Creative Arts
The vibrancy and passion of the Creative Arts department permeates through the heart of the QEII and its impact is tangible and visible throughout the school.
The Creative Arts at QEII School consists of Art, Design, Dance, Drama and Music.
Through the Creative Arts the imagination can be explored and developed, thoughts and feelings expressed and our students can explore areas of learning and life in a way that is unique to this curriculum area. Taking part in positive Creative Arts experiences can help to develop and support achievement and potential. Through the Creative Arts, our students at QEII with their range of abilities, ages and cultures are able to work and create together. The arts promote learning that does not recognise right or wrong responses. This approach values the contribution of every one of our pupils, recognising them as special and unique.
Through participation in the Creative Arts our students learn to work together and listen to one another. Their understanding of each other’s needs, qualities and points of view has a chance to develop, and they can take responsibility for their own learning, as well as sharing their skills and helping one another.
Students experience the full range of arts provision at all Key Stages following topic themes alongside competition performances either termly of half termly in conjunction with their Cornerstones curriculum studies.
Students throughout the school enjoy weekly sessions of Drama, Music and Art. Dance is incorporated as a module of the Physical Education Curriculum as well as in the form of performance pieces that we are working towards (e.g ‘Shakespeare for Schools’, Special schools sharing events and ‘Dancetime’.
Students in Key Stage 5 also follow a Theatre Studies programme where they have the opportunity to research and explore aspects of the Performing Arts industry.
We support local and national Theatres by organising opportunities to watch productions and provide work experience for our students. There are weekly sensory Drama sessions for each Key Stage where students have the opportunity to explore stories using a sensory approach to performance. Our sixth form students also follow the Arts Award and Discovery programmes.
Assemblies, performances to parents, events and student council are used to showcase and celebrate the variety of creative work that students have been working on throughout the school.
A whole- school production takes place in the summer term every other year and a special QE2 Gala every four years.
Within the year, many performers, artists, musicians and visiting teachers of the arts come and share their work with our students and support and enrich their learning opportunities. QEII have forged links with many local and national Arts providers including: Chicken Shed Theatre Company, M and M productions, Freewheelers Theatre, Stop Gap, Arts Award Bridge and Tom Foolery.