. We place great emphasis on creating an environment in which all students are respected, valued and able to develop confidence.
Students make Drama: exploring and devising through improvisation and scripting.
Students shape Drama: rehearsing and revising, polishing and perfecting.
Students perform Drama: within class and at times to other classes.
Students watch Drama: reflecting and evaluating on their own work and others’ work.
If the experience of Drama builds confidence and self respect, then it will have been a success; for others …….it may transform their lives.
Words and phrases that reveal the actions of a drama student:
Creating, making, shaping, researching, improvising, scripting, imagining, experimenting, generating, partnering, explaining, responding, risk taking, initiating, motivating, rehearsing, practising, revising, learning, remembering, persisting, extending, editing, trying, succeeding, surprising, acting, miming, performing, entertaining, characterising, role playing, expressing, moving, amusing, shocking, stunning, watching, realising, reacting, feeling, wondering, judging, enquiring, questioning, growing, caring, achieving, accepting, understanding, respecting, making your mark, finding your voice, being you at your best.
| YEAR 7 | In year 7 we aim to get students to believe in themselves and in their prospects of becoming excellent.
1 Working with others and experimenting in different styles 2 A class play based on the Charles Causley poem, Timothy Winters 3 Drama Building Blocks 4 An experiential drama project as a family travelling as 19th century emigrants on The Oregon Trail |
| YEAR 8 | In year 8 we aim to get students to develop skills as creators and performers
1 Absurd Comedy: using the comic poem The Lion and Albert as a starting point 2 Holiday from Hell: devised drama concentrating on the structure of a play 3 Scripted Drama: how an actor approaches a text 4 Times Zones: an experiment with multiple lines of narrative 5 Comedy Sketches: a look at classic comedy and a creative project 6 How to Succeed In Secondary School: a creative challenge. |
| YEAR 9 | In year 9 the projects have an eye to working expectations in Key Stage 4 and to the practitioners for later study
1 Court of Life: an exploration of a runaway approached with elements of Epic Theatre style 2 Building a Character: an approach to creating a role with an element of competition 3 Park Bench: a monologue scripting challenge 4 Naturalism and social drama 5 Risk: a creative task influenced by poetry and theatre extracts 6 Reality Time: a teamwork challenge |
Each of the projects has a natural end point when we can judge or reflect on what has been achieved. If a student has been able to work in a team, generate ideas, create a plan, rehearse effectively and then perform, then they will be an excellent student. Teacher feedback is usually oral and student feedback in the form of applause. Two projects operate like auditions and successful students are very clear of their success.
| Year 7 | Autumn
Can you listen Can you share Can you create Can you perform |
Spring
A whole class Performance and Evaluation |
Summer
Extended Role Play and Creating a trailer |
| Year 8 | Autumn
Absurd Comedy Performance and Creating a play with multiple role playing |
Spring
Creating a character from a script and Auditioning and Experimenting with multiple narratives |
Summer
Performing Comedy Sketches and Creating a Play from a Brief |
| Year 9 | Autumn
Performing in a Mock Trial and Building a Character through Improvisation and Auditioning |
Spring
Writing a Monologue and Performing a Monologue and Using Drama to Explore Issues |
Summer
Experimenting on a Theme and Teamwork Challenge Competition |
At Key Stage 4 we deliver Drama through the BTEC Performing Arts Tech Award Level 1 and Level 2. Students are expected to create performances for real audiences. They work at devising, and performing repertoire. They explore the ideas of several key practitioners in theatre. This course will develop confidence, capability and maturity and it is open to all students capable of gaining a pass. It is designed to give insight into the professional world of Drama and Theatre and is an excellent stepping stone to those wanting to go on to further study and who aspire to work in the profession.
The content can change but we currently explore the ideas of the Brazilian practitioner, Augusto Boal and his Theatre of the Oppressed, the ideas and work of German playwright, Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theatre and the acting approach pioneered by The Russian Theatre director and actor Konstantin Stanislavski.
