Curriculum Structure - Key Stage 3
Implementation
Students will study all three disciplines within the Performing Arts; Dance, Acting and Music. Students will explore a range of genres, choreographic ideas and styles, with an aim to gain confidence, performance skills and dance technique. Within Drama, students will develop and explore many different drama elements through practical skills focusing on vocal and physical techniques. Within Music, we engage students to develop a passion of music and develop their talents and skills through practical and theory lessons in a wide range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, using the works of famous composers and musicians. The students will gain self-confidence in, creativity, composition skills, instrumentation and how early Music is still relatable to the music heard today. All schemes of work, focus on different styles, genres, approaches and support students when deepening their knowledge and level of understanding of the Arts as a whole.
Performing Arts is about passion, self-discipline, self-expression and creativity.
Students will be taught:
- To produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
- To become proficient in Performance skills, Listening skills, Creative/ Practical skills, Personal and professional skills.
- To evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of Dance, Drama & Music.
- To know about great performers and Practitioners and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
- To use a range of skills, techniques and media.
- To analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work.
- About the history of Dance, Drama, and Music, including periods, styles and major movements from ancient times up to the present day.
Year 7
Dance Curriculum Content
Drama Curriculum Content
Music Curriculum Content
Studying cultural education subjects, such as dance, drama and music, sparks creativity across the curriculum. We encourage students to be inquisitive, disciplined and determined. Within year 7 students work on a carousel in Dance and Drama in which they will study each discipline three times a year. and Music is studied once every two weeks. This will give students insight on all pathways and topics within the Performing Arts. Students will build on their confidence, creativity and organisation.
Dance- Within Dance students, study a wide range of different genres. This encourages students to step outside the box, learn about different cultures and practitioners and challenges them within their learning. Students will work within groups and will perform their work created. They will be assessed each term in the following areas; Knowledge, Creativity, Performance and Evaluation. Topics students will be studying within dance are; Dancing through the decades, African Dance and Musical Theatre. These topics are focused on practitioners within each genre and allow students to build on their subject knowledge as well as their choreographic skills.
Drama- Similarly to Dance, Drama will also cover a wide range of topics to develop students understanding of stage acting, screen acting and the history of. Students will engage in; Commedia Dell’Arte, Pantomime, Shakespeare, vaudeville, Variety and Musical Theatre Students will be assessed in the same areas however acting will have a more tailored pathway.
Music- Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Music should engage and inspire students to develop their love and passion for music and their talents as musicians. Music builds on self-confidence, hand eye coordination, creativity and self-discipline. It allows to students to express themselves in different ways other than speaking. Some of the topics studied in music are; Introduction to Music, Rhythmic and Melodic Duets, Film Music and Singing. This will develop a foundation of understanding of performance, composition, structure and Instrumentation.
Year 8
Dance Curriculum Content
Drama Curriculum Content
Music Curriculum Content
In Year 8, students continue to develop their creativity, confidence, and technical skills across Dance, Drama, and Music. Building on their Year 7 experiences, they explore a wider range of performance styles and traditions, while also learning how to work more independently and collaboratively. Dance and Drama are taught on a carousel three times a year, and Music is delivered once every two weeks. This varied programme gives students the opportunity to grow as well-rounded performers, creators, and critical thinkers.
Dance- Students explore a range of styles and techniques to improve both performance and choreography skills. They will develop expressive movement and storytelling through Physical Theatre, study the unique performance style of Michael Jackson, and perform high-energy routines inspired by soundtracks such as The Chase and Mission Impossible.
Drama- Students develop stagecraft, characterisation, and ensemble performance through a mix of modern and classical material. They will perform scenes from Bugsy Malone and The Great Gatsby and explore the history and performance conventions of Morality Plays and Greek Theatre. This balance of practical work and historical context helps students understand how theatre has evolved.
