The English & Performing Arts faculty unites to bring a deep understanding of literature and language with a creative mindset to promote high standards of performance and empowerment.

The faculty prides itself on a variety of innovative teaching methods which promote confidence among students and colleagues are fully supportive of recent developments in teaching & learning related to Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction.

For an introduction to the individual subjects within this Faculty, please use the menu on the left. Curriculum and course information can all be found below in the accordion menu structure.

• Faculty Staff

  The faculty comprises a strong team of experienced practitioners who teach across the full Year 7 to A-level age range. Our Second in Faculty colleague, Mrs Saysell, coordinates Drama and we have an experienced duo of music teachers.

  Ms B Lord	Head of Faculty, English & Drama (on maternity leave)
  Mrs N Saysell	Second in Faculty, Drama Lead (on maternity leave)
  Mr D Bird	Teacher of Drama
  Ms J Capaldi	Teacher of English (Head of Year 10) (Acting Joint Head of Faculty)
  Mrs A Chapman	Teacher of Music (Head of Year 8)
  Mr R Chapman	Teacher of Music
  Mrs R Kay	Teacher of English
  Miss M Koepke	Teacher of English
  Mrs H Steadman	Teacher of English
  Mrs S Tomkinson	Teacher of English (Acting Joint Head of Faculty)

  The nominated link governor to English & Performing Arts is Mrs Julie Harris.

• Faculty Vision / Intent

  The central aim of the English and Arts Faculty is to engender a lifelong love of culture, literature, drama, art and music that goes above and beyond the examination syllabi. We believe that students should encounter and engage with the very best examples of human creativity in order to inspire them as both learners and citizens of the world.

  Within the faculty, we aim to ensure that students engage with a broad, diverse and representative selection of work in order to build a bridge between the traditional and the modern. We want students to feel confident when exploring ‘the giants’ of culture and the arts without feeling daunted or intimidated. Equally, we are passionate about celebrating and exploring work by artists, writers and musicians who have been excluded from the canon in the past, so that the tapestry of our curriculum is truly representative of what art and culture has to offer. By placing this ethos at the heart of our curriculum, we hope to challenge common misconceptions about the arts and demystify the creative process.

  Above all, we want students to feel empowered to be creative and to stand on the shoulders of those that have gone before them.

• Faculty Development Plan 2023-2024

  During the academic year 2023-2024, the Faculty will focus on:

  1. Developing the Faculty's approach to assessment, focusing on widening the ways in which students are assessed using Rosenshine's Principles
  2. Enhancing students' experience of reading throughout their time at NGHS, focusing on KS3 and KS5
  3. Better promoting the study of English & Performing Arts at A-level and beyond including careers
  4. Developing local partnerships in English & Performing Arts, in particular by learning more about the KS2 curriculum in local primaries, continuing with Rotary partnerships and launching a KS2 music event.
• Curriculum Sequencing

  Please use the links below to access the curriculum sequencing documents:

  	Curriculum Sequencing KS3-5 English
  	Curriculum Sequencing KS3-5 Drama
  	Curriculum Sequencing KS3-5 Music

  As well as the curriculum sequencing documents above, at NGHS, we produce a short curriculum summary for each year group. We call these 'Learning Overviews' and the primary audience is for students/parents to know how the curriculum is mapped in a particular year group.

• Learning Overviews KS3-KS5

  Please use the links below to access the Learning Overviews for each key stage:

  	Learning Overview - Year 7 English
  	Learning Overview - Year 7 Drama
  	Learning Overview - Year 7 Music
  	Learning Overview - Year 8 English
  	Learning Overview - Year 8 Drama
  	Learning Overview - Year 8 Music
  	Learning Overview - GCSE Music (Y9-11)
  	Learning Overview - Year 9 English
  	Learning Overview - Year 10 English
  	Learning Overview - Year 10 Music
  	Learning Overview - Year 11 English
  	Learning Overview - Year 11 Music
  	Learning Overview - A-level English Literature
  	Learning Overview - A-level Drama & Theatre
  	Learning Overview - A-level Music

• Examination Board Links

  Please use the links below to access the correct external exam board websites for each qualification offered by this faculty:

  GCSE

  	GCSE English (AQA)
  	GCSE English Lit. (AQA)
  	GCSE Music (Edexcel)

  A-level

  	A-level English (Edexcel)
  	A-level Drama (AQA)
  	A-level Music (Eduqas)

• Faculty Accommodation

  

  English is taught in a suite of four classrooms in the centre of the school. Each includes whiteboard technology and the subject has two store rooms. Drama is taught in a new studio which was converted from the previous school dining room. With lighting, sound and projection facilities, the studio is used for lessons and small workshop performances. Music is taught in large classroom along with a smaller music studio for sixth form teaching. There are also two practice rooms where peripatetic lessons take place. The Faculty makes use of the Main Hall for the annual school production and concerts are given in the Hall or Sixth Form Atrium space.

• Wider Opportunities

  

  The Faculty runs lunchtime clubs in areas such as Film Studies, Debating and Creative Writing. After school, trips to the theatre are arranged. In 2019, the Music Department ran a very successful Choir Tour to New York and, in 2023, took GCSE students to London to see Wicked. A Music Tour to Ireland is planned for 2024.

  The Drama department provides opportunites for students to be involved in numerous school productions. In 2023 they staged Sister Act.

  The Faculty also runs a number of workshops in Curriculum Enrichment Week, both in Performing Arts and in journalism.

• Relevant website links

  The Faculty recommends students use the following websites to aid their learning:

  1. SparkNotes - a website similar to BBC Bitesize with a focus on English Literature Texts

  2. Cliffs Notes - another good site to revise for English Literature

  3. Mr Bruff's YouTube Channel  - a holy grail of resources for GCSE English & English Lit.

  4. Poetry Links - a blog in which the teacher has listed useful links for each of the poems in the GCSE Anthology

   

  For A-level students of English Literature:

  1. Pearson Edexcel YouTube Channel - useful explanatory videos answering common student questions

  2. York Notes - excellent tool to prepare for lessons as it includes chapter summaries, key themes and example essay.

  3. British Library - new insights into a text through scholarly articles - great for revising Shakespeare!

   

  Suggested links for music can be found within the Learning Overviews above