All pupils, from Nursery to Form 6, are offered every encouragement to develop their creative talents in all areas of the arts including Visual Art, Performing Arts: Music, Drama and Dance. These are offered both during curriculum lessons, taught by specialist teachers, and through a stimulating range of extra-curricular activities and events. It is our aim that children learn to express themselves confidently as well as creatively through participation in the Performing Arts. Exceptional participation is rewarded by the conferring of Performing Arts Colours each term on children in Form 6.
Visual art
Through Art we aim to nurture confidence and self-belief of the whole child. We aim to inspire and fire a desire to create and be creative: through studying artists and designers from a range of cultures, contexts, time and place, and allowing pupils to experience a wide variety of media.
In the Pre-prep pupils experience Art and Design Technology within their class setting and it is taught through topics to enrich other curriculum areas.
Prep pupils are taught by a specialist teacher in a dedicated Art and Technology room.
It is important to us that each pupil experiences the feeling of pride of having a piece of work displayed for all to see. Pupil’s work is framed and displayed throughout the school, we hold small exhibitions in school and enter pupils work in local art exhibitions.
Music
Music is taught by a specialist teacher to each year group from Nursery to Form 6. Every pupil in Forms 3, 4, 5 and 6 attends a weekly Choir rehearsal during curriculum time and each child in Form 2 receives a term’s free group tuition on either the violin, cello or recorder. We share a team of 15 experienced Visiting Music Teachers (VMTs) with the College. Depending on the age of the pupil, lessons are available in voice, piano, recorder, guitar, drum kit and many standard orchestral instruments. At the discretion of their music teacher, children can be entered for the ABRSM and other examinations held termly. Co-curricular activities currently offered include Young Voices and Musical Theatre, and more advanced instrumentalists in Form 6 are invited to join the College Orchestra.
There are various opportunities for musical performance throughout the year. We place a particularly strong emphasis on singing. The children sing together at Assemblies and Masses, as well as for special events, some held in the College Chapel (such as the Service of Carols and Readings and the Easter Story) and some in other venues (such as the Nativity, the Pre-Prep Performance and the Prep end of year production). Prep Concerts and the Pre-Prep Performance offer instrumentalists and singers the opportunity to perform solo and children are keen to volunteer for the weekly Celebration Assemblies. For several years we have held a highly popular Inter-House Performing Arts Competition open to children in Forms 1 to 6.
We enjoy strong links with the College Music Department. There is an annual competition for Music Scholarships and Exhibitions and the auditions for these take place in the January preceding entry to the College.
Drama
Drama is taught throughout the year as a curriculum subject to all pupils in Forms 3 to 6. A specialist teacher runs the Drama Club and also two after-school Speech and Drama clubs for children in Forms 3-4 and 5-6, during which preparation for LAMDA examinations takes place. Children are invited to perform their LAMDA pieces at recitals and are also encouraged to participate in the annual Inter-House Drama and Poetry Competitions and in the weekly Celebration Assemblies. The highlight of the dramatic year is undoubtedly the summer musical in which Form 6 take on the main acting and singing roles and Form 5 support in a singing and dancing chorus. Recent productions have included (Mary Poppins (2023), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2022) and Alice in Wonderland (2021). We are fortunate to enjoy the use of the College’s Douay Hall for these fully-staged productions.
Dance
Dance is taught throughout the year as a curriculum subject to all pupils in Nursery to Form 2, while children in Forms 5-6 experience different styles of dance during the preparation for the summer musical. There is a thriving breaktime ballet club for children in Forms 1-2. The main opportunities for performance, in addition to the summer musical, are the annual Inter-House Dance Competition and the Pre-Prep Performance, as well as the weekly Performing Arts Assemblies.
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.
