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Curriculum Intent Statement

At Leigh Academy Rainham, our vision is to offer a comprehensive Performing Arts curriculum, encompassing the domains of practical, theoretical, and disciplinary performance art knowledge and the interrelationships between them. We teach our pupils the fundamental practical performance techniques required to succeed at GCSE level and beyond. Our Performing Arts Department is guided by the inspiring straplines, “Unlocking Potential, Making Dreams a Reality” and “Dream, Believe, Achieve.” Our curriculum is deeply rooted in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) framework from the International Baccalaureate (IB) and is a powerful embodiment of these visions. to develop intercultural understanding, interdisciplinary learning, and global engagement.

We aim to develop students’ practical knowledge and skills in both drama and music. Our focus is on improving instrumental ability and understanding of basic music notation in music, while enhancing confidence and performance techniques in drama. These performing subjects are taught in a carousel format, allowing pupils to move between subjects after each module. We integrate works of theatre practitioners such as Bertolt Brecht, Frantic Assembly, and Antonin Artaud to broaden their knowledge of varying performance styles, ensuring that our pupils enter their GCSE and post-16 years with knowledge that will not only help them succeed at these levels but also in further education and the professional industry. We adhere to a “no opt-out” policy to encourage pupils to confront their performance fears, enhancing their confidence and ability to excel in any workplace scenario.

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Audience & Narrative

Statement of Inquiry

Performers use personal and cultural expression to communicate ideas to an audience through the use of narrative.

Careers

  • Theatre in Education Practitioner
  • Middle Management

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a tableaux?
  • What is narrative?
  • What makes a consistent performance?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do people go to the theatre?
  • Why do we use drama techniques in performance?
  • Why do people enjoy watching stories they’re familiar with?

Debatable Questions

  • Can performance make a difference in the world?
  • Do we need theatre in society in 2022?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Audience

Statement of Inquiry

Using the fundamentals of music, a music artist can effectively communicate to a universal audience.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Musician
  • Conductor

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What does music use to communicate?

Conceptual Questions

  • How can an artist communicate effectively to a universal audience?

Debatable Questions

  • Why do people listen to music?

Key Concepts

Change

Related Concepts

Play & Role

Statement of Inquiry

Shakespeare’s role in writing plays was a turning point in shaping theatre for the future.

Careers

  • Playwright
  • Translator
  • Historian

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Who is William Shakespeare?
  • What did he do?
  • Where did he live?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why were women played by men?
  • Why did people go and watch Shakespeare’s plays in the Jacobean era?
  • How has his classical language influenced the modern tongue?

Debatable Questions

  • Why is Shakespeare still taught in schools today?
  • How has Shakespeare remained relevant in modern society?

Key Concepts

Identity 

Related Concepts

Genre & Interpretation

Statement of Inquiry

Interpreting beauty through culturally specific genres builds a sense of identity.

Careers

  • Anthropologist
  • Diversity and Inclusion Manager
  • Diplomatic Agent

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is world music?
  • What are the different instruments used?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do different cultures celebrate music differently?
  • How can music express identity?
  • What relationships do different cultures have with music?
  • How does music bring communities together?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent is music important to someone’s culture?
  • To what extent can music influence religion?

Key Concepts

Change

Related Concepts

Style & Innovation

Statement of Inquiry

People’s style, dreams and innovations can change the world.

Careers

  • Innovator
  • Author
  • Fashion

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Why do we use scripts in drama?
  • What is devising?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do people dream?
  • What are dreams?
  • How can a performer engage their audience?
  • Why must a performer remain in character?

Debatable Questions

  • Is daydreaming always a negative?
  • Is facial expression more impactful than words?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Expression & Structure

Statement of Inquiry

The structure of sound communicates thoughts and expressions to the listener.

Careers

  • Musician
  • Naval Officer
  • Songwriter

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Why does western music follow a certain structure?
  • What is a Sea Shanty?

Conceptual Questions

  • How has Folk music influenced modern music?
  • Why do songs not start with a chorus?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent does form and structure influence music?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Audience & Narrative

Statement of Inquiry

TextPerformers use personal and cultural expression to communicate ideas to an audience through the use of narrative.

Careers

  • Theatre in Education Practitioner
  • Middle Management

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a tableaux?
  • What is narrative?
  • What makes a consistent performance?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do people go to the theatre?
  • Why do we use drama techniques in performance?
  • Why do people enjoy watching stories they’re familiar with?

Debatable Questions

  • Can performance make a difference in the world?
  • Do we need theatre in society in 2022?

Key Concepts

Change & Perspective

Related Concepts

Representation

Statement of Inquiry

Representing social constructions of reality can change our perceptions.

Careers

  • Musician
  • Journalist
  • Filmographer

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is change?
  • What is perception?
  • What is representation?

