Performing Arts Report
Term Six July 2007-2008
 Compiled by Josie Williams,
Community Arts Development Officer

As term six draws to a close, we are safe in the knowledge that we have successfully completed all our objectives for phase one of specialist schools status and have secured phase two. This will be a natural progression and as we speak the final tweaks are being placed on our new objectives which begin in September. As mentioned in our term five report, our main thrust for phase two objectives is Whole School Attainment, Community Cohesion and Creative & Media Diploma. Our community angle is very strong and I will continue to build on this with ideas and concept that embrace our commitment to Community Cohesion and thus feed into Whole School Attainment. We have also been reinstated with the Arts Council’s prestigious Arts Mark Gold Award for our commitment to the Arts.

Thank you all for your continued support and I hope you have a fab summer. In our next report I will include evaluation analysis for academic year 2007-2008, this will be invaluable in moulding the intricacies of how we deliver our objectives for the coming year.

Our feeder schools and St Luke’s will be consulted about their outreach requirements in early September once I know our teacher’s timetables and the funding available. Sue Derrick, Head of Performing Arts, has decided that we will no longer continue with funding free peripatetic music lessons in our feeder schools as it was felt that it cost a lot of money for the small amount of students who took part. However, the plan is to offer funding to the Music Cooperatives, Wider Opportunities programme and set up music clubs in schools where these are needed. We will continue to support St Luke’s with drum and guitar lessons. I will also consult with schools on ways in which we can add value to their curriculum via the Performing Arts.

DRAMA OUTREACH: ROBERT LE KYNG
by Ruth Beckett Drama Teacher

September 2007 – May 2008

At the end of May I finished my outreach work at Robert Le Kyng in preparation for going on maternity leave. I have worked with the two Year 6 classes since September and covered a range of drama skills and techniques.

  • Games/ warm up activities/ team building exercises.

 

  • ‘Hamlet’ scheme of work;
    • Still images
    • Role on the wall
    • Script work
    • Role play
    • Mime
    • Performing & evaluation

 

  • ‘The Sea’. A scheme to support their Geography work on coasts;
    • Performance poetry
    • Voice work
    • Soundscaping
    • Exploring atmosphere & mood

 

  • Role Cards;
    • Characterisation
    • Still images
    • Role play
    • Improvisation
    • Performing & evaluating

 

In September the students were enthusiastic about drama but some lacked the confidence to perform in front of their peers and others were unsure about working in non- friendship groups. Through each drama session I have seen their confidence grow and have been impressed with the increased maturity they have shown about working in mixed groups.

All the students have achieved at least a level 1 (Arts Council Levels) with some individuals working at a level 2 or 3.

It has been a pleasure to be back at Robert Le Kyng after first doing drama outreach there in 2004. I look forward to seeing the present Year 6 as Year 7 Commonweal students when I return to work next year.

DANCE UPDATE TERM SIX
 Louise Blake has worked with Robert Le Kyng, Even Swindon and King William Street school this year and has tied in tightly to their schemes of work to enhance the pupils learning experience. Her extra curricular Year 6 dance club in the summer term is invaluable as a transition tool and the pupils thoroughly enjoy the experience. Next year Louise will also be working with Lethbridge Primary School who have just lost their specialist dance teacher. We have also secured a community partnership deal with Damien Hendricks who ran an after school street dance group on a Wednesday throughout the summer term. Damien and his crew will return in September.

Year 6 Dance Club

Year 6 Dance Club, which has been running this term, ended with a performance for Little Shop of Horrors. Olivia Ross and Steph Smith, two of the Year 10 Dance Leaders, have been choreographing a Little Shop of Horrors dance with the Year 6’s during their after school club . The Year 6’s performed one of the numbers in Little Shop on Wednesday 9 th July and they were just great!

Boys Dance

The Boys Dance Club performed for Year 6 students from King William Street School. The Year 5/6 class came up to Commonweal to watch the boys group perform; they then were led by the Dance Leaders for a one hour workshop.

This opportunity gave the Year 6’s from King William Street a chance to see what dance groups are available at Commonweal, and gave the Year 10 dance leaders valuable leadership experience.

YDA

Following a very successful Youth Dance Academy open day held at The Commonweal School, several students have been invited to audition for the Youth Dance Academy, watch this space.. .Louise Blake Dance Teacher

MUSIC UPDATE

Ali Sutcliffe’s Outreach time has been limited this year to one morning per fortnight ( 9.30 -11am) this is due to timetabling constraints. However, she has delivered some interesting schemes of work in Robert Le Kyng ( terms 1,2,3,4) relating to Shakespeare and another SOW about ‘The Sea.’ She also delivered a SOW to tie in with Lethbridge Schools Tutankhamen SOW in the Spring. Even Swindon and King William were given SOW. Unfortunately due to training days, mainly related to the new Creative & Media Diploma which Ali is leading and also the constraints due to our school’s summer musical, The Little Shop of Horrors, outreach time was not available in terms 5 and 6.

St Luke’s Outreach. Nick Weaver has been invaluable in his song writing workshops which he delivers on a Friday afternoon to students at St Luke’s Special School. “ Nick has been working with small groups and individuals, developing instrumental work and song writing. Nick's enthusiasm, rapport and expertise have produced some remarkable and rapid results for both players and singers during the two stints he has put in at St Lukes. He has brought instruments and recordings with him to stimulate the students and enrich the sessions and everybody invariably finds that working with Nick is exciting and rewarding.

The time and effort he put into the Winter Festival was particularly valuable, as he was able to set up and run stage equipment as well as play a full part in working with the youngsters. Everybody finds him extremely helpful and approachable and he always seems to be calm and cheerful. There is never any sense of crisis when Nick is around” Simon McNulty, Head of Performing Arts, St Luke’s

Battle of the Bands

“Our very own year 11 band 'Steaming Nina' came an impressive 3rd in July at the Battle of the Bands over at North Swindon. They beat off strong competition and look set for another successful year of local gigs. Well done!” Ali Sutcliffe.

Events

There has been a plethora of exciting events this term all of which have been reported in full in the July issue of Commonweal Matters and on our dedicated arts web site www.commonwealarts.co.uk . These have included the Old Town Festival where musicians and dancers entertained the community, Alfresco music and cricket event in June, the marvelous Little Shop of Horrors and our Family Mural workshop to mention but a few….