Arts Faculty (Art, Drama, Dance & Music)

The faculty is proud to inform you that it holds an Artsmark Gold Award as recognition of good practise for teaching and learning.

The central focus of the faculty is to provide opportunities for all children to explore and enjoy the excitement of the arts.

Art & Design

The Art department always aims to provide the best possible range of techniques in order stimulate interest and enjoyment in Art, Craft and Design. Schemes of work are broad and balanced, ensuring pupils cover all the formal elements in Art. Skills are then built upon through their developing knowledge and understanding of the subject alongside creative and exciting projects. Pupils produce 2D work in painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, mixed -media, I.C.T. they also produce 3.D sculptures in clay, papier-mâché, and wire/card construction.

Key Stage 3 Art

All pupils in Years 7 and 8 study Art for one hour each week. The schemes of work follow national curriculum requirements and ensure equal access to all pupils. Both year groups cover a range of skills during various theme based projects.

Year 7

• Georgia O’Keeffe – Natural Form painting project
• African Mask – 3D project
• Repeat pattern – Print Project

Year 8

• Still life Bridget Riley – Paint project
• The Shoe project – 3D Ceramic based on own chosen artist
• Landscape through a widow – Mixed media

Varied teaching methods are employed giving each individual pupil the opportunity to work in a range of learning styles.

Key Stage 4 Art - GCSE Project Outlines

The KS4 course is designed to cover the requirements for the AQA specification.

Project 1: Portrait Project – Based on students chosen Portrait artist. A series of drawings will then be produced using a variety of 2.D techniques.

Project 2: Natural From Project – Based on William Morris/Georgia O’Keeffe - Students will produce a series of studies using flowers, fruit or plants looking at different compositions. This will then be developed in to a final 2.D piece using their chosen medium.

Project 3: Pop Art Sculpture Project - Students will chose a man-made object relating to a Pop Artist e.g. Coke Can, Tin of Soup, Shoe/Trainer and produce a sculpture using 3.D techniques.

Mock Examination: Students are issued with a past paper from which they choose a question and produce a project using a 4 week preparatory period and 10 hour examination set over 2 days.

GCSE Examination: Examination will be issued 4 weeks prior to the controlled test where students will choose a question, research an artist and produce observational drawings. The 10 hour examination will be set over 2 days.

Key Stage 5 Art

We currently follow the AQA specification for A-Level Art and Design.

AS Level - The AS course is made up of one coursework unit and one externally set assignment. Students use a broad range of materials that will include the essential skills of drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, ICT and artist research. A full and personal range of development work is a vital part of the course and students show a commitment to quality and personal response which is celebrated in the Art exhibition at the end of the year.

A2 Level - The A2 course is an advancement of the skills and ideas developed throughout the AS course. Students will be expected to specialise in their Main areas of interest and develop concepts further. They will also produce one coursework project with a second externally set assignment which includes a written analysis of 1000 words.

Extra Curricular Activities

• A range of lunchtime enrichment activities are offered throughout the week.
• After School club is on a Wednesday 3.10pm 4.10pm providing further opportunities for pupils to develop their skills outside timetabled lessons.
• Gallery trips take place every year for GCSE and A-Level groups.
• Visiting artists run workshops every year with different year groups. The departments has benefited from the collaborative pieces produced on year 8 arts days. These include a clay mosaic, textile banners, relief screens and 6 colourful printed dancing figures.
• Each year the Art Department displays the work of every GCSE and A-Level student in a summer exhibition. Parents, governors, staff and other local schools are all invited to celebrate the hard work and achievement of the students.

School Links

• The Art department regularly meets with the arts advisor and other art teachers from local schools.
• Rossett School Art department also communicates project ideas and workshops with local primary schools, local businesses and organisations.
• The Art Department encourages students to enter competitions. This includes the annual international Peace Poster competition sponsored by the Harrogate Lions Club and a range of many others.

 

Music

The Music Department at Rossett offers a varied curriculum and practical approach to learning about music. The department is well resourced with three teaching rooms, each equipped with Yamaha keyboards. Two classrooms have recently been fitted with new PC’s offering students the opportunities to explore music technology through composing and sequencing using Cubase and Sibelius.

Key Stage 3 Music

Students in Years 7 and 8 follow our KS3 scheme of work. This focuses on listening, performing and composing through the topics as follows:

Year 7

• September Surprise Concert
• Pitch & Rhythm Notation
• Elements of Music & Graphic Score
• What makes a good melody
• Improvisation on the Pentatonic scale
• Triads

Year 8

• The Baroque Period
• The Classical Period
• Jazz and Blues
• Musical Medley Concert
• Film Music Project

Pupils work both individually and as part of a group. They use percussion instruments, keyboards and ICT in their lessons. All pupils have the opportunity to participate in concerts, learn new instruments and join extra curricular groups.

Key Stage 4 Music

Students in Year 9 – 11 can opt to take GCSE Music. The course is delivered in one year with 5 lessons per week. GCSE music builds on the skills and topics covered at KS3. We currently follow the AQA specification, which focuses on five areas of study. The syllabus can be viewed by clicking on this link: http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/mus.php

Key Stage 5 Music and Music Technology

We can offer A level Music and Music Technology at Rossett.

