Expressive Arts

Overview
Expressive Arts at Honywood encompasses three disciplines: Dance, Drama and Music.  These subjects provide essential cultural, moral and social knowledge to our learners and develop a wide range of talents, skills and habits, enabling every learner to understand, engage and thrive in an ever evolving world.

Our curriculum aims to empower our learners to see, hear, feel, actively partake and critically engage in the world through the disciplines of dance, drama and music; enabling them to excel in life and make the future a better place. 
 
KS3

In Cohort 7 and 8 learning is designed to develop and support individual as well as group exploration across Drama and Music. Learners are encouraged to enjoy, explore, experience, develop and enhance their understanding of Expressive Arts. Designs place emphasis on the concepts of Relationships, Time, Influence and Evolution in music and  Identity, Status and Morality in drama.  In C7 and C8 learners have one lesson of music and drama per fortnight. 

Across their two year journey learners can expect to be intrigued and to experiment as they approach their learning. They work individually, in pairs and in groups and are given responsibility to direct their own learning. Learners are provided with support and guidance of the specialist teaching staff.  All designs for learning focus on developing at least one of the learning attributes that underpin our whole school pedagogy.
 
GCSE Dance
The GCSE Dance course is structured so that the emphasis is on practical work with development of theory and understanding taking place through this. Learners develop the skills of performing, as well as being a critic to a variety of dance styles. Learners study different aspects of the world of dance looking at topics from choreography to whole performance cultural influences. Each practical session, they develop their dance skills, and their ability to analyse whilst broadening their individual knowledge of the subject.  Theory development includes research on practitioners, a range of different works and the development of each learner’s own choreography.
 
GCSE Music
Learners develop a variety of musical skills such as performance, composition, theory and how to develop their general musical awareness. They also have the opportunity to develop a variety of teamwork, leadership, social and organisational skills. The course offers learners the opportunity both to expand on the knowledge they already have, as well as learning and developing knowledge of new areas of music from the present and past and around the world.


Learners learn through a combination of practical and theoretical work, guided by specialist teaching. They are able to build upon the skills learnt through KS3 music, and shape their learning in a direction that explores their interests but also challenges them to consider new music from different points of time and from around the world. There is an opportunity to take part in workshops and trips that will extend and support the knowledge given in the classroom.
 
GCSE Drama
Drama learners learn a variety of dramatic skills such as performance, directing, and the elements of drama. They also have the opportunity to develop a variety of teamwork, leadership, social and organisational skills. Learners work with scripts, and experience live performances as part of their drama development. The course offers learners the opportunity to expand on the knowledge they already have, as well as developing their interpretation, improvisation and acting skills to a higher level.
Learning is through a combination of practical and theoretical work, guided by specialist teaching. They are able to develop the skills learnt through KS3 drama, and shape their learning in the direction they wish. There is an opportunity to take part in workshops and trips that extend and support the knowledge given in the classroom.