Performing Arts
Faculty Leader
Mrs C. Stott – Faculty Leader Creative Arts
Teaching Staff
Mrs A. Thomasson – Dance & Drama Teacher
Music Department Vision
“Music is an enriching and valuable academic subject. Research evidence shows that a quality music education can improve self-confidence, behaviour and social skills, as well as improve academic attainment in areas such as numeracy, literacy and language.”
The Government response to Darren Henley’s review of music education.
Peri Lessons September 2020
For information about peri lessons at Corpus watch our promotional video and download the letter to get involved. link
The music department at Corpus Christi Catholic College prides itself on being an environment where live music-making is the fundamental focus. Students are encouraged at every opportunity to perform, compose, listen and reflect on achievement and progress as both performers and audiences. We will work to provide these experiences, in and beyond the classroom; be it vocal or instrumental, technological or acoustic, solo or ensemble. Solo work supports self-management and independence whilst ensembles support social skills, team work, concentration and co-operation.
In conclusion, we are an enthused, passionate and totally dedicated department that aims to continue developing our young people to the highest level, not only musically and academically but spiritually
Dance & Drama Department Vision
Drama and dance are exciting and challenging subjects taught within Key Stage 3 to year 7 (drama), year 8 (dance) and KS4 to Yr9, Yr10 and 11. In addition to developing in performance, direction and evaluation, students develop life skills such as self- discipline, team work, time management, resilience and confidence in preparation for adult hood. They also develop creative skills and learn the importance of being reliable and co- operative.
KS4 Courses and clubs celebrate positive numbers of students from all year groups. Students make excellent progress in these subjects and exam results are excellent!
In September 2014 the GCSE Performing Arts course was launched and in September 2016 the GCSE Drama course. We are proud of the excellent achievement and exam results from our students; a number of them have gone on to college and university to further their Performing Arts careers.
Drama and dance are taught once a week to KS3, exploring a variety of themes, issues, scripts and styles such as Musical Theatre, Horror, Melodrama, Hip Hop and Improvisation.
Curriculum
KS3
The key stage 3 curriculum is an accelerated two year program that develops confidence, musicality and understanding through a range of exciting and creative projects. The key stage 4 program begins in year 9 and offers a BTEC in music or performing arts.
Year 7 & 8
Music
| Carousel | |||
| Year 7 | Just Play!
Week 1 |
Band Skills 1 –
“Next to me” Weeks 2-4 |
Band Skills 2 –
Battle of the Bands Weeks 5-8 |
| Year 8 | Band Skills 3 –
Re-writing lyrics Weeks 1 – 4 |
Band Skills 4 –
Songwriting Weeks 5- |
|
Dance & Drama
| Carousel | ||||||
| Year 7 | Project 1 (6)
Darkwood Manor Devising Thriller Dance |
Project 2 (6)
Pantomime Devising/Genre Ballroom |
Project 3 (3)
Bullying Devising/Genre Bullies/Victim |
Project 4 (3)
Mime Devising/Genre |
Project 5 (3)
WW1 Stimuli and Devising Marching |
Project 6 (3)
Improvisation (Park bench) Improvisation |
| Year 8 | Project 1 (8)
West Side Story |
Project 2 (8)
Emily Pollock |
Project 3 (8)
Style and Genre – Dance |
|||
KS4
Subject specification Music
BTEC Music (First Award) For further information please click here BTEC Music (Current Year 11 only)
BTEC Music (Tech Award) For further information please click here BTEC L2 Tech Music Practice
Subject specification Performing Arts
BTEC Performing Arts (L2 Technical Award) For further information please click BTEC L2 Tech Performing Arts
Year 9
Music
BTEC Music (L2 Technical Award)
- Exploring the music industry – explore musical styles and techniques and gain an understanding of roles in the industry.
- Developing music skills – develop musical knowledge, skills and techniques and apply them to a music product.
- Responding to a music brief – put skills into practice by responding to a brief as a composer, performer or producer.
Performing Arts
BTEC Performing Arts (L2 Technical Award)
- Skills Building; workshops in dance drama and music. Focusing on different genres, styles and costumes.
Extra-curricular
A wide range of exciting extra-curricular Drama and Dance activities and opportunities are provided by the Department to challenge and support students. These are all run in the purpose built studio comprising of lighting rig, ballet Barr, mirrors and high tech sound system. Weekly lunch clubs in Dance and Drama are attended by large numbers such as: Key stage 3 Performing Arts clubs (drama and dance), Lads dance, Performing Arts Company, ‘Defiance’ Rehearsals and Production Club.
Regular Performance platforms and exciting opportunities for students to enhance their skills and share their work are abundant in Performing Arts. Students can perform in the Christmas and Summer Performing Arts Showcases, the Annual Production and for audiences within the local community such as ‘The O.A.P.Christmas Show’. They can participate in projects run by Northern Contemporary Dance, Yorkshire Dance and Manic Chord Theatre Company with whom we have close links. Furthermore students can become involved in Mentoring schemes which provide students experience with running Dance and Drama workshops for local primary feeder schools and KS3 Lunch clubs.
Opportunities to represent the school and perform to the wider community have included events such as being placed third out of forty schools in the ‘Leeds Partnership Dance Competition’, performing a cheerleading routine at the ‘Olympic Torch Relay’ Event alongside 1000 students across the city in 2012, and chance to attend variety of organised theatre trips.
In addition to these opportunities, students can audition to become a member of the School’s Corpus Christi Catholic College Performing Arts Company ‘Defiance’. The students range from Year 9—11 and have represented the school in a number of prestigious performances since forming in 2014.
Highlights of their achievements include winning the Leeds Grande Futures competition against a number of schools and colleges across our region, and the amazing success of two of our male members who performed as part of the professional Phoenix Company for two weeks last December at the Bradford Alhambra in the ‘Lord of the Flies’ production, beating a staggering 1,000 hopefuls across the region.
We offer an extensive extra curricular programme including opportunities to use the rehearsal rooms via the booking system. Included in the extra curricular program we have a range of high quality instrumental teachers offering drums, percussion, guitar, bass, piano, brass, woodwind, strings and vocals with opportunities to take graded examinations. We will continue to develop and raise the profile of this provision so that every student has the opportunity to engage with musical activities.
This year we will run various community based music projects, including work with Leeds College of Music students, DJ School UK, Chapel FM and Manic chord Theatre Company that will see Corpus’ music department establishing positive and essential links with the local community.
Activities and trips are aimed at enriching students through a wide experience of performing arts genres and consist of visits to theatres; concert venues as well as professional
Useful Links & Resources
ABRSM – Exam board of the Royal Schools of Music
Trinity Rock & Pop Exam Board of Trinity College, London
Rock School UK Exam Board
