Arts

 

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts  

 

Faculty Leader: Miss C Kepinska  

 

The ethos of our school is summarised by our motto "Achieving Together".  This is
essential in the Arts, where the work of all pupils and their individual responses are
 celebrated and shared.  The Arts Faculty is comprised of four departments:    

Art

Dance

Drama

Music

We hope that you enjoy reading about our Faculty.  If you have any queries or events ideas you would like to share with us, please contact the arts Faculty Leader, Miss. C Kepinska, via the school office email: meadow@meadowhighschool.org.


 

Meadow High School Arts Faculty

Statements, Policies & Aims

1.     Curriculum Statement

It is crucial to give every pupil the opportunity to learn a multitude of ways of communicating, interacting and interpreting the world.  We know that by facilitating this we are able to provide pupils with opportunities to lead fulfilling lives that are flexible and increase employability after school. We facilitate this through the encouragement of self-expression, teamwork, knowledge, refining skills and working within our community.  We are very proud that our pupils continuously strive to develop their arts abilities and excel in our school dance performances, music concerts, drama productions, workshops and art exhibitions which can be seen throughout the school. 

We offer the following External accreditations in Key Stage 4 and 5: AQA Unit Award, Dance Leadership Awards, WJEC Entry Level Pathway, GCSE and AS Levels.

2.    Aims

The aim of our Arts education is to:

  •     Encourage passionate, successful  learners who enjoy learning and making progress.

  •     Inspire confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.

  •     Develop responsible citizens who make a positive  contribution to society and the workplace.

 

Our guidance is to do this by:

  1.  Providing pupils with a greater understanding of the visual, technological and creative world in which we live.

  2. Enabling pupils to problem solve creatively, encouraging, individuality and enterprise.

  3. Encouraging pupils to research, record, observe, experiment creatively, analyse and evolve their work.

  4. Fostering a critical appreciation of the arts for personal fulfilment and enjoyment.

  5. Providing a wide variety of sensory stimuli, which considers the aesthetic, aural, tactile and visual needs of each pupil.

  6. Encouraging pupil choice, offering a wide range of creative learning experiences, which improve a pupil's ability to interact in a group and work independently.

  7. Build community spirit and vocational skills taught through Schemes of work which encourage pupils to take part in community events to work alongside practising artists,  other professionals and develop their exposure to and passion for the Arts.

  8. Schemes of work also encourage a range of cross curricular learning,including PSHCE topics, career disciplines, IT Numeracy and Literacy to help pupils apply their knowledge to everyday life.

  9.  Preparing students to go onto further studies in the Creative and Performing Arts varied disciplines. Giving them the opportunity to study accredited qualifications such as:AQA Unit Award, Dance Leadership Awards, WJEC Entry Level Pathway, GCSE’s, AS and  A' Levels.


3.     Qualifications & Programmes of Study

Planning and reviewing programmes of study is done termly by subject teachers and the Faculty Leader. Subject groups  meet for planning and moderation when applicable. The Arts Faculty meet once or twice a term as a group and individual subject teachers meet with the Faculty Leader for individual review and development sessions once a term.

Arts meetings are used for developing ideas, sharing good practice, planning the direction of the faculty, developing strategies to better support pupils, analysing results and reviewing faculty development. We  look for creative links with the Arts and other subjects. We encourage children to become passionate about their work within the Arts, and set extended learning tasks which encourage pupils to talk to their parents/carers about  their learning. Pupils are encouraged to participate in the arts outside of school. When possible we invite visiting practitioners into school to help develop wider learning and encourage visits to outside performances, exhibitions and we do collaborative workshops with other schools. Pupils are eager to bring in resources from home which supports class work, and they enjoy the interactive nature of the Arts subjects in and outside the classroom.

In the arts Faculty We have created in depth programmes of study in line with the National Curriculum. The Programmes of Study are topic based, and they run over 2 x 14 week programmes of study.  Except in Music which is taught 45 minutes a week and the Arts carousel in KS3 where Dance and Art and Drama combined and Stand alone Art are taught on a termly basis in Key Stage 3. In 6th Form Art allocation can increase up to 2x1.5 hours a week depending on the accreditation level being taken.

For More Details please see our Curriculum Matrices.

 

4.     Inclusive Practice

The Arts Faculty Guidance reflect and support the equal opportunities ethos of the school.  All students have access to the Arts curriculum. Teaching and Learning at Meadow High School is personalised.  Adaptations will be made to the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils, including provision for students who are exceptionally able.  All students are given opportunities to attain accreditation in year 10,11 and the 6th Form

Teachers plan to meet the needs of all pupils through differentiation strategies that include:

  • Use of equipment/resources

  • Level of support

  • Variety of task

  • Pupil groupings

  • Expected outcomes

 

5.    Literacy, Numeracy and IT

We promote and embed the school’s policy of Literacy across the Curriculum, in line with the new National Curriculum (2013) which states “Teachers should develop pupils’ spoken language, reading and writing as integral aspects of the teaching of every subject”.

There are a number of strategies which can use to develop Pupils’ core skills in the Arts.

 

Literacy is developed by:

  • Spelling Art Key Words correctly

  • Display and model use of  Arts vocabulary

  • Ensuring students write keywords of lesson into the books or portfolios

  • Use of Word maps, writing frames  related to the topic being covered

  • Encourage and praise use of Arts vocabulary in class discussions

  • Modelling full sentences and answers

  • Reading- books, worksheets comprehension, questions, answers and research.

 

Numeracy is encouraged through:

  • Practical making and measuring skills

  • Writing of dates and day to day problem solving

  • Reading of a clock through timed activities

  • Calculations based on estimates and measuring of quantities of materials being used

  • Recognition of objects, shapes, patterns, beats and rhythms.

 

Computing/IT is encouraged through:

  • Recording of pupils work

  • Interactive use of Ipads and Interactive display boards

  • Photoshop, Interactive apps

  • Enquiry based research

  • Home learning - Internet based enquiry learning, research and investigations

 

6.     Reward Systems  

We believe it is crucial that positive comments are as specific as possible so students are aware of how they have achieved well.  Below are several ways with which we love to reward our fantastic pupils. Verbal praise from subject teachers, class, Form Tutor, Head of Faculty, Deputy Head and Head Teacher.  Merits and Stickers, certificates of achievement, subject and competition awards.

 

 

Miss C Kepinska - Faculty Lead, Arts