Creative sparks cradled and fanned into dazzling flames

From Nursery days onwards, our pupils are encouraged to express their perceptions and feelings of wonder. Our youngest children have their own take on the world around them and they love learning how to share those impressions in paint, collage and poetry. Inspiration comes through a wide range of sources, including found materials, investigations into British and overseas cultures, and the study of world-famous artists and craftsmen.

Cross-curricular learning allows pupils to find context and to use their growing artistic skills to illustrate and amplify their learning. Expect our walls to be festooned with Viking longboats, Sphinxes and underwater scenes. Longer term project work sees wonderful dioramas of the South American rainforest, volcanoes and river deltas. Children often hold their own exhibitions to share their work with parents, grandparents, older students and visitors.

Music resounds throughout. Classes and choirs sing together, ensembles rehearse, and lunchtime concerts give our children early experiences of performing for an audience. Verse, drama and dance add to the joyful artistic ambiance. Again, all the world is included as source material, with samba whistles, Japanese drumming and early steps in ballet. 

Our senior school students are generally well aware of the cultural heartbeat of the modern world and keen to learn more, remaining receptive to all world arts have to offer.

In Years 7, 8 and 9 our students receive specialist teaching in Art, Drama, Dance, Music and Textiles. They gain experience of ceramics and both digital and traditional black and white film photography. As with all our classes, group sizes are small, and each discipline is taught in its own dedicated space within the Art Centre, with its art rooms, drama studio and music suite, and also in our dance studio. 

Sometimes our young artists know from the very beginning where their artistic passions lie. For other students this is a gradual process. Some surprise themselves by discovering previously unsuspected artistic leanings. Again, inspiration is taken from across the world, from modern practitioners and old masters.

When it comes to choosing GCSE options, students can mix and match subjects. Some take several – even all – of the arts subjects available and others add one or two of them to a more mixed portfolio. The beauty of our rich extra-curricular arts provision means that even those who choose to concentrate on other subjects have ready access to continuing artistic development through clubs, trips and visits and other experiences. 

Already used to working up ideas and creative processes in sketchbooks, our fine artists, textile artists and photographers must step up a level to demonstrate original thinking, process and development. This is preparatory material towards your final pieces and there is a focus on independent work.

More than ever, classes are small and our highly qualified teachers are able to give individual guidance and support. Many have come to the College after working in related arts disciplines and their experience of the arts industry is hugely beneficial.

A-level artists have their own art room and dedicated work spaces so your studies can continue unimpeded by the requirement to put things away mid-project. 

Those taking Drama and Theatre Studies also benefit from well-equipped specialist spaces and small class sizes as you explore a range of dramatic genres and create your own performance. Textiles embraces both traditional and innovative approaches to fashion design as you work towards designing your own label. And for musicians working through performing, composing and appraising, you will have the backing of passionate subject specialists and first-class facilities. 

Whatever branch of the arts is chosen, trips and visits, performances and exhibitions, visiting speakers and masterclasses all aid success.