This Learning Area leads on Physical Education, Art and Music, and works closely with other Learning Areas across the school.
ART
In Art, students explore the visual world to communicate ideas and meanings. They work with traditional media, as well as IT, developing confidence, competence, imagination and creativity. They learn to appreciate and value images and artefacts across times and cultures, and to understand the contexts in which they were made. Students reflect critically on their own and other people's work, judging quality, value and meaning. They learn to think and act as artists, craftspeople and designers, working creatively and intelligently. They develop an appreciation of art and design and its role in the creative and cultural industries that enrich their lives. Through these processes they learn to understand and to respect and value their own and others' cultures and traditions. Through becoming a discerning artist, students learn how to shape and influence their environment and the artefacts upon which we depend.
At Key Stage Four, all students have the opportunity to elect an Art & Design double GCSE course. Photography is one of the many skill areas on offer and students successfully progress to 'A' level and BTEC programmes at 6th form level and beyond. Trips to galleries and museums, including abroad, complement and strengthen students' insights and skills.
MUSIC
Music is a unique form of communication that can change the way students feel, think and act. Music forms part of an individual's identity and positive interaction with music develops students' competence as learners and increases their self-esteem. Music brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development. As an integral part of culture, past and present, music helps students understand themselves, relate to others and develop their cultural understanding, forging important links between home, school and the wider world.
Music education encourages active involvement in different forms of music-making, both individual and communal, helping to develop a sense of group identity and togetherness. Music can influence students' development in and out of school by fostering personal development and maturity, creating a sense of achievement and self-worth, and increasing students' ability to work with others in a group context.
All students follow a Music programme at Key Stage Three, and at Key Stage Four, Music and Performing Arts GCSE enables intense skills and understanding development. We have a specialist suite of Apple Macs which are perfect for composition and which students find engaging and easy to interact with.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
PE develops students' competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities, encouraging them to become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school, so enhancing healthy fitness.
Our high-quality PE curriculum enables all students to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are peforming, they think about what they are doing, analyse the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others' performances and find ways to improve them. As a result, they develop the confidence to take part in different physical activities and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles. Discovering what they like to do, what their aptitudes are at school, and how and where to get involved in physical activity helps them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity. Our Sportsearch programme helps them with this, and also signposts them to local clubs and projects that will support their development.
PE helps students develop personally and socially. They work as individuals, in groups and in teams, developing concepts of fairness and of personal and social responsibility. They take on different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, coaching and officiating. Through the range of experiences that PE offers, they learn how to be effective in competition, creative and challenging situations.
At Key Stage Four, all students follow at least the half-GCSE PE course and most follow either a full GCSE PE course, a BTEC Sports programme, or a BTEC Performing Arts: Dance course. There is a very high level of success across all courses and good progression routes, either to 'A' level or to Level 3 BTEC courses.
As a school which trains and develops many teachers, coaches and officials, there are many opportunities for students to develop in a range of different ways and with different skills sets.