Welcome to the Performing Arts department.  This is a lively and vibrant department with four dedicated and hardworking specialists in both Music and Drama.

The provision for Performing Arts is good with all learners being taught to the end of Key Stage 3 for one lesson per week, and many opting to continue into Key Stage 4 with a range of courses including GCSE Music and Drama and BTEC Performing Arts and Music.

Meet the team...

• Miss M. O'Keefe (Department Learning Co-ordinator and Music teacher)
• Miss C. Taberham (Drama teacher)
• Miss C. Preece (Assistant Headteacher, Music and Drama teacher)
• Mrs J. Desprez (Music teacher)

Key Stage 3

Music

In Year 7 learners cover the following units:  introduction, class singing, the elements of music, Christmas keyboard project, Pulse and Notation, Blues and Jazz, ‘Water.' 

In Year 8 learners go on to study Form and Structure, Christmas Keyboard project, Film music and Popular music.

Drama

In Year 7 learners study theme based drama (bullying), silent movies and pantomime, a cross curricular approach to World War 2 and scripted work based on a Midsummer Night's Dream.

In Year 8 learners learn to build tension through The Robbery; script based work, themed work based on Citizenship and Mask work.

The emphasis in both subjects is on the technical language and the ability to put this into practice.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Music (AQA exam board):  Learners complete work in Listening and Appraising, Composing and Appraising, Performing music and Composing.

GCSE Drama (AQA exam board):  Introduction to Drama, devising and text.  Learners complete their Controlled Assessment based on script work.  The skills workshops introduce different theatre styles.  The second piece of Controlled Assessment is based on devised thematic work.

BTEC Music covers the following units:  Working in the Music Industry, Professional Development in the Music Industry, Rehearsal Techniques for Musicians and the Development of Music.

BTEC Performing Arts covers Working in the Performing Arts Industry, Professional Development in the Performing Arts Industry, the Development of Drama and Working in a musical ensemble.

Extra curricular activities:

Our production of Oliver takes place in February 2012.

KS3 Drama Club

Woodwind Ensemble

Yea7 to Year 9 Choir

Guitar group

‘Glee' club

GCSE and BTEC rehearsal time

A variety of different theatre and music trips are run during the academic year.