At Gillespie we believe the creative and expressive arts are a universal language common to all cultures. We are committed to providing a high quality music and arts education and provision for all children at Gillespie School.
Music
We provide a rich and specialist music education to all of our children. To that end we employ a specialist Music Teacher who teaches all classes in the school from Nursery to Year 6 including extended music lessons to all children in Key Stage 2. From Year 3 all children learn the recorder and in Years 4, 5 and 6 all children learn a stringed instrument. The school raises funds to employ an additional strings teacher who supports our Music Teacher to provide vibrant music and instrument learning in their final three years at the school. Children from Year 2 to Year 6 also have the opportunity to engage in additional enrichment activities at the Islington Music Centre run by the prestigious London Guildhall School of Arts and Music. Through the centre Year 2 and 3 pupils experience a weekly specialist music satellite and children from Years 4-6 attend the Islington Music Hub where they join pupils from other schools to extend their music learning and to perform in ensembles, choirs and orchestras. Along with children from other primary and secondary schools, pupils have regular opportunities to perform at venues including St Luke’s Hall, the home of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and have also performed at the Barbican and The Royal Albert Hall. Music is integral to the cultural life of our school. Children sing and play instruments in assemblies throughout the week and engage in a range of music shows, performances and assemblies throughout the year.
Art & Design
We value art and design as being crucial to our children’s broad and balanced education and a way of expressing themselves. Through our art and design curriculum we aim to engage, inspire and challenge children, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to participate in, experiment with, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. Children study a diverse range of artists from the past and present to begin to develop an understanding of many disciplines of art, craft and design and how they shape our culture and impact on society. Childrens’ art experiences are further enriched through carefully planned visits to London galleries, working with specialist artists and engagement with Islington’s 11 by 11 cultural enrichment offer.
Dance
Dance is formally taught as part of our integrated PE scheme and additionally we have an associate partner status with the prestigious Sadlers Wells Dance Theatre. Their specialist dance teachers work with two classes each year to teach a sequence of dance lessons which is then performed on the stage at Sadlers Wells.
CURRICULUM INTENT, IMPLEMENTATION & IMPACT
Please click here for our full curriculum intent, implementation & impact document for Music
Please click here for our full curriculum intent, implementation & impact document for Art
Click here for the ‘curriculum overviews & schemes of work’ page which includes:
- Music Curriculum Overview
- Art Curriculum Overview