Dance
Dance
Dance plays a vital role within the school curriculum by developing creativity, confidence, resilience and collaboration through practical and expressive learning. The subject supports the school values of Ambition, Respect and Courage by encouraging students to strive for excellence, work positively with others and take creative and performance risks. Students learn to challenge themselves, respond to feedback and communicate ideas through movement in a safe and supportive environment.
Dance contributes significantly to students’ wider education and personal development. It promotes physical and mental wellbeing, self-expression and emotional literacy, while also developing transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership and problem-solving. Through studying a range of dance styles, practitioners and cultural influences, students gain a broader understanding of diversity and the arts within society. The subject also supports future pathways into the creative industries, education, fitness and performing arts, while building confidence and employability skills valued across many careers.
The curriculum is designed to ensure all students gain essential knowledge, skills and cultural capital. Students develop technical, choreographic and performance skills alongside the ability to analyse and evaluate dance using subject-specific vocabulary. Exposure to professional works and diverse cultural traditions helps students appreciate dance as both an art form and a means of communication.
Our curriculum is ambitious and inclusive for all learners, including students with SEND and disadvantaged students. High expectations are supported through scaffolded tasks, clear modelling, differentiated approaches and regular feedback to ensure all students can succeed and make progress.
The curriculum fully reflects National Curriculum expectations by providing opportunities to perform, create and evaluate dance across a range of styles and contexts, with skills and knowledge sequenced progressively throughout Key Stages 3 and 4.
Students say…
"Dance lessons are the highlight of my week. We get to explore different styles, perform regularly, and work as a team. I've developed skills that I know will help me both in school and beyond."
"The teachers always encourage us to push ourselves, and every lesson is a chance to be creative and improve."
The Dance curriculum develops performance, choreography and appreciation skills through a broad range of practical and theoretical experiences. Students explore different dance styles, professional works and cultural traditions while developing creativity, confidence, physical skills and teamwork.
What will my child study in Year 7?
Students study storytelling through movement, animation-inspired choreography and professional dance works. They develop basic technical skills, performance quality and the ability to communicate ideas creatively.
What will my child study in Year 8?
Students explore traditional dances from different cultures, fitness in dance and urban playground. Lessons focus on physical skills, creativity, teamwork and understanding dance within different contexts.
What will my child study in Year 9?
Students study choreography, contact work, street dance and popular culture. They refine technical and performance skills while developing greater independence, creativity and analytical understanding.
How are the groups organised?
Students are taught in mixed-ability groups to encourage collaboration, inclusivity and peer support. Tasks are adapted to meet the needs of all learners and provide appropriate challenge.
What equipment is needed?
Students are expected to wear the correct PE kit and barefoot only in the Dance studios. Occasionally, students may be asked to bring in research materials or complete homework tasks linked to practical work.
What assessment is used?
Assessment includes both formative and summative approaches. Students are regularly assessed through practical performances, choreography tasks, peer/self-assessment and teacher observation. End-of-unit assessments measure progress in performance, choreography and evaluation skills.
How do you give feedback to students?
Feedback is given verbally during lessons, through peer and self-assessment activities, and through written feedback where appropriate. Students are encouraged to reflect on their work and use feedback to improve performance and choreography skills over time.
What course(s) is/are offered?
AQA GCSE Dance
Link to specifications:
What will my child study in Year 10?
Students begin developing the practical, choreographic and analytical skills required for GCSE Dance. Areas of study include:
Analysis of Set Works:
- Artificial Things
- A Linha Curva
- Emancipation of Expressionism
- Infra
- Shadows
- Within Her Eyes
Set Phrases
Introduction to Choreography
Students will also develop performance technique, physical skills and written appreciation skills.
What will my child study in Year 11?
Students refine and complete the three main GCSE components:
Final Performance:
- Set Phrase
- Duet/Trio Performance
Final Choreography:
- Exploration of a stimulus and the choreographic process
Dance Appreciation:
- Analysis and evaluation of their own work and the AQA set works
- Students will continue to develop technical, expressive and evaluative skills in preparation for final assessments.
How is the course assessed?
The course is assessed through both practical and written examinations: Set Phrase assessment/ Duet/Trio assessment/ Choreography assessment/ One final written examination based on dance appreciation and analysis of set works.
The Dance department consists of two Dance specialists who are passionate about providing high-quality creative and performance opportunities for all students. Their subject expertise allows students to experience a broad and engaging curriculum that develops performance, choreography and analytical skills. The department has experience preparing students for performances, extra-curricular opportunities and GCSE Dance, while fostering confidence, creativity and resilience in every learner.
What teaching approaches are commonly used to deliver your subject effectively?
A range of practical and collaborative teaching approaches are used to support learning in Dance. Lessons include teacher modelling, step-by-step instruction, demonstration, rehearsal, peer collaboration and performance tasks. Students are encouraged to explore, create and evaluate movement through discussion, practical experimentation and reflective activities. Differentiation and scaffolded learning ensure all students are supported and challenged appropriately.
How do you ensure that students retain and apply their knowledge?
Students regularly revisit and build upon prior learning through retrieval practice, repetition of key skills and recurring use of subject-specific vocabulary. Key choreographic devices, performance skills and analytical concepts are embedded across different units and year groups to strengthen understanding and long-term retention. Students apply their knowledge through performance, choreography, written evaluation and peer/self-assessment activities.
How is literacy, numeracy and use of technology developed through your subject?
Literacy is developed through the use of subject-specific terminology, written evaluations, analysis of professional works and structured discussion activities. Students learn to articulate ideas clearly and justify creative decisions using accurate vocabulary. Numeracy skills are developed through counting, rhythm, timing, formations, spacing and musical structure. Technology is used to support learning through video analysis, recorded performances, research tasks, music editing and the evaluation of choreography and performance work.
At Key Stage 3, students have Dance lessons fortnightly and therefore complete one piece of home learning each term. At Key Stage 4, homework is set more regularly to support GCSE study, including one theory lesson per fortnight alongside practical lessons.
Homework tasks are designed to support consolidation, retrieval practice and preparation for future learning. At Key Stage 3, tasks may include research into dance styles or practitioners, rehearsal of performance material, evaluation of performances, creative planning tasks or revision of key vocabulary. At Key Stage 4, students complete rehearsal and refinement of practical work, written analysis of set works, retrieval activities, choreography planning, exam-style questions and independent revision to support the theoretical component of GCSE Dance. Online platforms may be used to share resources, revision materials, recorded performances and feedback where appropriate.
Students have access to a range of extra-curricular opportunities including Dance Live, The Great Big Dance Off, Christmas and Summer productions across a range of year groups, and showcases at the University of Chichester. These opportunities allow students to develop performance experience, confidence, teamwork and creativity beyond the classroom.
What trips, visits, or external speakers are used to enhance learning?
Students benefit from theatre trips, live performance experiences and practical workshops led by visiting practitioners where possible. These experiences provide insight into professional performance and choreography and help deepen students’ understanding of dance as an art form.
How do extra-curricular opportunities raise aspirations and broaden cultural capital?
Extra-curricular opportunities expose students to professional performances, competitive events and higher education experiences, helping to raise aspirations and build confidence. Students experience a wider range of dance styles, cultures and performance settings, broadening their understanding of the creative arts and future opportunities within the industry.
How do these activities link to, or extend, the taught curriculum?
Extra-curricular activities reinforce and extend the skills developed within lessons, including performance, choreography, teamwork and evaluation. Students are able to apply classroom learning in real performance contexts, develop technical and expressive skills further, and gain valuable experience that supports both practical and theoretical aspects of the curriculum.
