Creative Arts

Downsend has creativity at its heart.

The Creative Arts play a huge part in life at Downsend. Aside from the thrill of performance, the mastering of an instrument, or the opportunity to create a masterpiece – our young people benefit from the opportunity to have a go at everything, to play and perform for fun, or to take it to the next level as they progress throughout their education.

Our focus on Drama, Music and Art encourages the vital life skills of creativity, imagination, expression of feelings and ideas, the ability to work in a team and to communicate. Their impact on your child’s wider learning is influenced by the way we teach these subjects so holistically.

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NEW Creative Arts Centre
Music
Drama
Art, Design and Technology

Brand new Creative Arts Centre.

In 2022, a £5m investment allowed Downsend to build a cutting-edge Creative Arts Centre to showcase the talent within our walls.

Featuring a multi-purpose performance auditorium with tiered seating for 200, black box drama studio, flexible music and drama teaching space equipped with the latest technology and a recording studio, the Creative Arts Centre has given us the space to bring creativity to life.

MUSIC

Music can change the world.

Music is a huge part of life at Downsend. Learning to play and appreciate music encourages creativity, self-confidence and social skills as well as supporting learning in other subject areas. As part of the curriculum, all children are introduced to the basics of music such as pulse, rhythm and basic notation. Opportunities for performance and to experience all forms of music at concerts and shows are interwoven throughout the year. In Year 3, all pupils join the Music Scheme, in which they try different instruments, before deciding which to progress with.

Our Enrichment Programme features a wide range of opportunities from Brass Group, to Chamber Choir, String Group to Rock bands. In the Senior School, Creative Music Technology Club gives pupils the chance to use digital techniques to compose and create their own songs.

Our love of music is demonstrated through our vast Enrichment Programme.

Rock Bands
Percussion Club
String Group
Junior and Senior Choirs
Brass Group
Wind Ensemble
Orchestra
Jazz Ensemble

DRAMA

Drama instils confidence in our pupils and develops their communication skills.

Our Drama programme gives pupils the chance to perform, to work together and to build their confidence. Every year we put our heart and soul into our performances, such as Joseph, the Lion King and High School Musical. Our cutting-edge Creative Arts Centre has raised the bar, giving pupils the chance to show how good they really are, in magnificent surroundings.

Being part of productions is not limited to being on stage, pupils are involved in the full production from set and costume design to sound and lighting. Performances are exciting and joyous occasions, where the Creative Arts Centre really comes to life and gives pupils and parents the chance to create memories.

Pupils can choose to be part of the ensemble, auditioning for roles and taking part in regular rehearsals. Or, they may choose to work backstage and have the opportunity to develop their technical skills in our state-of-the-art AV booth. Our Enrichment Programme offers something for everyone - with Musical Theatre Club, run by The Schools Musical Company, for those pupils who love to perform. Whilst Theatre Design Club gives pupils the chance to learn how sets, lighting and costume are created.

Our Drama provision continues to grow and expand as the school does and we strive to place enthusiasm for and enjoyment of Theatre at the heart of our school.

ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Stretching imaginations. Solving problems.

We aim to challenge pupils to be imaginative, to express themselves but also to hone their problem-solving skills.

We do this through a rich and varied programme of timetabled and enrichment opportunities, exploring themes and ideas, materials, and processes – encouraging both high standards and enjoyment. Downsend has creativity at its heart, and this can really be seen in our Design and Technology Studios. Comprising of Food Technology, Textiles, Graphics, Resistant Materials and Product Design our curriculum builds problem-solving, collaboration, creativity and digital skills. Each studio is fully equipped with lasercutters, sublimation ovens and table-top machines and is led by a passionate, experienced team.

Art takes place in our specialist Art Studios where pupils develop the skills to express ideas through a variety of media, learning specialist techniques and an artistic vocabulary, and the ability to appreciate and understand art from wide range of genres.

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Sport & Competition

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Facilities & Location