At Finham Park 2, the Performing Arts department endeavours to ignite passions and cultivate creativity. The curriculums are designed to engage and grip the interest of students and lessons are taught by subject specialists who love their subject and strive for students to develop a passion for the Arts.
Drama
The Drama Department here at Finham Park 2, is an energetic, focused and supportive department working collaboratively to ensure our pupils will get the most from Drama. We encourage the development of creativity, communication, confidence and self-discipline. Through exciting practical and theoretical lessons Drama allows all students to respond, develop, perform and evaluate their work while expanding their knowledge of the world and the people in it.
Exploring challenging issues, such as Homelessness, Immigration, Social Media and Conflict, pupils learn to empathise with others by stepping into their shoes and questioning their preconceptions. Students are offered a wide range of opportunities to perform and grow by working collaboratively or independently.
We believe it is imperative that students should have access to a broad and ambitious Drama curriculum that is enriched with transferable skills and knowledge. In addition to students gaining a rich understanding of creative processes in theatre; our aim is to use drama, and carefully chosen stimuli, to provide our learners with tools to develop their confidence, teamwork skills, leadership skills, articulation and public speaking.
Music
At Finham Park 2 we value the huge importance music can have on young people’s lives. In addition to ensuring students experience multiple instruments and singing within their very first year at FP2, our broad and inclusive curriculum engages students in different musical cultures and traditions; our aim is to use music and different musical cultures and styles, to provide our learners with the skills to develop their self-confidence, teamwork, leadership skills, creative expression, instrumental and vocal skills.
Key Stage 3 - Drama
In KS3 we aim to:
- develop core transferable skills that underpin successful drama.
- devise creative and imaginative performances.
- study and apply styles based on practitioners.
- interpret and perform a range of existing scripts applying their own artistic vision.
- develop written evaluative skills embedded with subject specific terminology.
- appreciate and evaluate live performances.
- participate in a range of performance genres, through performance and technical support.
- articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics and issues early, confidently and respectfully.
- empathise and engage with others outside their own social, cultural and historical setting.
Key Stage 4 - Drama
In KS4 we aim to:
- continue to develop the core skills learned at KS3.
- provide structure to deepen the understanding of professional works and practitioners.
- complete a holistic devising process exploring technical elements of theatre.
- stage scripted performances.
- appreciate all aspects of theatre and creative devises.
- use analytical and evaluative language to review live theatre performances.
Key Stage 3 - Music
In KS3 we aim to:
- develop self-confidence through ensemble singing and different vocal cultures.
- experience up to 5 instruments within their first year of music curriculum: ukulele, voice, boom whackers, djembe drums and keyboard.
- learn, understand and practically utilise the interrelated dimensions of music: pitch, dynamics, duration, tempo, timbre and texture.
- learn about different musical styles and traditions and how music is experienced and utilised in these different spaces.
- develop an understanding of different musical notation, and how to write and read in standard music notation.
- appreciate and evaluate live performance.
- develop their creative expression through compositional units and topics that require them to create their own music and then evaluate and reflect on its efficacy.
- utilise technology when creating and performing music, as well as undertaking study on modern and relevant genres of music like video game music, film music and trap music.
- empathise and engage with others outside their own social, cultural and historical setting.
Key Stage 4 - Music
In KS4 we aim to:
- continue to develop the core skills learned at KS3.
- extend their understanding of the interrelated musical dimensions by looking at MAD TSHIRTS (Melody, Articulation, Dynamics, Texture, Structure, Instrumentation, Rhythm and Metre, Tempo and Style) and use these to develop their music analysis skills.
- take part in whole class ensemble performances to improve instrumental, teamwork, musical notation and listening skills.
- develop their appraisal skills by analysing their set works using MAD TSHIRTS, and developing this understanding into a structured written response.
- develop and focus on their chosen instrument, with a focus on performance on their instrument, and composition – honing the skills needed to be a successful performer and composer.
- gaining a deeper understanding of music theory and music technology, which in turn can inform and improve their compositional skills and their appraisal skills – two of the three assessors in the Music GCSE.
Useful Links
Drama Curriculum
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
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Year 7 | Introduction to Drama Techniques | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Characterisation | The Wardrobe – Naturalism and Stanislavski | Physical Theatre – Devising from a stimulus | An introduction to Brecht and Political Theatre | Staging and Practitioners |
Year 8 | Slapstick Comedy | Our House the Musical – Melodrama and character development | The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty – Script Exploration | The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty - Devising | Homelessness – Monologue writing and directing | Monologue and Duologue performances |
Year 9 | Blood Brothers – Contextual exploration & Page to Stage | Blood Brothers – Monologue and Duologue performances | Written exam preparation | Aberfan – Devising from a Stimulus | Devising rehearsals and performances | Practitioners research |
Year 10 | Frantic Assembly Workshops | C1 GCSE - Devising | C1 GCSE - Devising | NEA: Written Devising Portfolio | NEA: Written Devising Portfolio | Introduction into Directing |
Year 11 | C3 GCSE – An Inspector Calls | C2 GCSE – Scripted rehearsals | C2 GCSE – Scripted performance | Written Exam Prep and Live Theatre Review | - | - |
Music Curriculum
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year 7 | Introduction to the musical elements and singing and rhythm skills | Developing singing and keyboard skills within an ensemble | Boom whackers and introduction to melody and notation | Djembe drums and Rhythm & Metre | Exploring the sonority of orchestral instruments | World music-class percussion, Ukulele and the 4-chord song |
Year 8 | Hooks and riffs in popular and classical music | Dance music from the classical period to modern day | Form and structure in music | Variation techniques in composition | All about the bass-notation and composition | New trends in contemporary music |
Year 9 | Blues, jazz and the start of popular music | Song writing in popular music genres | Soundtracks - composing music for film | Computer and video game music using Garage Band | African music and Reggae | Club dance music - technology and live performance |
Year 10 | Musical Forms and Devices – Appraisal, Composition and Performance | Ensemble Music – Appraisal, Composition and Performance | Popular Music – Appraisal, Composition and Performance | Film Music – Appraisal, Composition and Performance | Free composition and solo performance skills | Mock showcase preparation |
Year 11 | Setwork analysis (AOS 1 and AOS 2) and Ensemble rehearsals | Setwork Analysis (AOS 3 and AOS 4) and Compositional development | Solo Instrumental skills and rehearsal | Final Showcase preparation | Exam Leave | Final Exam |