Art, Music and Drama are essential parts of life at Cumnor House.
Championed as part of the core curriculum and supported through co-curricular activities and clubs, we are proud advocates of the immense benefits of the creative arts.
Self-belief and the ability to look, listen, evaluate, discuss and quietly focus are highlighted and developed.
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The creative arts enable our students to welcome expression into their lives.
ART
Every child is encouraged.
Art is much loved at Cumnor House and provides an avenue for our pupils to express their feelings and ideas visually throughout their learning journey.
The children learn how to use all their senses; to look carefully when drawing from observation, to handle and control equipment and to experiment with art tools and materials before using them to create finished artworks.
They are helped to understand that whilst they may be at different stages of development they can and will reach their goals, in their own time and whilst having fun. The aim is for everyone to find success and to welcome creativity into their lives: the ability to see, draw, paint and make is absolutely teachable.
Across Cumnor House pupils from our Kindergarten to Year 8 take part in our annual Art Exhibition, displayed in the School Hall and a real opportunity for our pupils to showcase their artistic talents.
MUSIC
Building pride and self-belief through performance.
Music is an integral part of Cumnor House and our pupils relish the opportunity to excel in their chosen instrument. From the structured classroom curriculum to individual lessons, the Music Department is a busy and vibrant part of our school.
From their earliest years, children benefit from access to specialist teaching teams who support them to perform individually as well as in orchestras, ensembles and choirs. We aim to encourage a love of music by integrating it into our every day and by providing opportunities to stretch and challenge pupils’ abilities regularly.
Our Choristers perform frequently and have travelled across Europe performing at DisneyLand and the Menin Gate. Our Orchestras enable pupils to learn wider ensemble skills and further deepen their learning of the nuances of music.
During Year 3, children take part in the Music Scheme giving them the opportunity to try out a range of musical instruments throughout the autumn term before settling on one for the rest of the year.
DRAMA
Drama at Cumnor House is one of the many ways we make learning come alive.
Drama is taught as a weekly lesson to all year groups and pupils are given many opportunities to develop their dramatic skills through acting exercises, voice projection games and exercises, confidence building tasks, stagecraft and improvisation activities, as well as through reading and performing play-scripts. We also look at the role of media in the performing arts and make use of the technology available to us.
There is an after school and weekend drama club available to pupils and each year group has the opportunity to perform in a fully staged and costumed production during the school year.
Where possible, we like to bring our students together from across our Boys' and Girls' Schools to enrich their experience and fulfill performance potential.