Our Specialism
What are the characteristics / skills that your child will need to be successful in their future?
Across the range of research done on the characteristics shared by successful academics and business leaders a few occur again and again. Prominent amongst these are the following:
- (Self) confidence / resilience – to believe in one’s own ability, particularly in challenging times
- The ability to think creatively - to create a vision of the future
- The ability to communicate that vision – to ‘present /perform’ effectively in front of others
- The ability to work effectively within a team – as an equal or as a team leader
- The ability to organise time and work to deadlines
Clearly, these characteristics are also evident in successful students; from sticking at a maths problem that isn’t immediately obvious, to communicating in a foreign language, not to mention getting homework and coursework in on time.
At Melbourn Village College, we prepare your children for success in their future lives. As such, we don’t rely on them to pick up these cross-curricular skills, we actively seek to develop them. This is why we are proud to be a Performing Arts specialist college. Every Dance and Drama module across the whole of Key Stage 3 develops these skills in all MVC students and this has a direct impact on their success in other subjects across the college.
In addition to this, we use Performing Arts lessons to directly support the curriculum in other subjects in order to enhance students understanding by utilising the specialist skills of our Performing Arts department. Students in Drama increase their understanding of World War I by researching, devising and performing a piece based during that time, whilst Yr7 Dancers reinforce their knowledge of the particle model in Science through looking at the actions of solids, liquids and gases. In Music, students learn about African and American history and the slave trade through the Blues and Gospel music traditions. This practical consolidation is tailored to complement the teaching provided by other subject specialists and is a valuable and unique way of increasing the learning within those subjects.
Finally, our status means that MVC students have increased opportunities to practice and develop these skills in the public arena; concerts, dance events and drama performances provide opportunities not only for performers but also for our student backstage and technical crews, whilst our teams regularly achieve success in public speaking events.
It is this ability to combine the development of cross-curricular skills with curriculum support and extra-curricular opportunities which means that the Performing Arts are uniquely placed to help students learn how to succeed, whatever challenges their future may hold.
“I chose to take Dance, Music and Drama at GCSE. I think it was these choices that brought out my belief in myself and inevitably lead me to the career that I am now heading for. I performed in many of the music & dance shows the school held and this is what gave me the confidence and creativity to gain a job as a trainee accountant. I am now studying my level 3 AAT and am facing a very successful career as a chartered accountant and without the performing arts at MVC and also the teachers that believed in me I honestly don't believe I would have had the confidence to pursue this career! It's a fantastic school and a brilliant performing arts school”
Claudia Carroll (2003-2008)