Taunton School Senior Playing Instruments
Taunton School Senior Singing in Drama

Performing Arts

Performing Arts play a hugely significant role in helping children to develop their creative skills.

Here we encourage students to think about self-expression, exploring alternative options and embracing individuality. Within a positive and supportive environment that challenges both individuals and groups, we allow students to develop self-confidence and belief in themselves.

Whilst Performing Arts allow students to develop their creative passions, they simultaneously teach children language and communication skills, helping them to communicate effectively with others with confidence. The Performing Arts can encourage your child to explore their emotions, expanding their imagination and helping them develop their own, unique voice. Each discipline, (Music, Drama, Dance, Debating and Public Speaking), engages the brain, body and emotions in a different way to encourage their confidence and help them find joy in a collaborative and communal expression of all that it means to be human.

Music

Taunton School Senior Music On Computer
Music

Our Music School enables students to fulfil their potential in both curricular and co-curricular musical activities, whilst developing crucial skills such as self-discipline and working as part of a team.

If focused on developing excellence, whether they’re keen to develop their vocal ability or master a musical instrument, our extensive teaching and practice rooms, high-tech music studio, numerous performance venues, master classes and individual lessons ensure students have the best resources available. Performing in national orchestras and ensembles is highly encouraged and allows students to build confidence, express themselves musically and fine-tune their performance skills.

To promote participation in school events there are a number of ensembles and groups that are for all abilities, such as the community choir, the House Singing competitions and weekly tea-time concerts.

Art

Taunton School Senior Girl Painting
Art

Students who pursue Art as a co-curricular activity have the opportunity to explore the subject further through a wide range of workshops or drop-in sessions. Art is an expressive subject so, outside of lesson time, the art rooms can be accessed with teacher supervision to enable creativity whenever students want to explore their passion. Anyone interested in developing skills can speak to the staff to explore these opportunities whether they be in paint, modelling, photography – the list of opportunities is endless and can be accessed by all.

Drama

Taunton School Senior Singing in Drama
Drama

Drama allows all students to take part in a range of performance opportunities, in addition to scheduled academic lessons. A number of school plays are produced each year, which vary in terms of scale. This enables students with different experience levels and time commitments to get involved within a production to suit them, at the same time as balancing their other commitments.

These opportunities are open to all students to enable them to experience what it is like to be part of a large-scale production, as well as giving them the chance to showcase their talents in front of a wide audience. Students can also support and develop their skills in the technical elements of Theatre Production, with opportunities to work in the lighting, stage management, costume and make-up teams in each production.

‘A Christmas Carol’ by Taunton School Senior Students

Dance

Taunton School Senior Dancing in Play
Dance

Our Dance classes and participation in school productions all aim to build confidence and performance and develop control of movement, coordination and balance, whilst perfecting many dance styles and techniques. Dance is a great way to burn off excess energy, develop students’ fitness levels and explore the vast variety of dance styles from around the world.

Covering a multitude of dance genres, such as ballet, contemporary jazz, lyrical modern and street dance to name but a few, students have the chance to perfect their dance moves, whilst developing their confidence through performance.

Along with choreography competitions, students have the opportunity to participate in a range of School Productions to showcase their dance expertise, including Performing Arts Evenings and the annual Dance Show. Students can partake in Ballet and Contemporary Jazz Dance Classes, with an opportunity to be entered for the Royal Academy of Dance examinations.

Debating and Public Speaking

Toucan on Branch
Debating and Public Speaking

The Burke Debating and Public Speaking Society is open to all years. The Burke is Taunton School’s oldest and most successful society. No previous experience is needed as we have something for everyone – for those new to Debating we have informal lunchtime debates at both junior and senior level, as well as more formal debates for more confident and experienced speakers. There are also lots of opportunities to compete locally, nationally and even internationally. As we say at Taunton School, it’s great to debate!

Directions
Upcoming Open Days

Attend an upcoming Open Day in April!

Virtual Open Day for Senior and International on 20th April 2024

In-person whole school Open Day on April 27th 2024

Book your place here