Performing Arts

Music

Students will study performance, composition and listening skills through a variety of topics. In Year 7, the topics are Voice It, Rhythms around the world, Keyboard masterclass, Composing a melody, Film Music and Ensemble skills, Instruments of the Orchestra, Performing as a soloist. In Year 8 students study The Blues, Instruments of the Orchestra, World Music, Composing to a brief and more class ensemble skills.

Drama

KS3 Drama encourages the development and application of student imagination, communication and creativity whilst assessing progress in the three essential areas of making, performing and responding in Drama. 
In Year 7 students study dramatic techniques, use of voice and ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell. In Year 8 students build on this knowledge through devising Trestle Theatre, developing a scripted performance and comedy.

Performing Arts

This course provides a broad-based approach to the three disciplines of the Performing Arts to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills within dance, drama and music. The vocational context of the qualification is key to effective delivery, and this is provided through project briefs and assignments. 

Music

Music GCSE AQA 4270
Students continue at KS4 to study performing, composing and listening.
Students will perform one solo and one ensemble in Year 11 of the course and they will compose two pieces of music using Music Technology under controlled conditions. At the end of the course students will complete a listening test including set works, currently Haydn: Symphony 101 in D major The Clock, 2nd Movement, YES and The Beatles Sergeant Pepper, With a Little Help from my Friends, Within You, Without You and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Performing Arts BTEC L3

The course was introduced to capitalise on very highly motivated students with a passion for dance, drama and music. It should provide an excellent and broad educational base to enable each student to progress onto either Higher Education/University or employment within the Performing Arts Industries.

This provides a broad-based approach to the three disciplines of the Performing Arts to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills within dance, drama and music. The vocational context of the qualification is key to effective delivery, and this is provided through project briefs and assignments with a collective focus on Musical Theatre.

Music A Level- AQA

The A level is run as a linear course with students from both Y12 and Y13 studying together. Students continue to listen 40%, compose 25% and perform 35%. They explore compositional skills, completing a free composition and a composition to a brief. Performance is a recital of at least ten minutes with three contrasting pieces. Students also learn to analyse and evaluate familiar and unfamiliar pieces and answer questions based on aural extracts. The curriculum currently focuses on Popular Music– Stevie Wonder; Beyoncé; Daft Punk: Music for Theatre, Sondheim, Schoenberg, Lloyd Webber: Baroque- the solo concerto: Romantic: the piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg. Every lesson will involve performing and composing music, exploring the skills required to be the musicians of the future. Students are encouraged to fully participate in the life of the Music School from the Yamaha Music School through to leading choirs, orchestras and ensembles. Trips to see live music making are encouraged, with regular visits to the BBC Proms and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Drama

The course demands practical, creative and communication skills in almost equal measure. You will extend your ability to create drama and theatre through performance. You will also be required to write about drama and to develop your powers of analysis to become an informed critic. The course will involve taking part in drama productions, as well as studying plays and playwrights.

You need to be curious about issues and ideas and have a creative instinct for communicating your views through drama. You may be keen on acting, writing or on the visual and technical side of theatre and wish to develop your skills in some or all of these areas. Equally you will be interested in going to the theatre to see plays performed by different theatre companies.

AS-  Unit 1 – Exploration of Drama and Theatre: 40% of AS marks and 20% of A2 Unit 2 – Theatre Text in Performance: 60% of AS marks and 30% of A2

A2 - Unit 3 – Exploration of Dramatic Performance: 40% of AS marks and 20% of A2 Unit 4 – Theatre Text In Context: 60% of AS marks and 30% of A2