Performing Arts
Intent
Our Performing Arts curriculum helps prepares students to become independent and creative learners in a respectful and supportive environment. A range of topics allow students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the arts from across the world and from different aspects of culture. Our curriculum aims to encourage and celebrate creativity and help develop skills in resilience, teamwork and social skills.
In each topic students are assessed in the following areas: Use of Performance techniques, Devising and performance, Group work, Characterisation, Evaluation, Quality of written work. This enables students to actively and practically put skills into practice that will support conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge.
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Implementation
Students follow a 5 year curriculum that builds on and develops their skills, knowledge and understanding in both production and performance working towards Level Two BTEC TECH Award in Performing Arts. Students will:
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Use recall from previous learning to make informed connections and extend understanding.
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Develop knowledge, skills and understanding of Performing Arts and the Performing Arts industry.
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Develop, select and apply performance techniques to creatively respond to performance briefs.
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Develop skills to successfully work independently and/or part of a team.
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Develop skills to verbally and write evaluations of self and the work of others.
Impact
Pupils enjoy the self-expression that they experience in Performing Arts and the lessons allow students to follow the departmental aim of; Expressing Individuality Creatively. Students are keen to learn new skills and work hard to develop these. Pupils’ learning is very often cross-curricular and evidence can be seen across the school in classrooms and through their performances and it helps them to express feelings and emotions as well as show their knowledge and understanding in other subjects. Students are given the opportunity to use skills learnt within school and outside of school performing in the Christmas and Summer concert, using both performance and production skills. Performing Arts is a popular course at KS4 with students choosing to explore production as well as performance routes.
Our Performing Arts Curriculum is planned to build upon skills learnt through each topic. Impact is measured through regular assessments at the end of each topic which take into consideration the whole process including; creating, performing and evaluating. Verbal feedback is innate within the lesson through constructive feedback and targets for improvement via teacher, self and peer. Whilst not all pupils may take the Performing Arts as a subject or outside interest past year 8 the aim is to install a lifelong love, understanding, curiosity and desire to have the arts embedded into their lives and continue to provide opportunities to.
Year 7
Building on skills and knowledge from kS2.
In Year 7, students start learning the baseline skills of drama – Devising, Movement, Freeze Frame and Characterisation.
Each element will be explored through different topics – Fables, Character, Conflict, Script and Musical Theatre. Students will have the opportunity to use a multitude of props and materials to aid their creativity.
These basics in Performing Arts are used throughout their time here at John Spendluffe and will form the key parts they will need to access the content at BTEC level.
Year 8
A continuation of developing skills based performing, composing and appraising.
In Year 8, students continue developing their baseline skills – Devising, Movement, Freeze Frame and Characterisation.
Students will continue to develop their knowledge further on these skills with added exploration and experimentation of characters and genres.
They will explore this through topics such as - Melodrama, Barriers, Scenarios and Musical Theatre.
Students will also develop their evaluation skills.
Year 9
Preparation for BTEC
In Year 9, students will look in depth at the baseline skills – Devising, Movement, Freeze Frame and Characterisation.
Students will learn how to analyse theirs and others work in more detail and present their evaluations in a comprehensive way.
Students will explore T.I.E and devising, learning the skills to create and make their own original performances.
Students will also explore a professional production - The Lion King - with the opportunity to travel to London to see the West End production.
BTEC
Our BTEC Performing Arts course aims to encourage pupils to develop their devising, evaluation and characterisation skills, along with their creativity through performance and devising.
The course has three components:
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Component 1: Explore the Performing Arts
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Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in Performing Arts
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Component 3: Responding to a Brief
Extra-Curricular Performing Arts
Annually we run a London trip to see The Lion King and other tourist attractions. This trip is aimed at years 9 and 10 to support the BTEC course.
We are also proud to boast two performing arts clubs. One club for Years KS3 and one for KS4. There are several opportunities throughout the year to perform to an audience, including the Christmas Concert and Summer Concert.
