The Hart School Performing Arts Faculty is committed to inclusivity, developing skills at all stages, nurturing talent, and providing opportunities for all students to enjoy performing arts. 

Connecting the mind and the body, collaborating with peers, and having ownership over the creation of something which can be shared with an audience is challenging and uplifting.  Participating in drama, dance, musical theatre, and music develops students’ transferable skills, including literacy and oracy, numeracy, and their physical fitness.  It is key for developing imagination and creativity, honing students’ interpersonal team skills, and increasing their emotional well-being.  Through providing opportunities in which students may practice real-life situations in a safe environment, we aim to grow students’ confidence and empathy.

We all consume art.  Through the study of professional performances, students develop their understanding of – not only our own rich cultural heritage – but how practitioners from around the world reflect their experiences and perspectives though these mediums. Our students rehearse challenging professional repertoire, and learn how to manage their own progress in developing the necessary skills to study and perform at the next level of their academic careers.

We are extremely proud of our extra-curricular provision at the Hart School; we host dance and drama clubs, vocal ensembles and bands.  Students have the opportunity to see live theatre, including trips to see West End shows where they get to take part in workshops with industry professionals.  We even offer our students the opportunity to stage manage our productions, operate the lighting and sound boards, and manage the marketing and front of house responsibilities of our productions.  In addition to performing on our own stage, and at prominent stages around the country, and around the world!

Our whole school productions create lifelong friendships and memories for our students.  Whether they are lead roles, chorus, or production team, they have contributed to the many pantomimes, variety shows and musicals we have put on.  Our vision is to keep improving the standard of our whole school shows.

In addition, we believe that every young person should have the opportunity to learn an instrument, and we currently offer peripatetic music lessons for individuals or small groups in voice, keyboard, guitar, drum kit, woodwind, and strings.

The arts sector is a massive employer, and generates a huge part of the UK economy; but aside from career prospects within performing arts, further education providers and employers love to see performing arts subjects on applications because they know that performing arts students are confident problem-solvers who can manage themselves and work well in teams.  They know that performing arts students are dedicated and hard-working – the kinds of people who will represent them well within the community or marketplace, which is why we endeavour to offer performing arts opportunities for all of our students.