Music- Students extend their musical knowledge and practical skills through performance, composition, and listening. They will perform traditional Gamelan music, strengthen their vocal technique through warm-ups and singing, explore the Evolution of Music using Bandlab to compose and arrange, and study the Best of British to celebrate influential home-grown artists and styles.
Year 9
Dance Curriculum Content
Drama Dance Curriculum
Music Curriculum Content
The Performing Arts curriculum prepares students to become independent and creative individuals. Subjects promote an overall appreciation of the arts both inside and outside of the classroom developing discipline, control and focus allowing them to grow into well rounded adults. Within year 9, students will rotate within three areas; Performing Arts, Arts Award and Music. This will allow students to get experience in all areas and have a wide range of knowledge and understanding about the Arts, not only on stage, but behind the scenes. This pathway allows students to have a real insight on careers within the Arts and have an in depth understanding about there this could lead them in the future. At the end of Term 3, students will be set into 3 different groups which will give opportunity for students to have a deeper understanding and foundation on a possible chosen subject for Key Stage 4.
Within the Performing Arts pathways, students will be studying a wide range of practitioners. They will look at the history of how that practitioner became who they were and what they are known for, the style and genre of that practitioner and look at performance works. Students will study musical theatre as a whole and will have insight on Dance, Drama and Music both separately and as one. Students will also be assessed on both practical and theory work within this area.
In Year 9, students undertaking the Dance pathway will follow a structured curriculum designed to introduce the knowledge and skills required for the BTEC Tech Award in Dance. They will study professional works such as The Nutcracker and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, developing analytical skills by examining how choreographers and performers communicate themes and intentions through movement. Students will focus on the skills and techniques of a performer, with particular attention to physical, technical, and expressive qualities, as well as the application of safe practice. Choreographic skills will be embedded through practical tasks that require students to respond creatively to a variety of stimuli, while also exploring the work of key practitioners and significant dance performances, some of which will be recreated to build understanding of professional repertoire. Learning will be organised into mini-components modelled on the BTEC Tech Award assessment framework, ensuring students are well prepared for the demands of the qualification at Key Stage 4.
In Year 9, students undertaking the Drama pathway will engage with a curriculum designed to prepare them for the requirements of GCSE Drama. They will explore a variety of theatrical styles and forms, including Verbatim Theatre, while studying set texts such as Blood Brothers and other selected plays to develop skills in script analysis, interpretation, and performance. Devising will form a central part of the curriculum, with students creating original work in response to a range of stimuli to strengthen creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. In addition, students will develop performance skills through the study and staging of duologues, focusing on vocal and physical characterisation as well as interpretative choices. Learning will be structured through mini-components that reflect the assessment style of GCSE Drama, enabling students to gain early experience in both practical performance and evaluative reflection. This ensures they are equipped with the core knowledge and skills necessary for success at Key Stage 4.
Within the Music pathway, students will be studying the theory behind music. They will be deepening their knowledge, looking at the history of practitioners, music styles, the wide range of instruments and the commonalities in music then with music we hear today. Students will be looking at Blues, Reggae, Performance and compositional skills alongside the music technology route such as; sampling, looping and producing. This will allow students to establish where their strengths are within music and will encourage them to take the next time within key stage 4.
In terms 4,5 and 6 once students have been placed into their 3 set groups to deepen their understanding, they will look at completing mini versions of study from KS4.
Impact
Students receive regular verbal and formative feedback to enable them to develop their skills across each discipline and will also complete a summative assessment at the end of each term. Summative assessments will take the form of students creating a series of experiments and a final piece which will be reflected on throughout projects and a grade will be fed back at the end. All students will be taught to analyse and evaluate their own work and the work of others in order to strengthen their outcomes. They are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the programme of study.
We provide a rich extracurricular activities programme and regular afterschool workshops to provide opportunities to develop creativity and an understanding of creative and improvisational skills. We celebrate the arts through the organisation of trips, workshops, Festivals and competitions to provide students with a rich Arts experience.
