Performing Arts

Our overarching Curriculum Intent Statement is;

‘To encourage curiosity and creativity alongside knowledge and understanding so that our pupils move forward in life, with confidence and resilience, as valuable members of the local community and the wider world’.

Drama

Drama is often associated with play, especially play that involves pretending to be someone else. This act of ‘play’ is an important element of children’s learning. At Pensby Primary School Drama is playful in that it draws on and develops young people’s aptitude for learning about themselves and the world around them by pretending to be other people in other situations. Drama is a powerful learning tool for teaching our students about different perspectives, it shows them how to have empathy, and it helps them to learn in a creative and exciting way. Drama is associated with artistic practises and has significance in a diversity of cultural contexts. As a subject, it gives students a practical knowledge of how drama works as an art form and encourages them to recognise how drama is integral to cultures in different times and places. Drama education is particularly closely allied to other art subjects and to English. It supports English by developing communication skills, through practical exploration of texts and stimuli. Drama is the perfect vehicle to develop the vital skills of independence, appreciation and the 6 Cs: – concentration, cooperation, confidence, creativity, communication and critical thinking.

At Pensby Primary School Drama is covered throughout the school and incorporated into most music lessons with a specialist coach. Lessons are both theoretical and practical and are centred on developing a range of Drama knowledge, skills and techniques that not only will prepare students for Drama in other key stages and beyond but are also invaluable across all other subject areas. Students are taught how to engage imaginatively and intellectually with drama forms and conventions through storytelling, improvisation, role-play, hot seating, physical theatre as well as scripted and devised performances.

At Pensby Primary we passionately believe in making live performance available for young people. Drama trips to the local high school and local theatres are run to support student’s understanding of the live art. Each year there is one major school production and other various opportunities for children to perform happen throughout the year.

Dance

Dance is an integral part of the PE curriculum. In addition to its obvious health benefits, children can gain a deeper understanding of activities from the classroom by physically engaging with those topics. 

Dance promotes creativity, personal growth, social interaction, teamwork & problem solving. It can provide a vital outlet and a real boost to children’s confidence and contributes to the life and culture of the whole school. 

Dance/movement is covered throughout the school and incorporated into most music lessons with a specialist coach. Lessons are mostly practical and are centred on developing a range of Dance knowledge, skills and techniques that not only will prepare students for Dance in other key stages and beyond but are also invaluable across all other subject areas. 

Dance as a subject is unique, in that it blends artistic practice with physical activity. Dance has an affirmative impact on young people’s education and learning and offers opportunities for all young people to perform in school and in local events. Dance exhibits positive changes in well-being and promotes whole school improvement through influencing the culture of the school, raising aspiration and helping children to enhance and express their own identities and cultures. Multicultural dancing and different dance styles give children the opportunity to experiment, develop and discover movement skills which they would not acquire during other sports lessons. 

Dance enables children to gain artistic skills and discipline, as well as developing their ability in physical interaction, team working, problem solving, observing, evaluating, verbal and non-verbal communication. Through dance young people collaborate with other art forms, and make connections with design in space, musicality and creativity. It provides children with a positive, lifelong relationship with the arts and physical activity, particularly some children who may be resistant to participating in competitive sport, and boys who may never be exposed to dance outside of the school environment.