Expressive Arts


Through the Expressive Arts children and young people have the opportunity to be creative and imaginative.

They will develop skills in:

- Art and Design

- Dance

- Drama

- Music


Art and Design

Through Art and Design, children are encouraged to express themselves visually and to appreciate and enjoy their own and the work of other artists. Their imaginations are stimulated through various mediums, e.g. music, poetry, the work of famous artists, etc. All children are encouraged to develop their creative talents through participating in activities that include the use of different materials, e.g. paint, and collage work, plasticine and clay.

Music

Like Art, Music is to be enjoyed and children are encouraged to listen and respond, to create and design, to sing and to use instruments. Music making using a range of tuned and untuned instruments is a regular part of class work. Activities to encourage this may include listening and responding to music, making and inventing their own music by using instruments which are available in the school, and singing modern and traditional songs. Whilst at Skene Square we currently do not have a visiting music specialist for class lessons we do have musical specialists who offer tuition in certain instruments.

Our school Glee group has been enjoyed by pupils for the past three years and we hope to expand this further by having a school choir, which will allow a larger number of pupils to have the musical opportunity. Our Glee group have performed at the Beach Ballroom for the past three years and have gained the ‘Espirit de Glee’ award on two occasions by demonstrating the values of the competition. We are continually seeking out additional opportunities for our pupils to experience performance skills.

Drama

Children from their earliest years use imaginative play to explore, order and make sense of themselves and the world about them. Drama extends and builds on this natural process and helps to build confidence and self-esteem. To help develop a range of dramatic techniques and skills, children have the opportunity to role play, improvise, use movement and mime and use sound to express their own and others’ ideas. The opportunity to develop these skills often arises through other curricular areas and at Skene Square these may often be linked to topic and language work.

Dance

Dance is also an important aspect of the Expressive Arts curriculum. Various aspects and forms of dance will be learned through class lessons alongside other opportunities for participation and performance, including social dancing and ceilidhs as well as assemblies and shows. As part of our Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Dance is the focus (on a three year cycle) for our Scottish Context. This meaning that at each of the Curriculum for Excellence levels (Early, First and Second), during a pupils time with us at Skene Square, they will have focused lessons on Scottish dance and performance skills.