Ashford Prep - CPA

Creative Performing Arts

INSPIRING MINDS WITH THE POWER OF CREATIVITY

CPA is a unique experience. Under this faculty umbrella pupils will have the opportunity to learn differently through Art, Dance, Drama and Music. Each strand of the faculty provides a fun, warm but focused environment which builds vital social skills and mutual respect. There is excitement and a buzz about CPA, as it promotes the freedom to explore, be imaginative and creative. This liberation within respectful tolerance directly links and highlights our British values.

CPA is an open-ended learning experience with the opportunity to develop the individual self and learn to be part of a collective. It develops diversity and inclusion, promotes self-esteem and risk taking and supports a growth mindset. It develops communication and interpersonal skills, but it also provides a progressive skill set in its various disciplines of art, dance, drama and music in which we strive for excellence in attainment. We constantly work towards creating a symbiotic relationship between developing and knowing oneself, knowing oneself within society and then balancing this with achieving a high-quality skill set in each arts subject.

Our faculty really aims to develop a passion for the creative and performing arts for life and the belief that there are no glass ceilings for any pupil, hard work and passion really does achieve excellence.

Subject Overviews and Aims Performing Arts

At the heart of our performing arts lessons is the process of creativity and enabling the children to express themselves and their opinions about the world in which they live. We explore drama, mime and dance through improvisation techniques, through devising, script work and choreography. We encourage the children to be curious about the world, explore a deeper knowledge of themselves and those around them. They exercise their imagination and learn the artistic skills needed to craft and shape their ideas into performance. Children will explore, plan, perform and evaluate as part of their journey.

Schemes of work are planned and progressive and allow the children to learn about storytelling through fairytales, character building, creating tension and finding humour. They experience a variety of genres from The Theatre of Protest to Musical Theatre, Shakespeare to Harold Pinter. They experience a variety of dance styles from street to contemporary.

Cross curricular themes are planned and the links between the arts are celebrated.

Music

All children are taught music from Reception through to Year 6, where each lesson is led by a music specialist. The curriculum is structured such that it is cohesive and follows a plan right from the EYFS to Year 6. The main skills of performing, listening, composing and appraising are embedded in all the topics. The aim is that pupils will have touched on music from the medieval period to the present day by the time they leave the Prep School. In addition, the ability to read music notation is regarded as imperative, so notation reading skills are started right from Year 1 and built on every year thereafter.

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Performance:

Our aim is for our pupils to be passionate and enthusiastic in music. Therefore, we offer multiple opportunities to perform, from the gentility of the classroom to tea time concerts, Friday Factors, large school concerts and other events. The social aspect of music-making is highly valued, and we offer a large number of groups and ensembles for instrumentalists to join. Finally, singing together is a key aspect of life at Ashford Prep School. There are many choirs available: Pre-Prep choir, Lower Prep singing, and a selective Chamber choir for the more advanced participant. Singing is a fundamental element in all music lessons and acts of school worship. As part of our community outreach programmes, our musicians are often invited to participate in functions and events outside school, and regularly visit local care homes to provide musical entertainment to their residents.

Integration into daily activities, including designing posters, book covers and enhancing classroom spaces, allows pupils to apply their artistic talents beyond dedicated art lessons.

Starting from Year 3, students delve into colour theory, linear and aerial perspective, and the fundamental elements of art.

Art history studies provide insights into different cultures and historical periods, enhancing pupils' understanding of the visual representation of the past.

The children benefit from access to top facilities and materials, including a clay kiln, printing tools, pen and ink, charcoal, pastels and a diverse range of paint types.

Individual and collaborative work, with pupils learning through direct observation both inside and outside the classroom.

Regular evaluations encourage pupils to reflect on their work, analyse art pieces and refine their artistic skills.

Art is celebrated through school exhibitions, art days, trips and engaging workshops with visiting artists, enriching the curriculum with real-world connections.

This overview provides a glimpse into the vibrant and dynamic world of our art programme, where creativity knows no bounds, and every stroke tells a unique story.

Curriculum Planning

EAD Can I create selfportraits using a range of materials?

Introductio n to a range of media.

How do we make contrasts in music?

EAD Can I learn to perform as part of an ensemble?

EAD Working on accuracy in the representati on of animals.

Count down to Christmas Can we listen actively?

Marvellous minibeastsmovement in the style of minibeasts, taking on the role of minibeasts and characters from stories.  Ticket to Ride - Role play opportunities exploring different modes of transport.

Marvellous Minibeastsworking towards ELG, using the topic as a starting place: cutting and using equipment safely, encouraging independence when creating.

Can we name and recognise a variety of simple percussion instruments?

