Dance supports students’ overall development academically, vocationally, socially, physically, and morally. It encourages independence, teamwork, responsibility, and creativity, while fostering a lifelong interest in learning and the arts.

Through Dance, students gain a wide range of benefits, including artistic and aesthetic understanding, cultural awareness, improved health and wellbeing, and valuable life skills. It also supports different ways of learning and allows students to express ideas, identity, and culture through movement.

Dance develops creativity, confidence, communication, and reflective thinking. It helps students understand themselves and others, while building teamwork, negotiation skills, and the ability to respond creatively to challenges. It also promotes appreciation of diversity and different cultural traditions.

The subject explores a range of styles including lyrical, narrative, dramatic, and poetic forms, and connects with other art forms and curriculum areas. Students are encouraged to engage in performing, creating, observing, and appreciating dance as part of a balanced artistic education.

Aims of the Dance Department

The Dance curriculum aims to:

• Develop understanding of Dance as a core artistic discipline
• Provide opportunities for physical, spatial, kinaesthetic, and visual learning
• Integrate performing, creating, observing, and appreciating
• Encourage collaboration with other art forms and subjects
• Develop students’ ability to make informed and critical judgements
• Foster creativity, confidence, and self-esteem
• Promote health, wellbeing, and responsible attitudes
• Build communication, teamwork, and leadership skills
• Encourage innovation and creative problem-solving
• Ensure breadth, choice, and depth in arts education
• Challenge and extend talented students

We also ensure that:

• All students perform or present work at least once a year.
• Students perform for parents and the wider community annually.
• Students have opportunities to work with professional artists each year.
• Students can access financial support where needed.
• Dance is connected across the curriculum through cross-subject learning.

The Dance Department promotes a collaborative, creative, and supportive environment where students can develop their skills through study, research, and performance.

Courses Offered

• Key Stage 3 Dance
• GCSE Dance
• RSL Dance (Level 2 & Level 3)
• A Level Dance
• BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts (equivalent to one or two A Levels)

Enrichment Opportunities

The department offers a strong programme of lunchtime and after-school activities, supporting a wide range of performance experiences, including:

• Music concerts
• Performing arts shows
• Musicals
• Dance productions

Exam Board:

GCSE - https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/dance/gcse/dance-8236/specification

A-Level - https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/dance/a-level/dance-7237/specification