Performing Arts Curriculum

The Performing Arts encourage young people to explore their emotions, expand their creativity and allow them to develop their own unique voice. Each discipline of music, dance and drama engages a learner’s brain, body and emotions in a range of different ways to encourage their confidence and self expression. This course is able to provide learners with the skills to translate into a number of different careers, especially in performance and production. From jobs in the entertainment industry to more practical positions in fields such as business, art or education.

Year 10

Component One
Learners will examine live and/or recorded performances in at least three different styles in order to develop their understanding of professional performing arts work in one or more of acting, dance and musical theatre, with reference to influences, outcomes and purpose.

Learners will gain a practical appreciation of professional work by exploring existing performance material in acting, dance or musical theatre. They will learn how professionals may respond to or treat a particular theme or issue, how they use/interpret/modify a pre-existing style, and how they communicate ideas to their audience through stylistic qualities.

Component Two

In this component, learners will develop performing or design skills and techniques. Learners will have the opportunity to specialise as a performer or designer in one or more of the following disciplines: acting, dance, musical theatre. They will take part in workshops and classes where they will develop technical, practical and interpretative skills through the rehearsal and performance process.

Learners will work from existing performing arts repertoire, applying relevant skills and techniques to reproduce performance or design elements of the work. Throughout their development, they will review your own progress and consider how to make improvements. Developing performance or design skills and techniques will enable them to consider their aptitude and enjoyment for performing arts, helping them to make informed decisions about what they study in the future. This component will help learners to progress to Level 3 qualifications in performing arts or production arts, which look at skills and techniques in more detail.

Year 11

Component Three

In this component, learners will have the opportunity to respond to a brief. Each learner will be given a brief that outlines the performance and design requirements and asks them to consider their target audience and to start the creative process by using the stimulus included in the brief. Working as part of a group, learners will develop your ideas for a workshop performance and apply your skills and techniques to communicate your creative intentions to your audience.

The performance or design skills learners will use will vary depending on features such as their selected performance discipline and the content of the work, the venue and target audience. The work may involve improvisation, vocal work, movement techniques or assisting with audience involvement. The group performance may involve some solo or small-group work or it may be an ensemble piece. Learners will have the opportunity to inform the performance using existing or newly developed skills in performing or designing and adapting them to suit the performance.

This component will help them with progression to Level 2 or 3 vocational or academic qualifications. It will also enable learners to develop transferable skills, such as communication and teamwork, which will help them to progress to further study.