At Chantry Middle School, we are proud to have earned the prestigious Artsmark Gold award, recognising our strong commitment to providing inclusive arts opportunities for all students. Our goal is to involve as many pupils as possible in creative activities that foster talent and confidence.
A highlight of our arts provision is our annual show choir productions, which have featured well-loved performances such as Aladdin Jr., The Lion King Jr., Matilda Jr., and Fame Jr. These shows offer students a chance to engage in every aspect of theatre, from performing on stage to working behind the scenes in lighting, costume design, and stage management.
Beyond the stage, we also offer a variety of after-school music ensembles, including our lively Ceilidh Band, Jazz Band, and Percussion group. These ensembles give students additional opportunities to develop their musical skills and enjoy collaborative performance experiences.
Our extracurricular provision also includes a vibrant range of creative clubs available each lunchtime, offering pupils the opportunity to explore their interests and develop new skills. Pupils can connect with like-minded peers from across the school by joining clubs such as Graffiti, Doodle and Design, Lego, and Art. For those with a passion for music, our lively Ukulele Band also meets during lunchtime, providing a fun and collaborative space to make music together.
Throughout the year, pupils are offered a wide range of exciting creative opportunities that enrich their learning and support their personal development. In recent years, these have included theatre trips, contributing to large-scale whole school art installations for Remembrance, and taking part in unforgettable musical experiences such as performing in a 1,500-strong choir alongside our partnership schools. Pupils have also taken part in singathons to raise money for charity, as well as joyful wellbeing activities like our festive Christmas Carolokeācelebrating creativity, community, and fun.
Our Key Stage 2 Creative Curriculum Provision
At Chantry, pupils in Key Stage 2 are allocated one lesson of Art and one lesson of Design Technology each week. However, to enhance the depth and continuity of learning, particularly in practical activities. We combine these sessions into a double lesson each week. During the first half of each term, pupils focus exclusively on Art, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in creative processes and explore topics linked to our global curriculum. In the second half of each term, the double lessons are dedicated to Design Technology, with pupils rotating through Product Design, Textiles, or Food Technology. All pupils are taught by subject specialists in well-equipped creative spaces, such as our Product Design workshop, Food Technology classroom, or Art Room. This approach ensures that pupils have the time, space, and expert guidance to engage meaningfully with hands-on projects, leading to richer learning experiences and stronger outcomes in both subjects. In addition to this, pupils also receive a lesson of Music each week, where they develop their musical understanding, creativity, and performance skills.
Our Key Stage 3 Creative Curriculum Provision
During Key Stage 3, our pupils build on the strong foundations developed in Key Stage 2 as they continue to explore and express their creativity through Art, Design Technology, and Music. Pupils benefit from an enhanced Design Technology curriculum, receiving an additional hour each week to deepen their understanding of the design process. This time is structured to ensure a broad and balanced experience, with pupils rotating each term through the different disciplines. They may have either a double lesson of Food Technology, two single lessons of Product Design, or one lesson each of Product Design and one lesson of Textiles, depending on the term. Alongside this, pupils will have one lesson of Art and one lesson of Music each week. Through their dedicated Art lessons, they continue to develop as confident and skillful artists, building on the strong foundations established in Key Stage 2. In Music, pupils further their understanding of musical concepts while enhancing their creativity and performance skills. This rich and varied creative curriculum supports our pupils in becoming well-rounded, imaginative, and capable learners.
