Coppice Performing Arts School

Expressive and Performing Arts

The Expressive and Performing Arts area is made up of five subjects: art, dance, drama, music and physical education. Art, music and drama groups are timetabled together with physical education and dance also timetabled together. At Key Stage 3 EPA groups have 3 lessons per week and at Key Stage 4 art, dance, drama, music and PE are offered as GCSE subjects. Students choose one of these subjects at GCSE and it is delivered over 3 lessons per week. PE is also part of the core curriculum with all students having 2 lessons per week. Currently art, performing arts, music and PE are taught at Post 16.

The Expressive and Performing Arts area presently comprises of 11 specialist staff, many having additional responsibilities in school. All EPA areas are taught as discreet subjects on timetable. Each area has an assistant curriculum area manager, who assists the Curriculum Area Leader (CAL) in the running of their subject. Even though each subject has its own identity there is a strong ethos of teamwork within the EPA area. Curriculum decisions, finance, meetings, new initiatives, equipment, teaching areas, student groups and teacher support are all worked on as whole area matters.

The school gained Specialist Schools Status in Performing Arts in 2003. As a result, improvements have been made to our facilities and a multi-purpose teaching / performance area built to extend provision. The current performing arts facilities are: 2 large art rooms, 1 print area, dance/drama studio, video editing suite, post 16 performing arts study area, music room, 2 music practice rooms and a main hall with stage / sound / lighting facilities (also used as main school hall). Physical education facilities are: gymnasium, swimming pool, fixed weight training room, large outdoor grass area (seasonal use – 3 soccer pitches, 1 hockey pitch, artificial cricket strip, 400m athletics track, field throwing areas, rounders / softball pitches), hard-court area with netball / tennis courts, 2 sandpits and an all-weather area.

Specific EPA curriculum information

ART

Students are taught a wide range of skills including tone, line, form, pattern and texture. Projects are based within four subject areas – drawing and painting, 3D printing and graphics. GCSE art is taught using the OCR syllabus. A level is delivered using the AQA syllabus.

DANCE

Dance is currently delivered to year 7 and 8 students in Key Stage 3, and at GCSE in Key Stage 4. Students are taught a variety of movements and experiences. Groups are mixed gender with work based on individual / group activities and performances. It is planned to expand Dance into Year 9 from September 2004 and it will also be offered as part of a GNVQ Performing Arts course in Key Stage 4.

DRAMA

Students are taught; the skills of improvisation, group devised work using a variety of drama strategies and performance from text. GCSE drama is taught using the Ed-excel syllabus. Currently at A level, Performing Arts NVQ advanced is taught using the AQA syllabus and Performance Studies is delivered using the OCR syllabus. These combine elements from all of the performing arts area.

MUSIC

Background

Coppice Performing Arts School is an oversubscribed 11-18 mixed comprehensive school.   It is a specialist performing arts school with 860 students on roll.  At Coppice music is part of the Expressive and Performing Arts curriculum area which also includes dance, drama and physical education.

Within the school curriculum all students in years 7, 8, and 9 have one lesson of music each week.  In years 10/11 music is an option choice; students can follow GCSE or BTEC music.  At post -16, music is available as an AS/A Level/BTEC Level 3 qualification.  There is a strong tradition of peripatetic music provision at Coppice where all students can still receive free music tuition.

Facilities

• Music room with keyboard suite, computer suite/composition software/interactive whiteboard
• Performing Arts A level teaching room (currently being converted into a large music practice room with a second keyboard suite)
• 2 practice rooms
• Second music classroom (Shared facility)

Performing Arts Facilities

• Multi-purpose Theatre (80 seats) converts to teaching workspace
• Main hall (300 seats), Stage (with disabled access), Peavy sound system, Grand piano
• Dance Studio
• Drama classroom

Under BSF the Performing arts area will be extensively expanded and improved from Sept. 2011.

Extra-Curricular Music

• Orchestra
• Hand Chimes
• Vocal group
• Student led bands
• Recent Musicals:
  • 2004 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
  • 2005 Grease
  • 2006 Les Misérables School Edition
  • 2006 Les Misérables School Edition (Performed at The Grand Theatre,
  • 2007 Jesus Christ Superstar
  • 2008 Schools Will Rock You
  • 2008 Schools Will Rock You (Performed at The Grand Theatre, W’ton)
  • 2009 Fame – The Musical
• Next musical:
  • 2010 Footloose – The Musical

Recent Community Music Projects

• Wolverhampton Grand Theatre:
  • Les Misérables (2006)
  • Schools Will Rock You (2008)
• English National Opera: House On The Moon (2007) performed at The Grand Theatre
• W’ton Wolverhampton Civic Centre Mayor’s Parlour: Special event performances (2006, 2008)
• Wolverhampton Civic Hall: Royal Marines Massed Bands Concerts (2007, 2008)
• St Thomas’ Church Wednesfield:  Annual Christmas Concerts (2007, 2008)
• Westcroft Special School: We Will Rock You workshop (2008)

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students are taught a wide range of sports through KS3 in mixed gender groups. These are: athletics, basketball, cricket, gymnastics, netball, hockey, orienteering, rounders, rugby, soccer, softball, swimming, team-building activities, tennis and volleyball. At KS4 students can specialise in some of the sports as well as being able to do aerobics, badminton, fixed weights and table tennis. GCSE PE is taught using the AQA syllabus. A level is delivered using the OCR syllabus.

Click here for more information on the exams taken at Coppice.

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