Ticket to Ride - working towards ELG, using the topic as a starting place: cutting and using equipment safely, encouraging independence when creating.

Come outside - Role play as weather forecasters, role play opportnities through child initiated learning, starting to think about speaking more clearly and facing an audience when speaking.

Come outside - working towards ELG, using the topic as a starting place: cutting and using equipment safely, encouraging independence when creating.

Music is an exploration. Show time!

Year 1

Christmas performancepreparing for speaking, singing and dancing on stage with an audience Dance workshop - external visitor

Is there life on Mars? - Hot seating, taking on the role of a character, thinking about how that character may behave and speak. Introducing making a performance interesting for an audience.

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?Poetry performance, creating own version of a fairy tale using drama before writing.

Creative Arts lead teacher to run a 1 day workshop linked to traditional tales.

How do colours represent feelings?

Focus on Picasso.

What can my voice do?

Year 2

Portraits - use of natural and man-made materialscollage work

Exploring primary and secondary colours (Mondrian) and tones including tints.

Creatively exploring different celebrations - Easter and Mothers Day.

Who is the Boyle family?

Are we ready for Christmas?

How creative are our voices?

Sausages and bacon - is that Duration?

The Great Fire of London - Hot seating, role play, exploring stories through performance, expressive speaking, actions, conveying emotions through voice and actions etc.

Can I Paint

My Medieval Castle Using Texture and Pattern? Sculptures

What is pitch?

Christmas is coming!

The King who banned the dark (Tints, tones and shades). Picasso's Blue period.

Shake, rattle and roll vs tuned percussion? Jukebox jury

Exploring landscapes focusing a range of artists; pastels, watercolours and collage

Exploring landscapes focusing a range of artists; pastels, watercolours and collage

Rhythm and beat; keeps everyone sweet! Show time!

Hot and cold desertsbecoming a character, learning through role play, poetry performance.

Exploring the art of: Claude Monet, David Hockney, Katshushika Hokusai.

Exploring water resistance using watercolour paints and wax.

Hot and cold deserts - becoming a character, learning through role play, poetry performance.

Exploring collage, using different art techniques to create suspended fish paintings.

Have I got rhythm? Show time!

Autumn 1  Autumn 2

What is character building?

Can I tell a story?

What is art?

The elements of art- line, shape, colour, pattern, texture and form.

Spring 1  Spring 2  Summer 1  Summer 2

What lies beneath us? A creative journey in drama and dance

Creating art for a permormance.Entertainment evening

Can we shape our ideas into a performance?

Can a picture ever be finished? Funky landscapes

What are the ingredients of MT?

We're just a little bit naughty!

What is impressionist art? Claude Monet

What is impressionist art?

What makes my foot tap?

What makes an orchestra?

What role do Tubby, Peter and the Wolf play?

Face it every good boy deserves fun with notation.

Getting ready to perform.

How we love to dance! Waltzing through the ages.  Music

Getting ready to perform.

Year 4

1

Have we lost the spirit of Christmas?

What are you grateful for?

2

Is the spirit of Christmas relevant over space and time?

Can I tell a story with characters through spoken word and movement?

Can there be beauty in something that is dead?

Performing our scripted piece Can I bring a script to life?

Introducing MT Who ate the cake?

If Van Gogh was brought back to life, how would he feel about his fame?

What do you think Turner would paint today to show new technology?

How do you think an artist can use colours and shapes to create art that feels like a lively dance?

What do you think makes something so ordinary become extraordinary in the eyes of an artist like Georgia O’ Keefe?

What is ostinato and how does Harry Potter get involved?

What makes a good performance? Can we put on a show?

What are the sounds of Africa like?

How can we play in the Jungle?

What do Beethoven, Britten, Delius and Henry V111 all have in common?

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.

Year 5

Autumn 1

What is happening to our rainforest?

Autumn 2

Can we solve the problem?

Is the rainforest a living sculpture? Is the rainforest a living sculpture? Papier -mâché rainforest creatures.

How can my hands be pitch perfect?

Year 6

How does technique affect my performance?

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

How useful is the Theatre of Protest?

How would I feel if I was an evacuee?

Musical Theatre

How have self-portraits changed through the

ages? How does an artist express an idea to show the audience a particular viewpoint?

How can we sing a protest?

Do you have to understand art to appreciate it?

What is op Art?

How can we make music sustainable?

How do we make warlike sounds?

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1

Action/ Reaction, how to create tension in performing arts. Did Shakespeare rock? A comparison with Harold Pinter.

What do illustrations add to text?

Am I a reflective listener? How do I read notation?

