Our Performing Arts Department
The performing arts department is made up of the following staff
- Miss F McKee - Subject Leader for Performing Arts - fmckee@emmausmac.com
- Mr C Smith - Teacher of Music and Performing Arts - csmith@emmausmac.com
To view the curriculum mapping document and the 'learning journey' poster for Performing Arts, then please click on the links below. If you have any queries then please contact the Subject Leader.
Performing Arts is part of the Arts Rotation. This means that every child in receives 20 lessons over each year.
Year 7
Drama 1
The Terrible Fate if Humpty Dumpty
Learning lines and blocking a scripted scene in groups.
Devising scenes based on a flashback
Performing and directing a scripted monologue
Dance 1
Diversity
Learning a professional piece of repertoire and be able to perform it accurately with correct timing.
Choreograph a section of dance using key features from street dance.
Peer and self-assess effectively
Drama 2
Silent Movies
"Using the style of silent movies and comedy, pupils creat a Silent Movie for entertainment purposes. This is by using elements of actions, devising, improvisation and facial expressions."
Dance 2
Contact Work
Working in partners/ trios, safely learning contact work movements and structuring them into a dance piece.
Using a stimulus as a starting point to create a dance piece.
Year 8
Drama 1
Nightmares
Using movement voice and spacing affectivity to create a nightmare drama piece.
Understand how lighting and sound can enhance a performance
Dance 1
5 Soldiers
The ability to learn a physical piece of repertoire that represents soldiers on a battlefield and perform this with accuracy.
Choreograph sections of dance using key features from the professional work such as contemporary, physical theatre and contact work.
Peer and self-assess effectively.
Drama 2
Blood Brothers
Structuring scenes based on scripts and devising to produce a story line of two twin brother separated at birth, then with a tragic ending.
Working in groups to block the play using entrances, exits and a narrator.
Dance 2
Capoeira
Using the key features of capoeira, produce duets and quartets in this style.
Year 9
Drama 1
DNA
Using a professional script to learn how a gang of teenagers overcome a something bad, and attempt to cover it up. Pupils learn how to block scenes in groups, focusing on how different characters react to the same situation based on their personality.
Dance 1
Drama 2
Hillsborough Disaster
Using a stimulus of the Hillsborough disaster, devising a drama piece on the dramatic event using physical theatre.
Dance 2
Swansong
Using the chair as a prop, and interrogation as the theme to produce a physical theatre piece.
Be able to perform a phrase of repertoire and choreograph sections using dance and drama.
BTEC Performing Arts
BTEC Tech Award (Level 1 and 2 Technical Award in Performing Arts)
Why study Performing Arts?
Would you like to take a hands-on, practical course along-side your GCSEs that gives you a taste of what the Performing Arts sector is like? As well as giving you the skills and confidence to succeed in your next steps?
With the new BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts, you not only get the chance to perform, but also develop valuable skills and techniques in different disciplines and explore potential careers in the industry.
What does it prepare you for in the Future?
With a BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts, you are able to explore, challenge and realise your potential. During the course, you can see whether the industry is one you want to be in, where you could go, and gain knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your next steps.
After completing the course, you could continue on to further vocational and academic study, as well as apprenticeships and traineeships. What’s more, the transferable skills you master during your studies, such as self-reflection, communication, teamwork and problem solving, will also support your progress in the present and future.
How will you be assessed?
The course has two internally assessed components and one that’s externally assessed. These components build on each other to motivate you by helping you to put what you have learnt into practice and grow in confidence.

What will you learn?
As the BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts is a practical introduction to life and work in the industry, you will explore the sector while developing specific skills and techniques, devising and delivering a workshop performance and also analysing, evaluating and enhancing your skills.
Exploring the Performing Arts: The aim of this component is to give you a taste of what it’s like to be a professional actor, dancer or musical theatre performer across different styles. During this component you will observe and reproduce existing repertoire, as well as explore:
- Performance styles, creative intentions and purpose
- Performance techniques, approaches and processes
- Performance roles, responsibilities and skills
- How practitioners create and influence what’s performed
Developing Skills and Techniques: The aim of this component is to develop skills and techniques in the chosen discipline of acting, dance and musical theatre. During this component you will:
- Gain physical, interpretive, vocal and rehearsal skills during workshops and classes
- Apply your technical, stylistic and interpretive skills in performances
- Reflect on your progress and use of skills in performance, as well as you could improve
Performing to a Brief: The aim of this component is to consider how practitioners adapt their skills for different contexts and put this into practice in a performance. During this component you will:
- Use the brief and what you’ve learned to come up with ideas for the performance
- Choose the skills and techniques you’ll need
- Build on your skills in classes, workshops and rehearsals
- Review the development process within an ideas and skills log
- Perform a piece lasting 10-15 minutes to your chosen target audience
- Reflect on the performance in an evaluation report
Extra Curricular
We have a wide range of Performing Arts activities that run every week. We encourage all year groups and all abilities to get involved. These activities develop new skills that enhance and support our curriculum. Joining a Performing Arts activity is a fantastic way to feel part of a team, be creative, meet new friends and have fun!
There are regular performances, productions and showcases throughout the year.
Here is the current Performing Arts extra-curricular timetable.
Performing Arts extra-curricular timetable

Other Information
To enhance learning opportunities, the department organises various trips. There are theatre trips to see professional works and workshops organised bringing professional practitioners into school.
Throughout the year are external workshops / practitioners working with our students to enhance performance skills.
There are also School Productions and an annual dance show to showcase your talent.