Curriculum intent:

We aim for our young creatives to engage with the diverse and dynamic sphere of performance and impress upon the importance of process when creating and developing work. Students work via fertile questions outlined and answered over a series of lessons which explore the main dance curriculum areas as suggested by the Arts Council For England, and at KS4 by the AQA exam board, including performance, choreography and the chance to critique and analyse dance.

In Dance our students work as dancers, and respond to professional works and explore the wider context of the three disciplines within performance. Students will refine their skills of creation, collaboration, rehearsal and performance and will thrive on each opportunity to present to an audience of their peers. The relationship with their audience underpins their practice and students will endeavour to create meaningful and evocative work in Years 9-11 especially. Students will become masters of their craft and will engage with opportunities to reflect on their practice and enhance their outcomes from this by observing and being constructively critical and analytical about the practical work they see presented in the dance class. At Key Stage 3 dance work is presented via a spotlight opportunity to an audience and at KS4 more detailed, longer performances will take place and critiqued. At all Year group level, students study the three main strands of performance, choreography and dance appreciation. Students will always understand the importance of discipline and concentration, along with skills of independence and resilience that are embedded in lessons through focus on the key performing skills groups such as developing physical skills.

The dance performance work is aimed at producing dancers who can confidently and competently perform routines and sequences that they have created or learnt, showing various physical skills such as balance and flexibility, technical skills such as dynamic use, expressive skills such as projection and mental skills such as confidence. When we learn to choreograph we learn the essential building blocks of a successful dance such as unison, canon and contrast and contact work. When we critique a professional dance we understand the key components such as costume and lighting and how they contribute and create value to each dance at a highly analytical level.

NOTE - Year 7 - 9 curriculum is individual to Highlands School and Year 10 - 11 follow the performance pieces and dance anthology work as outlined by GCSE AQA.

Exam board: GCSE AQA GCSE Dance

Key Stage 3
	Autumn Term 1	Autumn Term 2
Year 7	Appreciation - history and development of dance	Appreciation - history and development of dance
Year 8	Choreography - choreographic devices	Choreography - choreographic devices
Year 9	Appreciation - examination of a professional dance - Bruce, Swansong	Performance - physical, expressive and technical skills

Key Stage 3
	Spring Term 1	Spring Term 2
Year 7	Performance - musical theatre and dance styles	Performance - musical theatre and dance styles
Year 8	Performance - musical performances - Oliver, Aladdin	Performance - musical performances - Oliver, Aladdin
Year 9	Performance - physical, expressive and technical skills	Choreographing group dance - stimulus - Bruce, Swansong

Key Stage 3
	Summer Term 1	Summer Term 2
Year 7	Choreography - dynamics, motifs and devices	Choreography - dynamics, motifs and devices
Year 8	Appreciation - The Nutcracker, Bourne	Appreciation - The Nutcracker, Bourne
Year 9	Choreographing group dance - stimulus - Bruce, Swansong	Choreographing group dance - stimulus - Bruce, Swansong

 

Key Stage 4
	Autumn Term 1	Autumn Term 2
Year 10	Appreciation - Section A Performance	Appreciation -  Section A Performance
Year 11	Appreciation - Section C Choreography	Appreciation - Section C Choreography

Key Stage 4
	Spring Term 1	Spring Term 2
Year 10	Performance	Performance
Year 11	Appreciation - Section B Appreciation - Section C Choreography	Appreciation - Section B Appreciation - Section C Choreography

Key Stage 4
	Summer Term 1	Summer Term 2
Year 10	Appreciation - Section C Performance	Appreciation - Section C Performance
Year 11	Appreciation - Section C Choreography	Appreciation - Section C Choreography