A broad experience in the arts is integral throughout a child’s experience in primary school. The arts give expression to and extend children’s understanding, imagination and creativity through a broad range of experiences. Such experiences have the capacity to engage, inspire and enrich all children, exciting the imagination and encouraging them to reach their creative and expressive potential. In SNP, we offer our pupils many opportunities to engage in the Arts, both within the classroom setting and through many more activities.
Drama
Drama flourishes in SNP with pupils of all ages being encouraged to explore their creative talents. From class assemblies to impressive drama productions, and from Nativity plays to Talent Shows, all pupils are afforded myriad opportunities to experience the joy and excitement of performing on stage. Every year, our Infant classes take to the stage to perform a show at the end of Term 1. Our 1st, 3rd and 5th classes also engage in the production of a musical show. These are always much-anticipated events in our school year.
Of course, drama isn’t only about performing on stage. The essence of educational drama is its imaginative context. In the enactment of a story about characters in certain circumstances, at some particular time, and in some particular situation, our pupils can explore conflicts, issues, consequences, attitudes, emotions, concerns and preoccupations in a unique and safe way.
Music
The Music curriculum in our school involves both making music and listening to music. The features of listening to, responding to, and, in particular, performing music are all evident in our classes.
Our older classes engage in learning an instrument (most recently the tin whistle). We take part in Peace Proms, and also the National Children’s Choir. We have also taken part in the Big Sing. Our school choir has been invited to sing at local craft fairs and other similar events. They also sing at the celebration of the sacraments and at other religious occasions and their contribution is always of a high standard. Overall, our pupils enjoy both performing, and listening to, many musical presentations and concerts throughout the year.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts form an important part of school life. Pupils are exposed to creative and aesthetic experiences through exploring, experimenting, inventing, designing and making in a range of media.
Activities such as drawing, painting and constructing enable each child to make sense of and express his or her world in visual, tangible form. Furthermore, the Visual Arts curriculum emphasises the importance of both making art and responding to art. Visual arts work is displayed throughout our school creating a striking and vibrant physical environment – of which our pupils are justly proud!
Our school hosts its bi-annual Art Exhibition in Term 2 and artwork from every class level is prepared and displayed for our local community to come and see.