Performing Arts
I believe that every person is born with talent.” Maya Angelou
This quote underpins the vision for both our curricular and extensive co-curricular offering, which have been carefully designed and invested in, to ensure our students are given every opportunity to both find and develop their talent.
No matter their starting point, we aim to nurture talents and interests, broaden artistic experiences and fulfil our students’ cultural entitlement. Our aim is for all students to not only improve as young musicians, but to also develop their self-esteem, confidence and communication skills so that they will be able succeed in the future.
At Years 7, 8 and 9, our students receive one 80-minute lesson every week, with performance skills and techniques being a central focus throughout their Key Stage 3 experience. Our approach centres on the enjoyment and engagement of students, while building the skills needed to become confident solo and ensemble performers.
At KS4, our students are offered the opportunity to study both Drama and Music as part of the options process with both subjects following the Eduqas GCSE specifications. Our curriculum supports their preparation for further study Post-16.
To complement the curriculum, we offer a large variety of co-curricular enrichment opportunities and outreach workshops/performances with our professional partners and Music Hub, Croydon Music and Arts. Our instrumental tuition programme is open to all students and lessons are both heavily subsidised or fully funded to remove any barriers to access. Click on the link to access the instrumental lesson request form: https://forms.office.com/e/kBgR1xq3ZD
Our students are given regular opportunities to perform at Academy and wider Harris events as well as performing at events in the Croydon and wider London community. We have a fantastic reputation for producing inspiring and high-quality performances. A perfect example of this is our contribution to the new ABRSM platform ‘Stage’ launched by Artistic Director Alexis Ffrench in September 2024 showcasing ABRSM’s commitment to championing a life-long love for music, celebrating the rich diversity that music brings to our lives. We are the first school in the world to feature on Stage and you can watch our contribution to this exciting new platform here.