The plays studied recently include The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Waiting for Godot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, I and You, Blood Brothers, Happy Families, Top Girls, Kindertransport, The Bar Mitzvah Boy, Oh! What a Lovely War and The Curious Incident of the Boy in the Nighttime.
| Component 1 | Exploring the Performing Arts
(Internal Assessment) |
Observe and Perform Repertoire
Make a presentation/report on performance styles, techniques and roles and on how practitioners create and influence what is performed |
| Component 2 | Developing Skills and Techniques
(Internal Assessment) |
Gain Skills during workshops and classes
Apply Skills in performances Reflect on Skills and how they have been developed, used and how they can be improved. |
| Component 3 | Performing to a Brief
(External Assessment) |
Use the Brief to Create Ideas
Choose Skills and techniques Build on skills Review your development Perform to a target audience Reflect on the performance |
Music, as a subject, can be separated into three different components – Performing, Composing and Listening & Appraising. These are taught and developed together with the aim to build personal skills that students can draw upon to succeed, not only in music lessons, but in other subjects and also beyond school life and in future employment. The core principles that are developed include problem solving, perseverance, diligence, team work, time management, organisation, responsibility, cultural history, listening skills, confidence, social skills, self-evaluation, interpersonal skills and sense of achievement.
The Key Stage 3 music curriculum is designed to build on what students have learnt at KS2; to develop their skills in performing, composing and appraising and prepare them for future study at KS4, should they choose it. At Key Stage 3, it is our intent to provide students with a broad, balanced and differentiated music curriculum, ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge, creative thinking and practical skills. We teach music in an engaging and enjoyable way involving much experiential and practical activity. We also encourage students to participate in opportunities to demonstrate creativity and to showcase their skills.
| Year 7 | During Year 7, students explore the elements of music through a variety of styles and genres, using various instruments. Students will learn to analyse and describe the music that they listen to using music specific vocabulary. They will compose and perform in groups with the focus on effective music making, developing knowledge and understanding of basic music theory and transferable skills.
Autumn Term 1: What’s the time? Rhythm & Pulse. Notes values and time signatures. Autumn Term 2: Graphic Scores: Exploring the various musical elements. Graphic notation Spring Term 1: Naming the Notes: Stave notation. Development of keyboard skills. Ensemble playing. Spring Term 2: Chinese Music: Pentatonic Scale, Ostinato, Drones. Summer Term 1: Instruments of the Orchestra: Recognition of different instrumental sounds. History of the Orchestra. Developing Keyboard Skills Summer Term 2: Ukulele Time: Introduction to Ukulele: basic technique and simple chords |
| Year 8 | In Year 8, students will continue to develop their skills in performing, composing and listening & appraising.
Autumn Term 1: Musical Theatre: Ensemble singing project based on Little Shop of Horrors Autumn Term 2: The Four Chord Trick: Understanding how chords are constructed and how they are used in popular music. Spring Term 1: Renaissance Music: Developing understanding of Early Music. Development of keyboard skills and bass clef notation reading. Spring Term 2: African and Samba Drumming: Understanding concepts such as Polyrhythm; Cross-rhythm and Call and Response. Djembe drumming techniques. Summer Term 1: Music for Film: Performing film themes and composing character motifs. Summer Term 2: Folk Music with the Uke: Developing Ukulele technique including understanding of tablature. Performing Sea Shanties and Cornish folk songs |
| Year 9 | In Year 9, students build on knowledge, understanding and skills already acquired and are shown correlation between the tasks and skills at KS3 and those required at KS4.
Autumn Term 1: Singing the Blues: Exploring the origins of the Blues and it’s characteristics. Developing understanding of 12 Bar Blues structure. Autumn Term 2: Snare Drumming: Developing a vaster understanding of rhythm and snare drumming technique. Spring Term 1: Music of The Caribbean: Reggae and Calypso music. Spring Term 2: The Romantic Period: Romantic Genres, including Programme Music; Opera and The Concerto Summer Term: What Makes a Good Song? Culmination project involving songwriting, song arranging and performing: Students write and perform their own song in groups. |
At Key Stage 4, music is about providing students with the skills to become an all round competent musician with a wide range of knowledge in various areas of music. It also naturally leads on to courses at Post-16 and beyond. Our aim at KS4 is to encourage students to engage critically and creatively with a wide range of musical styles from different cultures and contexts and reflect on how music is used in the expression of personal and collective identities. Through the OCR GCSE music course, students will:
Develop more advanced skills in music performance as both a soloist and ensemble player
Learn the technical skills needed to become an effective composer discuss and explain the use of musical elements with correct musical vocabulary
Develop skills in musical analysis and an ability to appraise music confidently, accurately and expressively.
