VISION & AIMS

At Deer Park, the Dance Department’s vision is to allow all students an opportunity to engage with a high quality dance curriculum that is accessible, inclusive, purposeful and progressive. Through a safe environment, we encourage students to explore, create and challenge themselves through the 3 strands of dance; Performance, Choreography and Appreciation. 

They will work independently and collaboratively to develop their skill set within the 3 strands, but also support the developments of many transferable skills, for example; communication, leadership, problem-solving, response to feedback, discipline and commitment. 

Our aim is to make our schemes of work and teaching engaging and exciting for students in order to make the learning fun, but also to create a space that fosters positive changes to their wellbeing. We want students to feel comfortable and supported as they gradually build their knowledge and confidence whether that is in performing, choreography or within their analytical skills. 

Support for students also goes beyond the curriculum providing students with the opportunity to access the beautiful purpose built dance studio with a sprung floor, full length mirrors and Ballet Barres and excellent sound systems. Not only has the professional studio environment helped to enhance and promote a strong performance atmosphere, but it has also inspired students to come and rehearse in their own time at break and lunch whether that is classroom work, extra-curricular material or their own extra dance choreographies outside of school. 

“In Dance, the purpose is not to gain a certain place on the floor, it is to enjoy each step along the way” - Wayne Dyer

KS3

In KS3, students have 1 lesson per fortnight in Dance. Within these lessons, students have the opportunity to engage in a high quality dance curriculum focusing on the three strands; Performance, Choreography and Appreciation. The Performance strand focuses on a selection of Performance Skills; Physical, Expressive, Technical and Mental. Through Choreography, students will look at Actions, Space, Dynamics, Relationships as well as different choreographic devices to help with their own creation of movement. Finally, the Appreciation strand supports students to provide feedback, evaluate performances as well as develop the ability to use subject specific vocabulary. Students are assessed using the Deer Park Steps at the end of every unit of work and will sit an end of key stage exam in Year 8. 

Topics Covered in KS3

Year 7 

Autumn Term:

Baseline - Poetry 

Still Life at the Penguin Cafe 

Spring Term:

World Dance 

Summer Term:

Superheroes

Year 8

Autumn Term:

Capoeira 

Why Do You Laugh at Me? 

Spring Term: 

Emancipation of Expressionism 

Summer Term: 

The Car Man  

Spring Term:

World Dance 

Summer Term:

Superheroes

KS4

In KS4, if students opt for Dance as one of their GCSE options, they will be studying using the AQA exam board. Here they will experience a course that explores and develops performance skills, choreographic skills and analytical skills. Students will be required to perform two set solo phrases and a duet/trio performance including contact work; choreograph their own 3 minute group composition as well as look at a range of professional dance works that look at a variety of dance styles, themes and narratives. At the end of Year 11 students complete a written paper that allows them to showcase their knowledge of the 6 professional Dance works they have studied, along with the knowledge of performance and choreographic skills.  

EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND TRIPS

Here at Deer Park, students have many amazing opportunities within dance to experience and they are both inside and outside the studio. 

As part of our extra-curricular programme we run Dance Club for all years. Members of the club have been given opportunities to perform in a number of locations for example, creating a flash mob for Open Evening, performing in celebration assemblies, The Wildern Berry, University of Chichester as well as being given the opportunity to create our very own promo video. 

We also participate in Dance LIVE. This is an event for all students to compete with choreographed routines with a giant LED digital screen. Being involved allows students to develop and showcase a range of skills from dance, performance and even off-stage technical skills. We have participated in both 2023 and 2024, and both events have been a highlight for the Dance department, especially winning the Technical award in 2023, and Costume and Technical award in 2024. 

Students also have the opportunity to engage with Dance through our Whole School Productions. Here they can be a part of the ensemble, again showcasing their wonderful dancing and performance skills.