Conceptual Questions

  • How can perception change the way emotions are represented?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent does the representation of social constructions of reality change our perception?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Purpose & Style

Statement of Inquiry

The creativity of dramatic performance is based in historical ideas, with purposeful ideas, styles and linguistic systems.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Teacher
  • Actor
  • Carpenter

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are the conventions of a Shakespearean comedy?
  • What is a prologue?
  • What is soliloquy?
  • What was the Globe theatre like?
  • What is the meaning of Elizabethan and Jacobean?
  • How was Shakespearean theatre different from theatre today?
  • What are the main themes of the play?
  • What is duality?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do human beings crave order?
  • Why do you think humans are still obsessed with parallel universes living alongside their own?
  • How are we shaped by superstition?
  • Why do we tell stories?
  • What can be expressed through storytelling?

Debatable Questions

  • Is a Midsummer Night’s Dream a ‘comedy’ for contemporary audiences?
  • Is Shakespeare still relevant?
  • Do people fall in love at first sight?
  • What is the importance of the child?
  • How are we shaped by the stories we are told as children?

Key Concepts

Creativity

Related Concepts

Purpose & Style

Statement of Inquiry

The creativity of dramatic performance is based in historical ideas, with purposeful ideas, styles and linguistic systems.

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Teacher
  • Actor
  • Carpenter

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are the conventions of a Shakespearean comedy?
  • What is a prologue?
  • What is soliloquy?
  • What was the Globe theatre like?
  • What is the meaning of Elizabethan and Jacobean?
  • How was Shakespearean theatre different from theatre today?
  • What are the main themes of the play?
  • What is duality?

Conceptual Questions

  • Why do human beings crave order?
  • Why do you think humans are still obsessed with parallel universes living alongside their own?
  • How are we shaped by superstition?
  • Why do we tell stories?
  • What can be expressed through storytelling?

Debatable Questions

  • Is a Midsummer Night’s Dream a ‘comedy’ for contemporary audiences?
  • Is Shakespeare still relevant?
  • Do people fall in love at first sight?
  • What is the importance of the child?
  • How are we shaped by the stories we are told as children?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Audience & Narrative

Statement of Inquiry

Narrative gives you the freedom to communicate to an audience.

Careers

  • Director
  • Stage Engineer
  • West End Performer

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are musicals?
  • What is Blood Brothers about?

Conceptual Questions

  • How can musicals influence people’s views?
  • Why do musicals often carry meaningful messages?
  • What must you do to be a successful musical performer?
  • What is the importance of song in musicals?

Debatable Questions

  • Why do people enjoy musicals?
  • Can any story become a musical?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Audience & Narrative

Statement of Inquiry

Narrative gives you the freedom to communicate to an audience.

Careers

  • Director
  • Stage Engineer
  • West End Performer

Key Concepts

Innovation

Related Concepts

Expression

Statement of Inquiry

Involving innovations drive changes in human expression.

Careers

  • DJ
  • Composer

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is dance music?
  • What is musical expression?

Conceptual Questions

  • How has classical musical evolved into dance music?
  • How have modern innovations driven change in music?

Debatable Questions

  • Predict how dance music will continue to evolve

Key Concepts

Identity

Related Concepts

Interpretation & Genre

Statement of Inquiry

Interpretation of the identity of role models is genre dependant.

Careers

  • Social worker
  • Young offenders rehabilitation worker

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a role model?
  • What is a genre?

Conceptual Questions

  • How can we interpret the identity of different role models?
  • How do characters identify in different genres?
  • How can we formulate an argument to compare different interpretations?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent are role models considered to be always positive?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Structure & Audience

Statement of Inquiry

The structure of a composition can communicate varying feelings within an audience

Careers

  • Musician
  • Political Activist

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • Which techniques are used in variations?

Conceptual Questions

  • To what extent does varying a way in which a song is played influence audience’s emotions?
  • How can the structure of a song change feelings?

Debatable Questions

  • How does varying a songs structure change the feeling of the lyrics?

Key Concepts

Communication

Related Concepts

Role & Narrative

Statement of Inquiry

Communicating narrative within roles is often ritualistic

Careers

  • Film director
  • Producer
  • Actor
  • Camera crew

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What are the different camera angles used in film acting?

Conceptual Questions

  • To what extent does acting for film differ from stage acting?
  • How is soap opera acting ritualistic?

Debatable Questions

  • Is film acting harder than stage acting?

Key Concepts

Identity

Related Concepts

Style & Genre

Statement of Inquiry

Eras are identified by the style portrayed within British genre

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Musician

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is popular music?

Conceptual Questions

  • How has style been portrayed in different eras of British culture?

Debatable Questions

  • Has music improved over the eras?

Key Concepts

Identity

Related Concepts

Boundaries & Representation

Statement of Inquiry

Representation of privilege creates social boundaries which force class identity

Careers

  • Journalist
  • Social Worker

Inquiry Questions

Factual Questions

  • What is a musical?

Conceptual Questions

  • How is social class and privilege portrayed in Blood Brothers?
  • Can your social upbringing can define your identity?

Debatable Questions

  • To what extent does social class create social boundaries?