Drama & Performing Arts Curriculum Principles

To secure student investment in the Arts by providing opportunities to participate in the cultural life of the school community and share in its benefits.

To provide opportunities to explore different cultures, societies and histories via different genres, texts and styles of performance.

To ensure that all students have a grounding in how to creatively use; voice, physicality and audience awareness to present a role as well as becoming intelligent spectators through the practice of self and peer criticism.

To support the holistic qualities needed to lead passionate and compassionate lives such as; communication & listening skills, mutual responsibility, self-esteem, resilience and creativity.

To prepare students to be more aware of how their physical presentation can affect the way people see them. In addition to nurturing the personal and social skills required of them, enhancing their employability and raising aspirations.

Curriculum Intent

Through creative exploration in drama and performing arts, MLT students will learn to lead passionate and compassionate lives. They will explore multiple facets about different cultures, societies and histories, constantly making connections between those different to their own, to see their place in world and widen their perspective.

Drama and performing arts requires a great deal of peer trust, and so it plays an important role in teaching communication and listening skills. Students are consistently asked to participate in group work, it helps them to explore relationships on and off stage as well as teaching them about mutual responsibility. It supports the development of interpersonal skills such as speaking in public, and it is able to engender a deep sense of self-esteem that raises aspirations. Drama and performing arts encourages resilience, creativity, engagement, self-development and good citizenship. It can also help students to be more aware how their physical presentation can affect the way people see them. Thus preparing students for the personal and social skills required of them, enhancing their employability.

The structure of the curriculum is based on a spiral progression of learning. Through the recursive nature of the subject, pupils will re-visit the skills and techniques via different genres, texts and styles of performance, constantly building upon and developing their knowledge and understanding of performance. They will regularly explore how to creatively demonstrate; voice, physicality and audience awareness to present a role. The practice of critical self and peer reflection is embedded through the learning experience.

The link below take you to the 39 Week Plans for Performing Arts:

Performing Arts 39 Week Plans

The teaching staff in the Performing Arts department, led by Miss Hudson are available to answer any questions you or your child may have. e.hudson@stwacademy.com