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Expressive & Performing Arts

The Expressive and Performing Arts (EPA) area is made up of four subjects: Dance, Drama, Music and Physical Education. Music and Drama groups are timetabled together, with Physical Education and Dance also timetabled together. At Key Stage 3 EPA groups have 3 lessons per week and at Key Stage 4 Dance, Drama, Music and PE are offered as GCSE and BTEC subjects. Students choose one of these subjects at GCSE and it is delivered over 3 lessons per week. PE is also part of the core curriculum with all students having 2 lessons per week. AS/A2/BTEC dance, drama, music and PE are taught at Post 16.

The Expressive and Performing Arts area presently comprises of 11 specialist staff, many having additional responsibilities in school. All EPA areas are taught as discreet subjects on timetable. Each area has an assistant curriculum area manager, who assists the Curriculum Area Leader (CAL) in the running of their subject. Even though each subject has its own identity there is a strong ethos of teamwork within the EPA area. Curriculum decisions, finance, meetings, new initiatives, equipment, teaching areas, student groups and teacher support are all worked on as whole area matters.

Performing Arts Facilities

  • Multi-purpose Theatre (80 seats) converts to teaching workspace
  • Main hall (300 seats), Stage (with disabled access), Peavy sound system, Grand piano
  • Dance Studio
  • Drama classroom

Under BSF the Performing arts area will be extensively expanded and improved from Sept 2011.

Dance

Dance is currently delivered to year 7, 8 and 9 students in Key Stage 3, and at GCSE and BTEC in Key Stage 4. Students are taught a variety of movements and experiences. Groups are mixed gender with work based on individual / group activities and performances. It is planned to expand Dance into Year 9 from September 2004 and it will also be offered as part of a GNVQ Performing Arts course in Key Stage 4.

Drama

Students are taught; the skills of improvisation, group devised work using a variety of drama strategies and performance from text. GCSE drama is taught using the Ed-excel syllabus. Currently at A Level, Performing Arts NVQ advanced is taught using the AQA syllabus and Performance Studies is delivered using the OCR syllabus. These combine elements from all of the performing arts area.

Music

Within the music curriculum all students in years 7, 8, and 9 have one lesson of music each week. In years 10/11 music is an option choice; students can follow GCSE or BTEC music. At post -16, music is available as an AS/A Level/BTEC Level 3 qualification. There is a strong tradition of peripatetic music provision at Coppice where we are one of the only secondary schools in the country still offering free music tuition to all students.

Click here for more information about Music and public music performances at Coppice.

Click here for more information on the exams taken at Coppice.