EDUCATION EDITION
Class Act Charlotte Phillips casts an eye over the local schools who are dedicated to putting students in the limelight through the performing arts W atching a superb singer, dancer, soloist or actor at the peak of their artistic prowess and being mesmerised by their talent is an occasion to savour. For the performers themselves, the opportunity to engage with an audience can be incredibly special. Many of today’s top musical and dramatic talents are given their earliest opportunities to practise and hone their craft at school. From orchestras to jazz bands, whole-school musicals to staged classics, performing arts teams and the exceptional staff who run them are responsible for inspiring young minds and nurturing new generations of creative stars. Talk to those at schools in our area and you’ll witness an abundance of enthusiasm and energy. You’ll see a can-do approach that borders on miracle working, bringing ambitious projects to fruition to ensure budding stars are given what they need to shine, and the full-of-potential yet cautious are encouraged – but never pushed – to try out a spot in the limelight.
© THE LEYS
TREAD THE BOARDS St John’s (left) and The Leys (above) love the teamwork drama inspires
Their dedication and determination is a welcome antidote to the somewhat downbeat – and downward – trends in creative arts as a whole. Music A-level entries have declined by almost half since 2010, a figure the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) describes as ‘shocking’ – and the trend is very similar for A-level drama. Meanwhile, degrees in performing and creative arts are also under threat due to reduced funding. Yet, as performing arts specialists will tell you, take the axe to these subjects at your peril. Not only are they important in their own right, but they also have a power that can extend well beyond timetabled lessons. Performing arts, they say, adds an unrivalled richness to the curriculum. By investing in the arts, you help boost motivation, achievement and enjoyment. The show must go on For Joanna Davey, Stoke College’s head of drama, performing and visual arts, the performing arts teaches a huge range of
life skills – from communication and leadership to teamwork and discipline. “It’s all these different technical skills that apply to all their academic work, including science and maths,” she explains. “The skills they learn permeate other subjects. They can also give pupils the edge later on in life. Obviously, we’re in a competitive world where being able to communicate and express yourself is so important – and performing arts challenges them on all levels,” Joanna comments. “Performing arts are also exceptionally good at bringing pupils together to create something collectively and think of others along the way,” says Cory Pulman-Jones, director of performance drama at The Leys. Getting to this point can be a demanding process, she stresses, but the end result, after pupils have learnt that they are in it together, is invariably worth it. Cory explains: “They start to understand that no one is more important than anyone else. It’s run as a meritocracy – everyone can audition and take part. It’s very inclusive.
CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK JUNE 2024 71
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