The Dance department strive to build a creative, collaborative environment where students can build on their dance knowledge. We provide opportunities to explore a wide variety of dance genres and performance opportunities across all years; such as dance shows, theatre trips and working with professional practitioners. Our main aim is to achieve the highest possible standards for all students and providing an enjoyable, interesting and challenging learning experiences.

At KS3 dance is delivered through PE over a 6-week cycle in each year. Both boys and girls groups will experience dance within their PE curriculum in KS3. Assessments will be conducted at the end of the 6 week cycle with create, perform and appreciate as the key indicators of progress.

At KS4 students will be able to opt to study the Level 1/2 BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts: With a dance approach during their core PE time and taken as an extra qualification to the pupils GCSE options. This qualification gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance, which cover the:

• Development of key skills that prove your aptitude in Performing Arts such as reproducing repertoire or responding to stimuli
• Process that underpins effective ways of working in the Performing Arts, such as development of ideas, rehearsal and performance
• Attitudes that are considered most important in the Performing Arts, including personal management and communication
• Knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, process and attitudes in the sector such as roles, responsibilities, performance disciplines and styles.

Component 1: – Exploring the performing arts worth 30%

The course starts with this component in Year 10 and pupils will study, watch and recreate a range of performances to develop their knowledge and understanding of the performing arts sector. This is a coursework-based unit, that pupils will be given an allocated assessment window to complete all coursework for this unit and is then externally moderated.

Component 2: – Developing Skills and Techniques in Performing Arts 30%

Pupils will then move on to component 2, where they develop their practical dance skills and re-create a professional piece of work. Pupils will reflect on their progress and development of their dance skills. This unit is also coursework based and will be externally moderated.

Component 3: – Responding to a Performing Arts brief worth 40 % (Exam)

This is the final unit pupils will complete in year 11 and will be in exam style conditions. Pupils are required to create a 7-15 minute performance based of a set brief and complete 3 written activities, discussing their ideas, skill development and review of the whole process. This work is marked by an external examiner.

All units have both practical and theoretical elements to them and require students to perform in a number of school shows.