Rossett are currently trialling a scheme of collaboration with Harrogate Grammar School for the AS Music groups which enables both schools to have a healthy group of 15 pupils, this has many benefits for sharing ideas and also for performance. The New specification can be seen on the AQA website.

We are very lucky to own a Music Technology studio housing 5 Apple Mac computers all running Logic Pro 8 a full size mixing desk, separate recording space and a full range of good quality microphones. We also have two classrooms equipped with 15 PC’s running Cubase Studio 4 and Sibelius 5. For more information about the new AS and A2 Music technology syllabus please click here:

The extra bits…..

In addition to an extensive curriculum programme covering a wide range of musical genres, the Music Department offers an extensive extra curricular programme including Jazz Band, Concert Band, String Group, Saxophonix, Flute Choir, Singing Team, Stage Plus and Samba Band. Our Music Department has been on three European concert tours performing in a variety of venues – from Disneyland Paris to Menin Gate in Ypres. For photos and reviews of the tours – please click on the following links which will open in a new window:

• Paris 2006
• Belgium 2008  

Learning to play an instrument

We have a team of peripatetic music teachers provided by North Yorkshire County Council who visit on a weekly basis to teach our students a variety of instruments. We currently offer tuition for:

Woodwind	Brass	Strings	Percussion
Clarinet	Trumpet	Violin	Drum Kit
Flute	Trombone	Viola	Xylophone
Saxophone	French Horn	Cello	Piano
Oboe	Tenor Horn	Acoustic Guitar	Keyboard
Bassoon	Tuba		Electric Guitar

If you are interested in learning to play an instrument, please click on the following link for further information relating to North Yorkshire Music Services

If you have any questions relating to Music at Rossett or would like to book the Samba Band, Rossett Jazz or Saxophonix, or any combination please contact us on 01423 564444 ext 216

Music Department Staff:  

Mrs F Waddington Associate Director of Arts Faculty / Head of Music
Mrs S K Bromhead Associate Assistant Head / Staff Tutor
Mr R Durbin Music Teacher / Music Technology

 

Drama

The Drama Department delivers a varied curriculum taking into account students' interests where possible. We have very good links with Harrogate Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Seven Arts Centre, NSCD (Leeds) and these offer many opportunities to our students. Dance is taught in the PE department.

KS3 Drama

In Year 7 & 8 Drama is delivered as a discrete subject for one hour per week. Within the curriculum students will cover script work, drama exploration, devised theatre and improvisation skills, physical theatre and, due to the nature of the subject, many areas of citizenship are covered. The curriculum is tailored to be a condensed version of the GCSE to prepare students for the course they can opt to take in Year 9.

Drama lessons are heavily practical based with written work and homework set as appropriate to the piece of drama studied. There are opportunites throughout the year for students to celebrate their work through performance. Some examples of these are:

2009 Harrogate Drama Festival
2008 Shakespeare Evening
2007 Harrogate Festival
2007 KS3 Showcase Evening
2006/2007 Showcasing in Concerts
2005/2006/2007 Drama for Carol Service

In the Drama department, we strive to build confidence and self esteem. We are giving students the opportunity to develop skills that will be used throughout their lives.

KS4 Drama

GCSE Drama can be taken in Years 9, 10 or 11 and the course is completed in one year. Most classes are mixed across the three year groups and ability range. The course includes two practical elements and two written coursework elements which are completed between the October and February of the course. The course is then concluded with an external practical performance of a published or devised play. During the course it is a requirement of the exam board that all students visit the theatre and write a review of the performance.

AS Theatre Studies

This is a very practical based course and, although there is written coursework, there is no final written exam. For the coursework element students study two contrasting plays and are assessed over a 20 hour practical workshop based on the plays. They are also required to produce a written document of 3000 words to support this process. For the second part of the course students work on a performance of a published play to be performed for an external examiner.

This year the final performance will be at Seven Arts Centre in Leeds. During this exam students also need to perform a prepared monogogue and duologue.

Students are invited to visit the theatre termly as an organised event and are encouraged to also visit on a regular basis at other times.

BTEC Performing Arts

BTEC Performing Arts began at Rossett in September 2008. The course consists of Drama, Dance and Music, culminating in Musical Theatre. Students are able to combine all three disciplines in Musical Theatre performances throughout the two years. Alongside these units students also learn about Performaning Arts Business and Production Process, which give students the opportunity to gain knowledge within the industry. This course provides skills and attributes which students can develop in other subjects or personally.

Dance

Dance is delivered through the BTEC Performing Arts course and is also an enrichment activity on Thursday lunchtimes and after school. All dance activities and lessons are taught by a professional choreographer and dancer.

Enrichment in the Department

A school musical is produced bi-annually and in the alternate year there are smaller scale productions and other projects, our most recent being:

2009/10 Back to the 80s
2008 Shakespeare for Schools at West Yorkshire Playhouse
2007 Dracula Spectacular
2006 KS3 Performance Showcase
2005 Little Shop of Horrors

There are opportunities throughout the year for all key stages to attend a Drama Club and to take part in regular performances at events such as school concerts, assemblies, visits into the community, workshops and many more. Regular visits to the theatre take place throughout the year.