We have timetabled curriculum time devoted to Art, Music, DT and Dance and our extra-curricular provision includes nine ensembles that rehearse regularly with regular music concerts, productions across all key stages. Professionals are invited to do drama workshops and instrumental tuition and we also have an annual Arts Day. Dance is hugely popular at our school across all key stages, and children enjoy benefitting from numerous performance opportunities throughout the year.
Our children value the range of opportunities on offer and enjoy celebrating their achievements however big or small. Our Christian values are expressed through the arts in a range of ways including singing at community events, in assemblies, interactive school displays, arts projects and fundraising activities.
We have a passion for the Arts at St Mary’s!
Finlay K – “I love DT and it has inspired me to use my modelling skills to make new things like building bridges. I love DT and hope we can do it again soon!”
Arts in the Curriculum
We believe that the Arts provide children with opportunities to develop their creativity and critical thinking skills by allowing them to express themselves in a variety of ways. Opportunities for creativity are threaded through our curriculum and classroom activities – art focuses on the skills being taught and is child-led giving them responsibility for, and ownership of, their learning.
Jess B ‘Trying new things at School inspires me to do things on my own – I redesigned my bedroom this year!
To enrich our provision, we work with other schools and professional artists to ensure arts at St Mary’s is exciting, inspiring and authentic and that our curriculum celebrates cultural traditions and experiences from across the world and over time.
These pictures will give you a taste of the love we have for the Arts across the School, inside and outside.
Events and Performances
We are passionate about giving children the opportunity to perform and share their talents. These performances push the children to show bravery and resilience and embody our School Values – Confidently me, Belonging together, Challenged to contribute.
The Hope Project
Our ‘Hope Project’ was designed to mark the end of the pandemic, reflect on the things that have given us hope as we have lived through it and also to help us mark our school space with our hopes for the future. We worked with The Watts Gallery in Surrey to plan and make our clay tiles representing ‘Hope’. These were fired and can now be seen displayed around School. It has been such an exciting project and we are very proud of what we have all achieved together.
Performances and Events have included
- Infant nativity Performances – December 2021
- Rock Around the Clock – April 2022 @ The Barn Theatre
- Class Assemblies – throughout the year
- A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream – April 2022
- Carmina Burana – April 2022 @ Fairfield Halls, Croydon
- Dance Festival – May 2022 @ Harlequin Theatre, Redhill
- Primary School’s Festival – May 2022 @ Dorking Halls
- Oxted Gym and Dance Show – May 2022
- May Fayre Choir – May 2022
- Festival in the Field – June 2022
Celebrating Faith
Our exploration of and reflection on Faith offers many opportunities for Arts based work and projects throughout the year including:
- Christmas Services and Carol Concerts in Church and amongst the local community.
- Nativity Performances in KS1.
- An Easter Parade led by Year 6 who shared the Easter Story through performance and music for the rest of the School.
- Remembrance artwork which was shared within the School in Acts of Worship and displays.
- Interactive corridor displays encouraging children to share their feelings and ideas through art.
- Harvest poetry performed by staff and children.
What the Children Say
Reception children’s ideas.
Alice (Year 6) – When you learn to do something new it makes you curious about what you could do next. This happened when we made bread – I wanted to experiment more at home!
Lara (Year 6) – At first I wasn’t interested in Art but I have done lots at School and now I like to try lots of new techniques like water colours and oil pastels. I am really proud of what I can achieve.
William (Year 3) – Art is fun because I like drawing. Art makes me calm and happy.
Connie (Year 3) – Creating things makes me feel happy and Like I am an engineer – also, it helps me imagine I can do better each time I have a go. Just because you are small, it doesn’t mean you can’t think big.
Sophie (Year 3) – Music is a way of expressing yourself side by side with others. There is no right or wrong with Art and that is precious.
Emily (Year 5) – We get the chance to perform a lot at School – you can do it on your own or surrounded by friends. I love being able to share my passion with other people.
We share and celebrate much of our creativity in and out of School in our Termly Newsletter, The Chit Chat. Click for the most recent edition.
Arts Hub
Arts in school are a crucial and exciting ingredient of a creative and rewarding learning journey for everyone.
Artists, musicians, writers and actors are not born skilled, they are recognised, inspired and supported.
Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.
St Mary’s School is linked with SCC Culture Box providing inspirational and innovative of programmes of support for South East Surrey.