Students will be required to submit two compositions and two performances and will finish the course with a listening and appraising exam testing their understanding of western classical music, popular music, world music and music for film and video games.
| Year 10: OCR GCSE Music Course | |
| Autumn Term | Performing:
|
| Spring Term | Performing:
Composing:
Listening and Appraising:
|
| Summer Term | Performing:
Composing:
Listening and Appraising:
|
| Year 11 GCSE Music: OCR Board | |
| Autumn Term | Performing:
Composing:
Listening and Appraising:
|
| Spring Term | Performing:
Composing:
Listening and Appraising
|
| Summer Term | Listening and Appraising
|
Each unit of learning leads to a practical assessment which is recorded and evaluated by both teacher and students. There will also be listening assessments each term testing students’ ability to aurally identify, analyse and evaluate a range of musical elements and stylistic features.
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| Yr7 | Polyrhythmic composition and performance
Atmospheric composition and performance |
Group performance of “Somebody that I used to know”
Chinese group composition and performance |
Paired ensemble performance of “Ode to Joy”
Ukulele performance assessment |
| Yr8 | Class performance of Skid Row
Christmas Song/Rap composition and performance |
Paired ensemble performance of a Renaissance Pavane
Group performance of Samba piece |
Group composition of incidental music
Performance of Cornwall my Home (Ukulele/Voice) |
| Yr9 | Group composition and performance based on traditional Blues music
Snare drum performance assessment |
Group performance of “Three Little Birds”
Group composition and performance based on Danse Macabre |
Group composition and performance of a song in a popular style |
Students sit a listening and appraising exam in the final year of GCSE study, which equates to 40% of the GCSE. Students are assessed on their listening skills after completion of each area of study. Composing and performing work takes place over the duration of the course and is assessed at certain points throughout.
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| Yr10 | Solo & Ensemble Performance Assessment
Listening & Appraising:
|
Solo Performance Assessment
Listening & Appraising:
|
Submission of Composition 1
Ensemble Performance Assessment Listening & Appraising:
|
| Yr11 | Solo & Ensemble Performance Mock Recording
Listening & Appraising:
|
Solo & Ensemble Performance Recording
Submission of Composition 2 |
Listening & Appraising Exam |
| KS3 | |
| 7,8,9 | In year 9, students can opt to take part in a 7 week unit of dance in their core PE lessons. Students that register their interest at this point are then invited to join an extra curriculum group in which their skills are developed further. This work forms a foundation of skills and understanding for those wishing to pursue Dance as a Level 2 study option in Key Stage 4. |
At Key Stage 4 we deliver Dance through the BTEC Performing Arts Tech Award Level 1 and Level 2. Students are expected to create performances for real audiences. They work at devising, and performing repertoire. They explore the ideas of several key practitioners in the historic and contemporary world of dance. This course will develop confidence, capability and maturity and it is open to all students capable of gaining a pass. It is designed to give insight into the professional world of Dance and Theatre and is an excellent stepping stone to those wanting to go on to further study and who aspire to work in the profession.
The content will change in response to the existing skills and interests of the group. This allows us to both showcase and challenge performance, technical and creative skills within the particular cohort that year.
Our study of professional dance is done holistically with a view to understanding processes and techniques in relation to other art forms. Students will consider a range of aspects,
This in turn will help them gain a more vocational, real world understanding and appreciation of how dance is used in a range of professional vocational contexts.
Practically, we aim to develop the potential of students as performers and creators through encouraging individuality and self expression. Students often take the subject to improve their confidence and communication skills in addition to developing stronger skills as a technical dance performer. Although there is no requirement to bring existing technical skills to the course, it does help if the student has had some recent dance experiences.
Students perform in three to four shows per year providing an excellent opportunity to challenge and assess their performing skills.
The course provides an excellent foundation for studying Dance further at Level 3 either on a BTEC or A level course.
| Component 1 | Exploring the Performing Arts
(Internal Assessment) |
Observe and Perform Repertoire
Make a presentation/report on performance styles, techniques and roles and on how practitioners create and influence what is performed |
| Component 2 | Developing Skills and Techniques
(Internal Assessment) |
Gain Skills during workshops and classes
Apply Skills in performances Reflect on Skills and how they have been developed, used and how they can be improved. |
| Component 3 | Performing to a Brief
(External Assessment) |
Use the Brief to Create Ideas
Choose Skills and techniques Build on skills Review your development Perform to a target audience Reflect on the performance |
