Dance

Dance is offered throughout the key stages, contributing to both the artistic and physical education of our students. In Key Stage 3, Dance is taught as part of the PE curriculum and is offered at GCSE and A-Level in the upper Key Stages. The Dance department is a thriving department with an excellent collaborative relationship with students and other members of the Expressive Arts Faculty. The dance teaching is excellent, delivered by two conservatoire trained dance teachers. The department has access to two studios. Both studios feature a sound system, smart board, and lighting equipment. The main studio is used as a performance venue (equipped with raised seating) as well as a place of learning.

Dance provides the opportunity for students to develop thoughts and feelings about the world around them through the experience of performing, planning, and evaluating dances. It offers a unique contribution to a student’s physical, moral, and cultural education and easily goes hand in hand with other curriculum subjects.

At Year 7 and 8, Dance is taught in single-sex classes. All five actions of dance, use of relationships, choreography and appreciation are explored in a range of dance genres.

GCSE Dance (offered from Year 9) is a popular subject which is offered at Key Stage 4 to all students (regardless of ability and prior experience). GCSE Dance provides the opportunity for students to perform, plan and analyse dances. We aim to allow our most talented dancers a pathway to achieve a qualification at the highest standard whilst encouraging all abilities to access Dance, even if not studied outside of school.

The purpose of the Dance Curriculum is to ensure that students can perform, choreograph and critically appreciate the work of professional dance practitioners and their own work. Students are provided with the opportunity to perform in a variety of different styles, in order to develop their versatility as a performer. This will also support their knowledge and understanding of dance from different cultures.

Our aim is for excellence in engagement in Dance by all; students are challenged and are driven. High standards of effort and focus are expected in Dance and our results reflect this. To prepare our students for further training and beyond, the Dance department works closely with local dance organisations and professionals. Many of our past students have gone on to study at dance conservatoires, well-respected universities, the Centre for Advanced Training and other national initiatives and now, as professionals, regularly return to deliver workshops for our students. We firmly believe in working with professional artists to give a wide and enriching dance programme as possible and we provide advice on their suitable pathways. Others, despite studying Dance to A Level have gone on to do Dentistry, Medicine, Bio-Mechanics, and Economics.

The GCSE course is taught over three years. Students are assessed in all areas of the course throughout each year so they can identify areas for progression in subsequent years. For those students who are new to the subject, key principles are embedded in the first two years of study.  Each term, all three years are formally assessed in either a practical or theoretical component.

Dance, by its very nature, is a physically demanding course and self-discipline is expected at all times; we remind our students that we are constantly assessing them in these skills for their examinations as well as future training and auditions. Consequently, students adhere to.