performing Arts

Towers School is alive with the arts. We believe that exposure to the arts is life enhancing and essential for all.

The Performing Arts at Towers School will awaken the ambitions of all pupils; we will teach a curriculum that is knowledge-driven, that is diverse and that will make them appreciative of all art forms for the rest of their lives. All pupils have the right to explore each discipline of the Performing Arts: to consider how humankind has found expression, to appreciate the beauty in crafted work or performance, to understand different cultures and behaviours, to have opinions on what has been created and to make their own artistic and imaginative choices. Pupils will go to the theatre, to galleries, to museums and they will learn from practitioners and artists so that their experience of the arts is authentic. They will understand how all art is connected. They will feel inspired to be curious, encouraged to be kind and empowered to be brave.

An arts-rich education contributes to the development of all aspects of a child’s powers and personality; a school that is rich in the arts enhances the life chances of a child. (Cultural Learning Alliance: 2017)

Our students will experience a rich and challenging curriculum which teaches them about performance, critical analysis, artistic difference and also methods of production.

The Performing Arts at Towers School changes lives by offering students a place to belong and sense of ownership over the work they create. We are a vehicle for social mobility and cultural capital, presenting our students with an insight into the world around them, beyond the limitations of their economic background or home town.

We are proud to provide authentic experiences of the arts, working in partnership with the arts industry and institutions, such as The Royal Shakespeare Company, Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company, Marlowe Theatre and National Theatre, to immerse students in cultural opportunities and experiences.

We are in the unique position whereby we deliver a curriculum that sees students out from behind a desk, working with peers, as part of a collaborative and shared experience. It is our duty therefore to deliver a curriculum that is inclusive, diverse and full of opportunities for students to find their own forms of self-expression and identity. Furthermore, it is within the Performing Arts where students learn skills of rigour and self-discipline; we have an integral part to play in fostering a positive culture and climate within school.

To follow us on Twitter, please follow @PerformingArtsF

Royal Shakespeare Company Associate School

The new academic year marks our school’s third year as an RSC Associate School. This programme provides participating schools with a wide range of opportunities for their pupils. Over the last three years, our young people have performed in six Royal Shakespeare Company affiliated productions. This has included performances at the Marlowe Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Straford- Upon- Avon. Furthermore, we have screened five live broadcasts of RSC productions, allowing for our pupils to experience live theatre from within our own school hall.

The aim of the programme is to bring Shakespeare to life for our pupils. At Towers School, we work with a group of students from Years 7 to 11 during enrichment time as part of an RSC club. You do not need to audition; we believe that anyone who wants to participate should have the opportunity to enjoy performing Shakespeare.

This year, we are proud to be one of only three schools in Kent to host the RSC’s production of The Comedy of Errors. Not only will the company be touring to our school but our young people in the RSC club will be performing alongside them. We will also be taking part in an Associate schools’ performance of Romeo and Juliet, at the Marlowe Theatre in March.

Being an RSC Associate School has brought a vibrancy and excitement to the teaching and study of Shakespeare at Towers School.

To quote the blogpost from the Tracking Arts Learning and Engagement project funded by Arts Council England, If anyone tells you Shakespeare is boring… I urge you to send them to Towers School, where the young people will quite happily prove you wrong.’

To read the blogposts on Towers and the RSC programme:

https://www.rsc.org.uk/news/a-shared-approach-to-shakespeare

https://researchtale.net/2017/11/08/a-wall-a-lion-and-a-moon/

Jasmin Vardimon Lead Associate School

National Theatre Connections Programme

School Productions, Trips and Workshops

The School of Arts

Artsmark

Through our knowledge driven curriculum, we deliver a rich, diverse and challenging arts curriculum. These educate our young people about the arts across the ages, leading practitioners and artistic movements. We ensure that the teaching of the arts is challenging, enriched and promotes excellence within each discipline. Students can pursue the arts at GCSE and as part of our Post-16 programme of study. All classes, in Year 7 and 8, experience Music, Dance, Drama, DT and Art. Furthermore, through the English curriculum, every student is taught two units of Active Shakespeare, using approaches from the Royal Shakespeare Company, as part of our RSC Associate School status.

We extend our students’ learning through exciting and authentic opportunities in and outside of the classroom, including partnerships with the Royal Shakespeare Company, University of Creative Arts and Marlowe Theatre.

Our plans for future development include a focus on actively involving children and young people in the arts. We intend to create an Arts Council within the student body, to be involved in planning for, and collaborating on, arts events within the school. This movement, called, ‘Towers By HeART’, emphasises the love for the arts that we hope to foster within our pupils.

The second focus of our Artsmark work is to ensure that we promote the work of our young people. This encompasses work with the Folkestone Triennial, UCA and local galleries. Ultimately, we want to encourage the arts within our school and community, using the Artsmark to bring a cultural diversity and enrichment to the surrounding area. Collaborations between regional artists, our students and their families will broaden the cultural experiences of so many.