Performing Arts

Head of Department: Rachel Long

Welcome to the Performing Arts Department at The Hayling College

The Performing Arts Department provides an ambitious, inclusive and knowledge-rich curriculum across Dance, Drama and Music. Through carefully sequenced learning, students develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to become confident performers, creative practitioners and thoughtful critics.

We believe that the performing arts are an essential part of a broad and balanced education. Our curriculum enables students to develop artistic, cultural and technical understanding whilst fostering creativity, resilience, communication, collaboration and self-confidence. Students are encouraged to take risks, reflect on their work and respond positively to challenges and feedback.

Across Key Stage 3, learning is structured around the progressive development of discipline-specific knowledge and skills. Students revisit key concepts and techniques throughout their learning, applying them in increasingly challenging contexts and becoming more independent in their performance, creation and evaluation.

The curriculum is ambitious for all students and is designed to ensure that every learner, regardless of prior attainment, SEND, disadvantage or previous experience, can access, participate in and succeed within the performing arts. Through adaptive teaching, effective scaffolding, modelling and targeted support, students are enabled to achieve the intended curriculum whilst developing confidence and a sense of belonging.

Assessment

Assessment is used to evaluate how effectively students are securing the intended curriculum. Across all performing arts subjects, students are assessed through practical performance, creative work, verbal and written evaluation, retrieval activities and subject-specific knowledge tasks.

Assessment information is used to:

Identify strengths and misconceptions.
Inform curriculum planning and intervention.
Monitor progress over time.
Support students in becoming reflective learners.
Ensure all learners, including SEND and disadvantaged pupils, make progress through the curriculum.

Inclusion and Equity

The department is committed to ensuring equal access, participation and achievement for all students.

We routinely monitor:

Participation of SEND pupils.
Participation of disadvantaged pupils.
Achievement and progress of vulnerable groups.
Attendance at extracurricular activities.
Representation in performances, productions and leadership opportunities.

Teaching is adapted through:

Modelling and demonstration.
Visual aids and exemplars.
Chunked instructions and scaffolded tasks.
Flexible grouping arrangements.
Practical and alternative methods of recording learning where appropriate.

Impact

The impact of the Performing Arts curriculum is evidenced through:

Increasingly sophisticated performance, creative and evaluative work.
Secure progression in subject-specific knowledge and vocabulary.
High levels of participation in curricular and extracurricular activities.
Student voice demonstrating confidence, creativity and engagement.
Successful progression into KS4 qualifications and further study.
Equitable participation and achievement among disadvantaged and SEND students.

Students leave Key Stage 3 as confident performers, creators and audiences who are able to collaborate effectively, communicate ideas creatively and engage thoughtfully with artistic and cultural experiences.

Performing Arts Facilities

Students benefit from specialist facilities that support high-quality practical learning and performance opportunities, including:

Two fully equipped Drama Studios.
A Performance Hall with proscenium arch stage and technical facilities.
A specialist Music Room with music technology resources.
Practice spaces equipped with keyboards, guitars, drum kits, amplifiers and PA systems.