Witchford Village College encouraged students to express their skills in music, art and drama with their recent virtual creativity festival

Ely Standard: Students performing for the virtual creativity festival. Picture: Witchford Village CollegeStudents performing for the virtual creativity festival. Picture: Witchford Village College (Image: Archant)

The approach to learning at Witchford Village College means that it offers a personal, high quality, broad and challenging curriculum where students realise their true potential.

Driven by their ethos and values, the curriculum enables students to study the subjects important to them, develop the skills they will need, and shapes them as citizens ready for a fulfilling future.

The College believes it is crucial for young people to have a well-rounded education, and it is for this reason that they place emphasis on the arts and performing arts. The growing performing arts department is united in the College’s mission to collaborate across the core disciplines of dance, drama and music to develop students’ inter-connected skills, which can be transferred into other subject areas.

One of the exciting initiatives that students took part in recently and that focused on building confidence and creativity was the #WVCGetCreative project. When students were unable to physically attend lessons during the first lockdown, they launched a virtual creativity festival. As part of this festival, students were encouraged to share something creative relating to their lockdown experience.

The project was not about who ‘won’ or who submitted the best entry but instead about community, coming together and having fun. Projects included a student playing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ on the ukulele on their street during the clap for the NHS, a virtual ensemble collaborative piece singing ‘Stand by Me’, a lockdown monologue and a documentary film which was edited together with music.

While the #WVCGetCreative project was an opportunity for all students at the College to get involved and express themselves through the medium of song, dance or drama, there are several students who are keen to pursue further studies or, eventually, a career in performing arts. Millie S, a Year 11 student who completed her GCSEs this year has gone on to study maths, music and drama at sixth form. Millie plans to combine her love of performance with helping people in her future career. Speaking about her time at Witchford Village College, Millie said: “Witchford Village College has given me lots of different opportunities and experiences that I will never forget. I had some incredible teachers who genuinely really cared about every aspect, wanting the best for me and that helped me to achieve it”.

The College focuses on the four Cs in all that they do: building confidence, nurturing a culture of being included, challenging students to move forward and celebrating success.

Head of school, Bessie Owen, said: “By having a focus on performing arts, it allows our students a sense of variety within their working school day and access to a broad curriculum which will enable them to make the most possible progress during their time with us.

“The skills learnt in performing arts lessons and extra-curricular activities: imagination, confidence, the ability to speak and present and thinking on your feet are ones that I know our students will hold with them for the rest of their lives.”

Find out more by visiting witchfordvc.co.uk.