Performing Arts

Welcome

In Performing Arts, students follow a practical course which is accompanied by on-going written coursework.  Components of work are designed to explore performance styles, techniques and the performing arts industry. Students develop their skills in teamwork, by taking on different roles and responsibilities and become proficient in research, as they explore the world of performance. The Level 2 Tech Award is sequenced to ensure learners are able to progress and build on prior learning, ready for their final component which is externally assessed.

Key Staff

Miss Carr - Head of Key Stage 4
Mrs McAdam - Head of Key Stage 5
Mr Franklin - Teacher of Performing Arts
Mrs Dix - HLTA (Creatives)

Key Stage 4

Performing Arts BTEC Level 2
Curriculum Intent

Performing Arts students will develop their skills in acting, singing and dancing and apply these to a number of different repertoires. Students will understand the many different roles within the arts and will be able to discuss how different components interlink.  
Homework Intent

Homework for Performing Arts looks to enrich students’ knowledge of the performing arts industry, as well as building on students’ familiarity with professional repertoire.  

Exploring the Performing Arts
Students will develop their understanding of the performing arts industry by examining practitioners work and the processes used to create a performance. Students will take part in practical workshops and carry out research to explore these styles and techniques. Students will evidence their findings through a portfolio of written evidence.

Developing skills and techniques in the Performing Arts
In this component, students will develop their performing skills through the reproduction of musical theatre pieces. Students will learn how a production team works and will produce a workshop performance. This year students have explored the musicals, Come From Away, The School of Rock and Blood Brothers.

Responding to a brief
Students will be given the opportunity to work as part of a group to produce a workshop performance in response to a given brief and stimulus. Students will document this process in three controlled assessments.
Summary Curriculum Plan

 Year 11

Key Stage 5

Performing Arts BTEC Level 3

Curriculum Intent

In Performing Arts we intend to inspire our students to develop their acting, dancing and singing skills, be creative and be resilient and reflective not only in the subject but as a person. This will enable them to be effective performers as well as kind and well-rounded members of the community. 

Homework Intent

Homework for Performing Arts looks to enrich students’ knowledge of the performing arts industry, as well as building on students’ familiarity with professional repertoire. 
The Performing Arts BTEC at Level 3 is equivalent to one A-Level and will be completed over two years. Throughout the two year course students will study three mandatory units and one optional unit; an examined paper where pupils investigate a practitioners' work, a project developing practical skills, a group devised piece as well as a variety performance show. The course is highly practical and students will need to commit to rehearsals.

Year 12

Year 13 

Inclusion

Intent

It is our intent that pupils with special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum, learn alongside their peers and achieve similar outcomes.

In addition, they may benefit from additional opportunities in the lessons and in the co-curricular activities that are arranged especially for them.

SEND Implementation and Impact

Pupil Premium Intent

Literacy

Reading Aims:

  • To ensure students are equipped to understand command words in questions
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent reading strategies to aid comprehension when reading and answering exam questions
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent reading strategies when interpreting stimuli and play texts.
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent reading strategies when interpreting how authorial intent/directors intent/ language/ structure impact the meaning of a text
  • To support students in understanding new or complex vocabulary that they encounter in their reading
  • To support students with reading out loud and therefore pronunciation
  • To encourage students to read for pleasure outside of the lessons

Writing aims:

  • To ensure students are equipped with strategies to construct their answers
  • To equip students with strategies to reflect on and redraft their writing.
  • To explicitly teach key words for Drama.
  • To support spelling, punctuation and grammar using the Whole School Feedback & Marking Policy to enable students to write fluently.

Spoken Language Aims:

  • To ensure students understand the difference between formal and informal/colloquial language.
  • To ensure students are equipped with the skills to structure a spoken performance.
  • To support students to use projection and annunciation.
  • To teach students how to listen and respond formally and respectfully
  • To provide students with opportunities for structured talk

Select for Literacy Strategies

Co-Curricular

Productions are an exciting yearly event and performed at the end of the Christmas term. All students from Year 7 to 13 are invited to take part and can contribute in many different ways! From performing, to sound and lighting, backstage crew, hair, make-up and choreography, the production is a real whole school event!

Link to our school productions gallery

In Years 7, 8 and 9 there is a Drama Club which is run by our Year 12 Theatre Studies students. This lunchtime club, gives pupils the opportunity to expand and explore their talents within drama.

In Years 8, 9 and 10 we run Musical Theatre Thursdays, this is where pupils are able to rehearse and perform some of their favourite musical hits! From learning choreography to singing your heart out, Musical Theatre Thursdays are all about having fun and sharing a love of musicals.

Tech Club is run once a week by our Performing Arts Technician and allows students to explore the backstage roles and all the elements that are needed to put on a production.

At GCSE and A-Level, classes go on at least two trips to the theatre per year, this gives our students the opportunity to see live and professional theatre, as well as increasing ambition to create similar work.

For those students who wish to study Theatre or Performing Arts further, we offer 1:1 tuition to help prepare our students for continued professional development, this can include support with auditions and individual tutorials. We are very proud to have a number of alumni, who are currently working and/or training within the arts. 

Alumni
Ally website

Aylin Scott - The Academy of Live & Recorded Arts

Phil website

Phil Fletcher - BA Acting Hons Graduate from St. Mary's University
Harry wesbite

Harry Mayes - Broadcast Production Assistant for Warner Brothers

Ella website

Ella Mae - Drama Studio London

To catch up on all thing’s drama, you can find us @edgbarrowdrama on Instagram.

Drama insta

Independent Study

Key Stage 4

Revise BTEC Tech Award Performing Arts Revision Guide. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Sally Jewers, Heidi McEntee, Paul Webster. ISBN: 9781292245621

https://www.theatrecraft.org/

https://getintotheatre.org/

If you are able to, go and see theatre. From West End performances to local venues,  the theatre experience should enhance students understanding of the performing arts world. 

For further information regarding our Performing Arts Curriculum please email:
Miss Carr (Head of Department) rachel.carr@edgbarrowschool.co.uk 
Mrs McAdam stephanie.mcadam@edgbarrowschool.co.uk