Performing Arts

“All pupils should be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama. Pupils should be able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in the role. They should have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.” National Curriculum of England (2013).

Millbrook Combined School as a whole is a learning environment that nurtures and encourages each child to develop their full potential. Being a culturally diverse school, there is a lot of exposure, celebration and respect of different cultures and backgrounds. The teaching and learning of Performing Arts, under the aspects of dance, drama and music provides a great opportunity to harness this diversity. Although not categorically mentioned in the National Curriculum, drama as an aspect of Performing Arts is mentioned as a statutory part of English in the National Curriculum for England (2013). The Spoken Language section reads as follows:

The above paragraph makes a clear statement that all children should learn through and about drama and along with its accompanying aspects of music and dance should be adopted for great teaching and learning. Therefore the vision for Performing Arts is to help create a fun and safe environment where children can express themselves and standards can be raised in all subjects. The aims are to incorporate concepts and skills of Performing Arts to promote the progress in all areas of learning so that all students have the best opportunities to achieve set targets and develop engagement, communication, oracy, creative imagination and confidence in the children.

Key concepts, skills and understanding in Performing Arts will be fed down into schemes of work from the Reception class to Year Six in other to achieve the above aims. Through this vision for Performing Arts, we believe that children will leave Millbrook Combined School as confident, social and imaginative individuals with an understanding of performance and presentation skills.