EPA Faculty
Birchwood Artists will have success and make mistakes, but can transform failures into successes, both resulting in creative responses to the world around them.
Birchwood Dance & Drama Creatives speak, listen, collaborate and perform. They are brave. They are risk takers. They are empathetic in equal measure
Birchwood Musicians study music through listening and appraising, composing and performing allowing all students to become confident, creative, multi-skilled and culturally enriched. We encourage a lifelong passion for music
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Staff
To contact a member of this Faculty, click their staff initials to open a new e-mail
Curriculum Maps
Extra-Curricular Activities
Extra-Curricular Activities will be available shortly.
Lunchtimes
All Years
Independent Art Sessions (DMN)
In C23 every day except Fridays, 13:30-14:00
Vocalise (MGN)
In B2 on Mondays, 13:30-14:00
String Group (MGN)
In B2 on Wednesdays, 13:30-14:00
Years 7 & 8
Art Club (LJN)
In C22 on Wednesdays, 13:30-14:00
Drama Club (RGD)
In Drama Studio on Thursdays, 13.30-14.00
Birchwood Singers (MGN)
In B2 on Thursdays, 13:30-14:00
Dance Club (SAS)
In the Dance Studio on Thursdays, 13:30-14:00
Years 10 & 11
GCSE Dance rehearsals (SAS)
In the Dance Studio Monday to Thursday Lunchtimes, 13.30-14.00 (selected groups)
After school
All Years
Orchestra (WSK)
In B2 on Wednesdays, 15:30-16:20
Jazz Band (MGN)
In B2 on Fridays, 15:30-16:15
Years 10 & 11
GCSE Drama Clinic and GSCE Rehearsals (CHI)
In Drama Studio, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 15.30-16.30
Years 11, 12 & 13
Year 11, 12 and 13, selected groups Dance (SAS)
In the Dance Studio on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 15.30-16.30
Year 12
Dance Festival Rehearsals (SAS)
In the Dance Studio on Thursdays, 15.30-17.00
Subject Support
Lunchtimes
TBC
After school
Years 9-13
Art Workshop (DMN/KPE)
In C23 on Mondays, 15:30-17:00
Year 11
Music Coursework catch-up (MGN)
In B1 on Mondays, 15:30-16:30
Dance Support (SAS)
In the Dance Studio on Wednesdays, 15:30-16:30
News
Frantic Drama Workshop
Year 10 Drama students took part in a Frantic Assembly workshop today where they were put through their paces, learning a number of physical skills to assist in their upcoming devising exam. The students worked in pairs to create movement that involved connecting one hand and allowing your partner to guide you around the space. They then devised a sequence using round, by, shift and this was workshopped in to developing a story and potential relationships. Students were focused and pushed completely out of their comfort zones and I was so impressed with how they engaged with the tasks. I cant wait to see the impact this has on the physical aspects of their devised work next term.
Hot House Dance
Today two practitioners, Kate and ‘Damo’, came in from Hot House Dance and taught a workshop to year 8, 9, and 10 dance students as part of enrichment week. The students took part in a difficult cardio warmup and various technique-based exercises focused on training and strengthening them in order to benefit their movement skills and performance. This included performing tendu, swings, and contractions to benefit them in later classes. As well as this, the young dancers also learnt a challenging contemporary routine to ‘Louder Than Words’ from ‘tick, tick... BOOM!’ in which they performed to their peers at the end of the session. All students were focused and produced an amazing performance, proving how talented the dancers at Birchwood are.
The two teachers from the organisation Hot House, Kate and Damon, focus on the positive powers of dance and the creative processes to improve every individual. They both expressed how much they enjoy teaching classes at Birchwood and specified how great and engaged the dance students were.
Birchwood’s Young Musician 2022 Final
On Thursday 24 February Birchwood’s Young Musician 2022 Final was held in the school hall. The competition final, which is in its eighth year, was judged by Mr Peter Foster who is head of Bishop’s Stortford Music School. It was a wonderful evening of music and the performances were outstanding. The range of talent on display was inspiring and the final included solo performances on clarinet, flute, piano, saxophone, voice, cello, heavy metal guitar and drum kit. We would like to thank all students who entered the competition, the quality of entries made deciding on the overall finalists exceedingly difficult, and many thanks to Peter Foster for judging the final and Mr Stock for accompanying.