CREATIVE ARTS

INTENT: WITHIN THE SUBJECT

The Creative Arts rotation is in addition to our existing offer of creative arts subjects in Year 7, with the intention to build on knowledge and skills learnt in class whilst removing the limitations that assessment can have on creative freedom. The skills taught as part of the rotation support and enhance students’ learning in class and contribute to their overall improvement and progress in each subject area. Students are able to fully express themselves through the choice of topics and themes within each subject; producing work that supplements what they do in lessons, but is also, in the case of Music and Dance, practice for whole school performances/ concerts/ productions.

Year 7 are at such a vital point of transition, having had minimal/ limited access to creative subjects in Key Stage 2, and the Creative Arts rotation allows for additional support in these subject areas to bridge the gap of learning, which leads to good progress. The course content in each subject is designed to motivate students, and engage their imaginations to encourage resilience and self-expression. The Creative Arts subjects are as follows: Art, Graphics, Music, PE, Dance and Drama.

SUBJECT CONTENT

CREATIVE: ART

Students develop their three-dimensional skills learning about the formal elements ‘form and structure’ working to a ‘Mythical Bugs’ theme as part of the Creative rotation. Students plan their bug through photo montage techniques, and are then introduced to a series of 3D materials which they consider when planning how they will construct their mythical bug. Problem solving skills are enhanced as students work in small groups to create their bug, using recycled materials, tape, newsprint paper, wire, amongst other materials and papier mâché. Different textures are then applied to the resulting bug before it is painted and decorated further with patterns and other necessary materials. The course allows students to develop their 3D skills and explore their imagination in more depth with an emphasis on creative freedom and exploration.

CREATIVE: MUSIC

In the music element of the Creative Arts rotation, we focus on practical music-making skills. Students begin on ukulele, learning basic chords, and developing the skills to transition between these chords to perform several contemporary popular songs. We also work on vocal skills and musicianship to create a holistic performance. This is then developed further with work on chair drumming, developing rhythmic and coordination skills, and triad chords on keyboard. Students then combine all of the elements learnt to work on a cover version of a song of their choice in small groups, which they rehearse and build on over several sessions, before performing these to the group, developing their performance and feedback skills. Throughout the unit, students gain confidence in using practical musicianship as well as vocal and instrumental techniques, and develop the aural skills, team-work and resilience to construct a song from multiple parts over a period of time

CREATIVE: DANCE

The Creative rotation Dance lesson is adapted depending on the allocation of Dance lessons within KS3 PE for the Year 7 groups. If students do not have a timetabled Dance lesson within the KS3 PE curriculum, they will participate in Dance as part of the Creative rotation. The course content will mirror that taught in the KS3 PE Dance lessons, so that the curriculum is fully inclusive and the same content is covered by all. Students will perform, choreograph and appreciate Dance pieces such as one from ‘Cats: the musical’. There are focused lessons on improving Dance techniques, as well as opportunities (depending on where the rotation falls within the year) to learn a Dance piece, so that students have the opportunity to perform as part of the whole school Production. For those who are not part of this rotation, there is the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular Dance Club if they still wish to participate in the whole school Production.

CREATIVE: GRAPHICS

As part of the Creative rotation in Design and Technology, students will develop their drawing, designing and making skills with the DT workshop. Students will develop isometric drawing skills which will lead onto them designing a wooden block bot. This will also allow the students to carry on developing their colour theory and rendering skills. Once the design stage has been completed, the students will then turn their designs into a little wooden robot. This allows the students to see their 2D designs come alive in wood and experience using different wood working tools. Health and safety will be demonstrated at all times within the workshop, and skills including measuring, sawing, drilling, sanding and gluing will be developed

CREATIVE: DRAMA

The Creative Drama sessions offer an opportunity for the students to develop the skills they are acquiring in their Drama subject lessons. The students create group-devised pieces exploring key themes and issues that reflect the experiences of young people such as peer pressure and family relationships. Using formal structures such as the use of freeze-frame, narration and flashback the students work together and build on important transferable skills such as team-working, communication, leadership, creative problem solving and freedom of expression. Each session explores a different theme and the use of a different Drama skills and concludes in the group - performance of their work to the class followed by evaluation and discussion about the way the issues have been handled. This provides an excellent opportunity to share and build on the school’s core values within a safe and creative space as well as enabling the students to explore and articulate their own responses and to build on their developing sense of self-hood.

CREATIVE: PE

As part of their Creative rotation PE lesson, we aim to teach students higher level skills, reinforcing what has been learnt in lessons, to assist them with their KS3 PE assessments. The lesson also provides students with the opportunity to participate in specialist subjects they may have missed as part of the KS3 PE lesson rotation, such as Dance and Trampolining. The course is designed to be inclusive so that all students cover the full range of Sport and Dance activities in Year 7 across KS3 PE and the Creative rotation. Each group focuses on ONE activity for their rotation, with Dance, Trampolining or Netball in the first two terms, then Dance, Athletics or Rounders in the Summer term.