Dance
Intent
The Directorate of Creative Arts joins together the artistic areas of Art, Media, Drama, Dance, Music, Photography and Textiles. We intend to offer students broad, varied and inspirational curriculum teaching, not only artistic skills but giving students means and methods to explore their creative ideas. Wherever they find themselves in the world, we want Tavistock College students to be able to access and contribute to the Arts and culture. At the heart of what we strive to do is a clear philosophy of the importance of arts education – not only for emerging artists but as a training ground for creativity.
The Creative Arts are vital to young people’s development. Their language is truly universal. Every culture explores its passions and fears through drama, dance, music and art. Regardless of gender, ability and belief, students respond intuitively to these modes of expression, and through them explore and communicate issues of morality and identity in a unique way, which enriches and personalities their education, enhancing their emotional intelligence. The social skills and complex problems solving acquired during creative group work decision making, delegation, adaptability, negotiation, listening to options and the justification of your own ideas are imperative to personal development, arguably all other subject areas and the rapidly changing environment of the workplace.
Further information
Key Stage 3
Year 7 and 8 Performing Arts
Performing Arts includes both Drama and Dance, taught for 1 hour per week over 2 years. This ensures that all students experience both art forms, while also understanding how they complement each other.
In addition, Music is taught for 1 hour per week. At times, it follows similar themes and projects as Drama and Dance, helping students make connections across the three disciplines. In today’s performing arts industry, it’s important for young performers to develop skills and experience in Drama, Dance, and Music.
The course is designed to be practical and engaging, while also teaching important theoretical concepts and subject-specific vocabulary.
Over the 2 years, students will:- Work with scripts and create their own original devised performances
- Rehearse and perform pieces from established practitioners
- Choreograph their own dance routines
- Respond to creative stimuli
- Review and critique their own work, their peers’ work, and professional performances
This well-rounded approach helps students build confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills, preparing them for further study and future opportunities in the Performing Arts.
Year 9 Dance
In Year 9, a Foundation Dance class runs in core PE time for two hours a week. Students will explore the fundamental skills a dancer needs:
- The Importance of a warm up and how to plan/lead one
- Key dance terminology through practical exploration
- How to choreograph a dance
- Technical and Expressive skills – why they are important and how to improve on them
- Different styles of dance and key practitioners and their work
- How to analyse professional dance work
After this foundation year, students can continue 10 at KS4 and complete the BTEC Technical Award in Dance.
Key Stage 4
Students are taught through practical exploration, technique classes, learning dance repertoire, choreographing dance, showing and sharing practical ideas, verbal response to work and stimulus, watching live dance, seeing behind the scenes at theatres, watching recordings of professional works, reflecting on your own performance, reflecting on other peoples’ performances, researching, experimenting, and designing for performance. Students will be; A dancer / A choreographer / An audience member.
The BTEC Level 2 Technical Award in Dance consists of the following components:
Component 1: Exploring the Performing Arts (30% internal assessment)
During Component 1, students will explore different practitioners, their work and how they create material. The exam board then release a theme and one professional work is chosen. The coursework will then explore:
- The performance styles, creative intentions and purpose of the piece and how the theme is shown in performance.
- Performance roles, responsibilities and skills needed to create the professional piece.
- Performance techniques, approaches and processes used to create the professional piece
- How a piece is created from the planning stage to the opening performance.
Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in Performing Arts (30% internal assessment)
During Component 2, students will gain knowledge of key physical and expressive skills in dance and practically learn how to improve these techniques. The exam board then release a theme and students are taught a professional piece of repertoire. They are then examined on:
- Their physical, interpretative and rehearsal skills during workshops and classes
- Applying their technical, stylistic and interpretative skills in performances
- Reflecting on their progress and use of skills in performance, as well as how they could improve
Component 3: Performing to a brief (40% external assessment)
The exam board release a brief. Students then need to create a 7-15 minute dance in groups of 3-7 dancers in relation to the question. Within this process they will:
- Use the brief and what they’ve learned to come up with ideas for the performance
- Choose the skills and techniques they’ll need
- Build on their skills in classes, workshops and rehearsals
- Review the development process within an ideas and skills written log
- Perform a piece lasting 7-15 minutes (which is filmed) to their chosen target audience
- Reflect on the performance in an evaluation report
At the end of the course each component is combined to make a total score. Students are then awarded Pass Merit or Distinction.
