Music and The Arts

In February of 2025 we received the ArtsMark at silver level from the Arts Council this award recognises our achievement as a whole school to foster creativity in our school community across music and the arts.  At St Mary’s, we believe that studying Music and The Arts within a rich and challenging curriculum, deepens learning and develops the whole child, as a confident resilient learner.

The Arts are embedded throughout our curriculum and at St Mary’s children have experience of Art  and Design in every year to understand what it is that artists, designers and crafts workers do, and to develop their own confidence in using media and techniques.

Through Drama, we enable pupils to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings. As they progress through the Key Stages, they become more self-confident and self-aware. At the same time, they develop their understanding about the world around, learning to interact with others in creative ways.

At St Mary’s, children have many opportunities to sing in choirs, performing in Singing Festivals, The Young Voices Concert at The O2 Arena, in the local community and as part of our Liturgical events throughout the year. Children also have opportunities to learn a variety of musical instruments in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two, such as: Ocarina, Recorder, Djembe, Guitar, Clarinet, Ukulele, Brass and Keyboard, performing in group and whole-class ensembles.

Music has been shown to offer huge educational and social benefits to children and young people.  Music can:

• boost pupil and social development
• improve learning skills
• foster team working
• build life skills
• underpin better behaviour
• encourage creativity

Art and Design encourages children to:

• respond to the world around them
• respond to their individual feelings and emotions
• develop and use their imagination
• express their ideas, thoughts and feelings
• solve problems
• become more aesthetically aware

Drama encourages children to:

• be self-confident
• be self-aware
• develop their understanding of the world around them
• learn to interact with others in creative ways