How do life experiences influence an artist’s work?

What does it take to be a conductor?

Can I deliver a monologue?

How has technology influenced the art world?

Beginning our journey over the rainbow. Let's go Latino!

Can we follow the yellow brick road?

Can we put on a show?

What colours and textures do you associate with dragons? Is graffiti creative expression or destruction?

Do we understand how to project, move and perform?

Can we put on a show? What do we need to learn to read?

Summer 2

Can we showcase our skills in a world of pure imagination?

What is the difference between raw art and fine art? Why do different cultures have different art styles? How can we convey messages?

What makes film music so effective?

Summer 2

Our swansong, taking responsibility

How do you think art can be a powerful way to connect with and preserve the traditions and stories of a culture?

Can we put on a show? What do we need to learn to read? Let’s go compose

Assessment and Marking

We use a varied range of methods to assess children understanding of each unit of work including:

Unit reviews

Peer assessment

PSB markers

Answering of hook questions

End of Unit quizzes in Nearpod/LBQ lessons

Showbie assignments

Self-guided coding with checklists

Self-marking activities

Every half term each pupil receives an assessment recorded to show whether they are:

Working towards/Achieving/Working beyond, in relation to the learning objectives for that unit of work.

This builds a clear pupil profile and is available for feedback to parents through consultation evenings and report documents. At the end of the Key Stage each Year 6 pupil receives their PSB grade descriptors based on this achievement.

Monitoring:

Fortnightly faculty meetings on Friday break times.

Learning Walks by CMH.

Team teaching in thematic projects.

Music Groups provided day, time and staffing:

Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday

Guitar ensemble - Mike S/CHP

Chamber Choir + Graham R, CHP

LP Band - James Mc

Cello Ensemble + Victoria B

Music exam preparation for HPP Aural tests, sight reading

LP Singing + LF and Graham R/CHP

Pop Choir LF

Orchestra + Victoria CHP

Additional provision:

Year 3 Violin scheme on Fridays (rotated)

Karen D

Year 2 Cello scheme Thursdays - Victoria B

Art: AT, HGB

Thursday lunchtime Art Club Years 3-6AT

Monday Ceramics Club Year 5 and 6HGB

String Quintet (HPL provision) Victoria B

Prep Recorder Orchestra

Karen B-H

Music exam preparation

Year 2 Recorder group A

Karen B-H

Viva Strings – KD/CHP

Year 2 Recorder group B

Karen B-H

Music Theory enrichment

Year 3 Recorder group

Karen B-H

Music Theory enrichment- CHP

Pre-Prep Extra Curricular Provision:

Mindfulness Colouring

Jump Start Johnny

How to Draw

Choir

Recorder Ballet Tap

Year 1

Year 2

Trips and Memorable Events

Autumn

Spring   Summer

Alice in Wonderland Drama and Dance Workshop

Year 3 Street Dance Workshop With Boy Blue Entertainment  Hip Hop Workshop

Year 4  Street Dance Workshop With Boy Blue Entertainment Wealden Mid-Winter Fair – Carol Singing

Year 5 Street Dance Workshop With Boy Blue Entertainment

Rapspeare acting workshop with Bigfoot Company      Hip Hop Workshop

Rapspeare acting workshop with Bigfoot Company   Hip Hop Workshop

Year 6 Street Dance Workshop With Boy Blue Entertainment Doctor Who Acting Masterclass with actor Maxim Ays  Hip Hop Workshop

Concerts, Events and Church Services

Autumn

Commencement Service

Harvest Festival

Teatime recital – piano – One School

Remembrance Service

Winter Warmer Concert

Pre Prep Christmas Concert

Year 4 Entertainment Evening

Christingle Service

Prep Carol Service

Senior School 9 Lessons and Carols

Spring

Epiphany Service

Teatime Concert – One School - strings

Teatime Concert – One School - recorder

Summer

Easter Service/Summer Commencement

Ascension Day Service

Leavers’ Service

Spring Concert  Prize Giving

Shrove Tuesday Service/ start of Lent

Lent Service (end of term)

Year 5 Entertainment Evening

Year 3 Entertainment Evening

Summer Concert

Year 6 Production

One School Festival Performance

Moving Forwards

Developmental aims this year:

To be amended in line with whole school aims:

1. All planning is transferred to PSB SOW format for all subjects for all year groups.

2. Workshops with outside artists in Music and Art.

3. Outward facing festivals to be piloted in dance.

Projected developmental aims 2024/2025/2026

1. Arts Award implementation considered.

2. Rambert grades - Saturday morning arts school considered.

3. Drama/Music/Art festivals outward facing.

4. Arts Mark application.