The Performing Arts Team deliver Music, Drama and Performing Arts. The Team is led by Miss R Lenk, and is happy to answer any of your queries about our department.

Performing Arts Intent

The over-arching aim of Performing Arts at WMA is the help students explore methods of communication using key skills and techniques to personally express thoughts and feelings whilst evoking emotional responses from their audiences. Through performance, students will become more culturally and self aware, whilst gaining a broader understanding of the fundamental performance skills, techniques, styles, playwrights and the industry, helping foster and focus their individual creativity and personal growth within the arts. Ultimately students will gain the relevant knowledge surrounding Performing Arts to enable them to appreciate, enjoy, understand and strive to contribute to the ever changing and ever growing creative industry and what a positive impact this has across the world.  

Music Intent

Music is part of what makes us human. We listen to it every day and at the defining moments of our lives. It helps us feel emotions and understand ourselves. It is our history, it brings us together and it demonstrates the best we can be. At Whitcliffe, we want our students to become proud musicians who love making music together. 

Listening 

Throughout their music study at Whitcliffe, students will listen to great examples of music. This includes popular music, the Western classical tradition, and styles from Latin America to West Africa and Asia. We have this broad range so that students gain a rich appreciation of cultures around the world.  

Performing 

Students should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. They will study piano, ukulele, a range of percussion, singing and guitar. Performances are regular to develop students’ confidence and foster a sense of achievement.  Singing is a fantastic way to help students feel part of society and is proven to improve wellbeing. We sing regularly at Whitcliffe. 

Composition 

Composition is an excellent way for students to express themselves. Throughout their musical journey at Whitcliffe, they will learn how to compose their own music in different situations, such as film music, sound for media and pop music. This includes learning staff notation and how to use sophisticated music technology, because these are skills that will help them succeed in the real world. 

Our curriculum introduces the skills of listening, performing and composing in Year 7 and we build on these as students move up the school. We hope students will finish music having a love for it, feeling they have achieved in it, and having pride in their musical accomplishments. 

KS3 Drama

Through our challenging and engaging curriculum, students should develop a critical understanding of drama, allowing them to create interesting pieces of theatre, become engaging performers and reflective responders. These elements link into the three areas of assessment and the assessment structure used at KS4 – Creating, Performing and Responding, Explore, Develop, Apply. Our aim is to provide students with the means to:

• Create imaginative pieces of theatre using a range of drama skills and techniques from a range of practitioners and playwright
• Perform confidently, making full use of their physicality and vocality
• Confidently analyse performances and works using the appropriate drama terminology

KS3 Music

The music curriculum has been created to provide students with a range of musical experiences that they may not otherwise be able to access in their lives outside formal education. By studying music in school, students are provided with a safe environment to explore their creativity and emotional freedom, to cultivate new skills and to understand how musical experiences can benefit them personally, this includes developing teamwork and communication skills, developing their self-esteem and confidence, learning to persevere and developing resilience. Our aim is to provide students with the means to:

• Listen to a range of music and critically analyse musical choices using appropriate musical terminology
• Perform confidently their own and music composed by others
• Compose music in a wide range of styles

KS4

Students at KS4 receive five high quality, intense 60 minute lessons over two weeks. The two year BTEC courses is taken with the Edexcel/Pearson examination board. Students are taught in mixed groups and progress is tracked and monitored by the department to provide additional support and intervention. Students will complete assignments set by the exam board that are a mix of practical and controlled coursework. Students study and research a range of professional production work, develop their own skills and techniques and devise their own work responding to a brief. The course is built to prepare students for life within the industry and give as many opportunities to develop their performance and character skills.

Performing Arts: BTEC Technical Award (2022) in Performing Arts

Specification - Pearson BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award in Performing Arts 2022

Music: NCFE Music Technology

501-1216-8-qualification-specification.pdf

 

Please click the links below to view our curriculum plans