Key Stage 5: Performing Arts
The Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Performing Arts has been developed to meet the changing needs of the Performing Arts sector, and prepare students for the challenges they’ll face in Higher Education or employment. These qualifications are not just about being able to perform on stage; designed in collaboration with experts spanning the breadth of the sector, they focus on the requirements that today’s universities, professional vocational colleges and employer's demand. A wide range of centre assessed units with practical and wider project-based assessment opportunities, as well as examined units on Prepare to work in the performing arts sector, Proposal for a commissioning brief, Influential performance practice, Arts administration, and original performance has resulted in focused qualifications. This course compliments a KS4 study programme of other vocational qualifications or A levels.
Unit 1 - Preparing to work in the Performing Arts Sector
Unit 2 - Preparing a Commissioning Brief: Creating a Theatre Company and a contemporary Community Performance
Unit 3 - Influential Performance Practise: Post Modern Approaches to the Performing Arts since 1960 (Classicism/ Modernism/ Radiohead / The Beatles / Steve Reich / Leah Anderson/
Unit 4 - Combined Arts: Reworking Shakespeare influenced by Frantic / Kneehigh/ DV8 etc
Unit 8 - Performing Repertoire: Political Performance (Christopher Bruce and Bertolt Brecht).
Curriculum Plans
Curriculum time allocation
KS3 - 1 hour a fortnight
KS4 - 6 hours a fortnight (option)
KS5 - 10 hours a fortnight (option)
SEND Learner Experience in Dance
In the Creative Arts we are very proud to offer an inclusive and accessible curriculum that ensures students with the full range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can fully participate and succeed across all our subjects. All students access the Key Stage 3 curriculum, and many go on to study subjects at Level 2 and Level 3, gaining valuable qualifications and recognition for their achievements. Our commitment to inclusion extends beyond the classroom—students with SEND are actively involved in a wide range of enriching experiences; you will find our SEND equally with their peers, on local and national trips and visits, workshops with professional practitioners, on stage and backstage in shows and concerts, and sharing their work in exhibitions. These opportunities help to build confidence, broaden horizons, and celebrate the talents of every learner.
Planning
In Creative Arts we are committed to supporting students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) through a structured and inclusive approach embedded across all key stages. Every scheme of work includes built-in scaffolding—such as step-by-step guides—to ensure accessibility for all learners. Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are carefully read by all staff and directly inform the development of Class Plans, which are created at the start of each academic year and reviewed termly. These plans outline the specific strategies used to support students in lessons and ensure that reasonable adjustments are made where necessary. Regular SEND briefings provide staff with ongoing professional development and up-to-date information to enhance planning and delivery. Additionally, AD (Academic Director) meetings are used to monitor and support the progress of students with SEND. Our LINC cohort follows the mainstream Creative Arts curriculum with tailored scaffolding and support to meet their individual needs. Literacy development is a key focus, supported through tools such as word banks, CRESS sentence starters, differentiated and verbal feedback, and subject-specific scaffolding documents, particularly in Key Stages 4 and 5. This consistent and thoughtful approach ensures that all students, regardless of their needs, are given the opportunity to thrive.
Before each lesson
Staff make regular use of updates from Arbor to stay informed about student needs, behaviour and wellbeing. These updates are carefully reviewed and, where relevant, used to update Class Plans to ensure that support strategies remain current and effective. Seating plans and groupings are also an important part of our classroom management and are tailored to meet the needs of individual students providing structure and routine in our non-traditional classroom and studio spaces. In Visual Arts (VA), specific seating arrangements are used to support learning, while in Performing Arts (PA), students are typically seated in register order at the start of the lesson but work in regularly changed groups. All seating plans/ groups are reviewed and adjusted regularly based on classroom dynamics, behaviour patterns, and individual student needs, ensuring a supportive and productive learning environment for all.
