Stover’s visual and performing arts department is an evolving department, led by ambitious staff members and supported by a high percentage of eager pupils.
Here, young people have an opportunity to study more freely and creatively, discovering a platform for self-expression. Study of the arts leads to great personal fulfilment, so we support and encourage pupils to nurture their creativity.
All pupils have opportunities to gain a
multitude of artistic skills each school year – whether it’s on stage acting, dancing or singing, playing in one of many musical ensembles, taking private instrumental, voice or LAMDA lessons or simply through a broad range of lunchtime arts activities.
Exposure to this wide array of artistic influences throughout their school experience leaves pupils with a rich and diverse artistic background before GCSE study even begins – resulting in fantastic achievements each year.
Art
Key Stage 3 pupils spend their first three years in secondary education investigating how artists from diverse cultures and historical periods express their ideas, beliefs and emotions. Practically, pupils will have a chance to experiment with painting, printmaking, photography, 3D construction, sculpture and collage. Using the inspiration of the natural world around us at Stover, classes make the most of our space to create installations, murals and sculptures around the school campus.
Outside the classroom, activities offer further variety with lacemaking, sketching, modelling and woodwork to name just a few. By experiencing so many key artistic skills, pupils develop a deeper understanding of how art serves as a powerful tool for communication and reflection whilst building a confident inner creative voice.
Drama
Performance skills are key to nurturing creative and reflective young people – with a confidence to present or perform to a crowd. Pupils will learn from the theatrical greats, try out the core performance techniques, study classic and contemporary texts but also experience the backstage elements of theatre such as costume, set design and lighting.
A number of large-scale productions take place each year, with opportunities for all to be involved in musical theatre, scripted plays or self-written projects. Some students choose to take extra LAMDA lessons to further supplement their learning. These skills stand every Stover pupil in good stead for the future – whether on stage or within their chosen career.
Music
We help to foster a lifelong love of music through a curriculum designed to showcase a wide variety of musical genres. Lessons provide easy ways for all pupils to play and perform whilst opportunities arise to be involved in some memorable performances. These include lunchtime concerts, Remembrance and Exeter Cathedral Carol Services, Speech Day, the House Music Competition the school musical theatre production.
Whilst every pupil enjoys the chance to listen, study and play music within the curriculum, some pursue individual peripatetic music lessons and our Music Scholars enjoy a programme of additional concerts both at school and in Teigngrace Church. Meanwhile, there are opportunities to join numerous musical groups – with no fewer than four choirs, a full orchestra, a Soul Band and several smaller ensembles. Even those who don’t play an instrument, can experience a further variety of specialist workshops on Phyllis Dence Days, such as, Taiko or African Drumming.