Prep Arts Brochure

express yourself at fettes prep

our facilities In our spacious Art room, pupils have the opportunity to explore large scale, ambitious projects, utilise ICT facilities and learn specialised skills, such as printmaking and ceramics, using our fine etching press and brand new kiln.

A Creative Curriculum Our curriculum caters to pupils’ interests and enthusiasms. There is an emphasis on one-to-one tuition, independent learning and inspired creativity. The pupils are introduced to a wide and exciting range of materials and techniques both 2D and 3D.

Beyond Drawing Art clubs allow our budding artists to become more involved and there is an equal emphasis on both practical design skills and Art History. Many of the projects explored link art to other subjects and pupils are encouraged to make their own crosscurricular connections.

Exhibiting Work Prep School Art exhibitions encourage higher standards and promote pride in pupils’ work; each project ends with a mini exhibition and school displays changing regularly. Learning is enriched further when pupils view exhibitions from invited artists, artists in residence and Senior School students in our Foyer Gallery in The College.

Figure Drawing Taking inspiration from ‘The Greatest Showman’, we embarked on a figuredrawing project on the circus theme.

Mushrooms The Mushroom project took us outside the art room as we arranged, ‘planted’ and photographed our mushrooms in the Prep grounds.

learning drama Drama at the Prep School is all about dynamic learning and the development of personal and interactive skills, which will be valuable throughout life.

Participation In the early years, establishing a secure learning environment is vital, so that everyone feels willing to participate. Important skills are identified and creativity encouraged and developed. Our 7-9 year-olds rehearse for the Christmas production, a very special performance in the Chapel. Following this, and continuing into the P Form curriculum, the use of fairy tales and fables facilitates interest and the growth of skills.

Performance As pupils move through the school, positive approaches to practice and performance are extended, and we explore the use of movement and dialogue. In S Form, pupils explore playwriting, puppetry and perform scenes from a musical in the end of year concert.

Developing Skills The range of tasks for pupils becomes suitably challenging in the continuing years.

In T Form, we look at varied themes, such as war poetry and bullying, through script work and improvisation. Moving into First Form, we encounter complicated concepts within Shakespearean texts, which can be linked to plays studied in English lessons.

In Second Form, we work on the essential performance skill of improvisation, as well as vocal, physical and teamwork skills.

‘I like having the opportunity to be a different person on stage and lose myself in a role.’

A Christmas Carol M and P Forms delighted us with their sparkling and innovative production of ‘A Christmas Carol’.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream All First and Second Form pupils have the opportunity to perform in, or support, a large-scale dramatic production, which, whether a play or a musical, is always an educational and exhilarating venture!

building confidence Striving for excellence, building confidence as a performer and having fun is what learning music at Fettes is all about.

Our core strands are performing, listening, appraising, and inventing. Key concepts are taught by practical means and cross-curricular links are explored with exciting projects for each year group.

Technical Skills Technical skills are taught and developed on recorder, keyboard, ukulele and guitar as well as singing. Pupils use technology to learn how to compose and arrange music, whilst developing musical literacy and learning music theory.

Making Music Together There are currently 25 visiting instrumental and singing teachers and over 150 pupils take individual singing or instrumental lessons.

We have four choirs, an orchestra, jazz band, flute group, two string ensembles and various chamber groups, which rehearse and perform each term. Piping and Drumming is also offered and several Prep pupils play in pipe bands.

Performance Opportunities Everyone has the opportunity to perform each term as a soloist in the termly Form Concerts and in the larger groups at the end of each term. The choirs frequently sing in Chapel services and around Edinburgh and there is a biennial choir tour; our choirs have sung in Notre Dame, Paris, Aix-en-Provence and Avignon.

We are embarking on an exciting choir tour to Bordeaux in July.

Spring Concert Our Spring Concert is a whole school celebration and is held in the beautiful Stockbridge Church.

Choir Tour Our last choir tour was to Bordeaux where we performed two concerts to large audiences in the heat of the summer.

We recognise the vital role of the Arts in the development of confidence, self-expression, and creativity. From age seven upwards, all of our pupils receive specialist Art, Drama and Music teaching.