Dance National Curriculum: In schools, dance is a compulsory activity within the National Curriculum for PE and contributes to the life and culture of the whole school. Dance as a subject is unique, in that it blends artistic practice with physical activity. Dance enables young people to gain artistic skills and discipline, as well as developing their ability in physical interaction, team working, problem solving, observing, evaluating, verbal and non-verbal communication. Through dance young people collaborate with other art forms, and make connections with design in space, musicality and creativity.
As a Dance Department, we follow the AQA GCSE Dance and the Pearson BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts (Dance) at Key stage 4, and RSL for Post 16 Creative and Performing Arts, as we believe the content of the courses allows students to practically explore all elements, before analysing and evaluating these skills within their written work. We feel that this process works well for the students at Barnwell, as they thrive within a vocational setting, therefore gaining a deeper knowledge overall. These elements are embedded into the KS3 curriculum from Y7-Y9.
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In years 7, 8 and 9 students study a variety of themes, dance styles, performance & choreography skills and performance repertoire.
Dance lessons in Year 7 focus on developing creativity, teamwork, building self-confidence and establishing key vocabulary. In Year 8, students explore a variety of performance and choreographic opportunities, and Year 9 students experience a taste of the GCSE & BTEC courses using a variety of analytical, performance and composition skills alongside professional dance work.
For further information, email k.blackwell@barnwell.herts.sch.uk
Y7 and Y8 |
Y7 Content |
Y7 Key Assessment |
Y8 Content |
Y8 Key Assessment |
Topic 1 |
Basic Body Actions & Lion King |
Performance assessment |
Thriller |
Performance assessment |
Topic 2 |
Street Dance |
Performance assessment |
Street Dance |
Performance assessment |
Topic 3 |
Bollywood Dance |
Performance assessment |
Props |
Performance assessment |
Topic 4 |
Movies |
Performance assessment |
The Hurricane |
Performance assessment |
At GCSE/BTEC, students are introduced to the theoretical aspects of the subject and use the skills that they have developed practically throughout Key Stage 3 to explore dance analysis of movement content, intention, costume, lighting, accompaniment and set/staging, which is linked to the GCSE written exam and BTEC coursework. Students complete performance exams; for GCSE there are two short solo set study performances and a performance in a Duo/trio and for BTEC Component 2: performing already existing dance repertoire taught by their teacher. Choreography skills are also assessed in both courses.
KS4 Course: |
Y10 Content |
Y10 Key Assessment |
Y11 Content |
Y11 Key Assessment |
Autumn 1 |
Performance Skills Dance Anthology: A Linha Curva |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Written Exam Questions |
Dance Anthology: Shadows Set Phrase: Shift |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Written Exam Questions |
Autumn 2 |
Dance Anthology: Artificial Things
Duo/trio |
Summative Unit Test: Choreography & Written Exam Questions |
Dance Anthology: Within Her Eyes Choreography Task Set Phrase Exam |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, Choreography & Written Exam Questions |
Spring 1 |
Dance Anthology: Emancipation of Expressionism |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Written Exam Questions |
Choreography Task Performance in a Duo/Trio |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, Choreography & Written Exam Questions |
Spring 2 |
Dance Anthology: Infra Set Phrase: Breathe |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Written Exam Questions |
Choreography Task Performance in a Duo/Trio exam |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, Choreography & Written Exam Questions |
Summer 1 |
Set Phrase: Breathe Choreography Project |
Summative Unit Test: Choreography & Written Exam Questions |
Preparation for the Written Exam |
Summative Unit Test: Written Exam Questions & Revision Techniques |
Summer 2 |
Choreography Project |
Summative Unit Test: Choreography & Mock Exam |
Preparation for the Written Exam |
Summative Unit Test: Written Exam Questions & Revision Techniques |
The Key Stage 5 RSL Creative and Performing Arts course is vocational and directly relates to working as an dancer in the performing arts industry. Students will study seven units across two years, one of which is marked externally by the exam board. Six units are performance based and allow students to develop a range of dance skills linked to performance, choreography and leadership.
KS4 Course: |
Y10 Content |
Y10 Key Assessment |
Y11 Content |
Y11 Key Assessment |
Autumn 1 |
Performance Skills Choreography skill linked to motif development |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Choreography assessment |
Component 3: Responding to a Brief – Theme research & choreography |
Summative Unit Test: Preparation for external exam (released in January of assessment year) |
Autumn 2 |
Component 1: First professional work |
Summative Unit Test: Written log book coursework |
Component 3: Responding to a Brief - choreography |
Summative Unit Test: Process, Choreography, Performance & Evaluation |
Spring 1 |
Component 2: Developing Performance Skills |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & progress log |
Component 3: Responding to a Brief – exam released end of January |
Summative Unit Test: Research, Process & Choreography |
Spring 2 |
Component 2: Developing Performance Skills |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & progress log |
Component 3: Responding to a Brief – exam released end of January |
Summative Unit Test: Choreography |
Summer 1 |
Component 1: Second professional work |
Summative Unit Test: Written log book coursework |
Component 3: Responding to a Brief – deadline in May |
Summative Unit Test: Performance & Evaluation |
Summer 2 |
Component 1: Third professional work |
Summative Unit Test: Written log book coursework |
|
|
The Key Stage 5 RSL Creative and Performing Arts course is vocational and directly relates to working as an dancer in the performing arts industry. Students will study seven units across two years, one of which is marked externally by the exam board. Six units are performance based and allow students to develop a range of dance skills linked to performance, choreography and leadership.
KS5 Course: |
Y12 Content |
Y12 Key Assessment |
Y13 Content |
Y13 Key Assessment |
Autumn 1 |
331 Ensemble Dance Performance
|
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation |
329 Dance Technique and Performance |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation |
Autumn 2 |
331 Ensemble Dance Performance
324 Choreography |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation |
329 Dance Technique and Performance |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation
|
Spring 1 |
306 Planning for a Career in the Creative & Performing Arts
324 Choreography
|
Summative Unit Test: Career research project Career Action plan
Performance of compositions & evaluation
|
Unit 304E: Performance Preparation Plan and prepare a performance
|
Summative Unit Test: Performance research project Performance and evaluation |
Spring 2 |
306 Planning for a Career in the Creative & Performing Arts
324 Choreography
|
Summative Unit Test: Career research project Career Action plan
Performance of compositions & evaluation
|
Unit 304E: Performance Preparation Plan and prepare a performance
|
Summative Unit Test: Rehearsal log/plan Performance & evaluation |
Summer 1 |
335 Repertory Dance Performance |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation
|
334 Leading Dance |
Summative Unit Test: Dance leadership & performance evaluation |
Summer 2 |
335 Repertory Dance Performance |
Summative Unit Test: Performance, skills log and evaluation
|
334 Leading Dance |
Summative Unit Test: Dance leadership & performance evaluation |
Further details about our Post 16 course can be found here: https://www.rslawards.com/vocational/creative-performing-arts/
For further information, email k.blackwell@barnwell.herts.sch.uk