FOUNDATIONS IN THE ARTS What is your role and how long have you worked at Cokethorpe? I have worked at Cokethorpe for 24 years, having joined as a Year 6 teacher in 1998. There were only three classes in what was then the Junior Department. Mr Rotherham, a previous Head of Music, suggested I might teach Music which has always been a huge passion of mine. As a child I learnt piano, cello and enjoyed orchestra and singing in choirs. In the 1980s I performed as a singer and keyboard player in the band, Colour Me Pop. As well as class lessons, I started the choir and was delighted to discover some very talented singers.
When Mrs Hooper Head of Drama, moved to her position in the Senior School, I was delighted to accept the role as Prep Drama teacher. It is my strong view is that all children can offer something to the Arts. I always enjoy seeing how children progress when performing in concerts and productions and feel immensely proud of what they have achieved. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have such a rewarding job in the most beautiful of settings. However, recently I have made the decision to step away slightly from ‘the helm’ of the Arts and this new chapter will also be exciting. What makes the Arts such an important part of a child’s education? The Arts are fun and creative and help pupils with several different life skills. During lessons, children are encouraged to express themselves freely and as specialists, we aim to create dynamic and vibrant lessons. Arts lessons build personal confidence and self-esteem (after our recent production of Alice in Wonderland for example, the dormouse had a large fan base in Pre-Prep!)
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Spending time embracing the Arts has proven benefits for children’s academic performance. What skills do Drama and performance give to children in an academic setting? The Arts are a contrast to the rigor of academic subjects, allowing children to shine in different ways, be it playing an oboe or taking to the stage. Drama provides pupils with an outlet to self-express and explore their imaginations though creative play. It develops interpersonal skills though teamwork, role play and social interaction. It allows pupils to experiment and develop their verbal and non-verbal communication skills, making them resilient, as well as seeing the world in a different way. I feel passionately that these skills will enhance academic performance . How do the Arts sit with other subjects in the curriculum? In the Prep School, arts projects tend to link with whole School themes across the curriculum. A performance of Darwin Rocks linked with ‘Our World’ and the musical Alice with ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’. During Lent Term 2022, ‘The Pen is Mightier the Sword’ will link with An Evening of Verse, where the children will perform poetry, Shakespeare as well as a miscellany of musical items. What happens in a typical Music or Drama lesson? I encourage the development of skills through listening and appraising, a variety of Music and Drama related activities (including creating and exploring) and performing. Singing is at the heart of all our musical learning. We might work towards performing for an audience and we sing in Assembly each week (even when using Teams).