Entry routine
Students with SEND are welcomed into the classroom with the same warmth, positivity and familiar structures as all students. Staff use a consistent thresholding approach at the door, greeting each student personally to create a calm and welcoming start to the lesson. A retrieval task is provided at the beginning of each lesson to reinforce routines and expectations, helping students transition smoothly from outside the classroom into focused learning. Where necessary, specific adjustments—such as accessible seating for wheelchair users—are made to ensure all students feel comfortable and included. If a student with SEND is struggling, staff are proactive in offering support, whether through quick check ins, gentle encouragement, supportive seating and grouping, additional scaffolding, or tailored interventions, ensuring that every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn.
During teaching
The Creative Arts spaces, classrooms and studios are thoughtfully designed to support students with SEND through both physical space and structured routines. Classrooms are kept open and consistent to accommodate physical needs and help students feel secure in familiar surroundings. A targeted menu of support allows staff dedicated time to read and act on student information, ensuring Class Plans are regularly updated. Assessment for Learning (AFL) is used similarly to mainstream teaching but with more specific, tailored feedback to guide student progress. The Framework for Learning provides a consistent structure across the curriculum, promoting clear routines and expectations that place all students on an equal footing. At each stage—thresholding, retrieval, guided practice, independent work, feedback, and exit routines—students with SEND receive appropriate scaffolding, such as sentence starters, targeted questioning, live marking, and verbal feedback. Teaching Assistants (TAs) are assigned to specific students with physical disabilities or are present in LINC classes to provide additional support. Reasonable adjustments, such as modified questioning techniques, are made in line with students’ ILPs and EHCPs. Changes to routines or expectations are communicated calmly and in advance whenever possible. Our behaviour system is applied consistently, with flexibility to accommodate individual needs. Resources are scaffolded to ensure accessibility, and teacher circulation is used effectively to check understanding, offer 1:1 support, and model tasks. For our LINC cohort, the mainstream curriculum is followed with additional scaffolding to ensure full access and engagement. This comprehensive approach ensures that every student with SEND is supported to thrive academically and emotionally.
After each lesson
Feedback (both verbal and written) plays a vital role in supporting students with SEND, and our approach is tailored to meet individual needs. Depending on the discreet subject, teachers use a combination of verbal and visual feedback to help students understand their progress and next steps. Marking is consistent and supportive, designed to reinforce learning and build confidence. Teachers actively plan for common misconceptions, which are addressed throughout lessons to ensure clarity and understanding. If concerns arise, staff communicate directly with the SEND team and/or parents via email or Arbor, ensuring timely and effective support. Teachers regularly reflect on student progress and review the Creative Arts curriculum frequently to ensure it remains appropriate and accessible for all learners. This ongoing cycle of feedback and adaptation ensures that students with SEND continue to receive the support they need to succeed.
After each assessment
Feedback and assessment are key tools in supporting the progress of students with SEND. Creative Arts teachers use a range of feedback methods—including verbal, visual, modelled and written approaches—tailored to the subject and the individual needs of each student. This feedback is designed to be clear, supportive, and actionable, helping students understand their next steps and build confidence in their learning. Assessment information is regularly analysed to identify patterns, track progress, and highlight any areas where additional support may be needed. This data is then used to inform and adapt teaching strategies and provoke conversations with the support team for the students, ensuring that the curriculum remains accessible and appropriately challenging. Teachers review and adjust their planning termly, using assessment insights to tailor content, scaffold learning, and address any misconceptions. This responsive approach ensures that students with SEND receive the right support at the right time, enabling them to thrive in the classroom.
Reading and literacy in Dance
Subject contact
Jess Madeley