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Performing Arts

Building on from the foundations built in the Junior school, the Senior Performing Arts department continues with the ethos that every student has the talent and scope to achieve extraordinary things. 

Performing Arts lessons take place weekly in the senior school timetable and students have the opportunity to develop core skills in Music, Drama and Dance. Senior students experience aspects of theatre production including filming, directing and producing scenes, choreographing their own dances and composing their own music scores. The curriculum is designed to expose students to a mature and extensive training programme that will equip them for study at GCSE level as well as prepare for potential scholarship applications and study in later life. It also harnesses essential skills in confidence, vocal projection and collaboration. 

The senior school hosts a performance piece in the Spring Term that takes place in a professional theatre. Students audition for parts and work collaboratively with their peers to design bespoke sets, costume and lighting plots.

Music

Knightsbridge School is passionate about its musical offering. The Music curriculum from Nursery to GCSE level is designed to expose our students to a broad range of musical styles through singing, playing instruments, music technology, composing and listening and imparting a love of music. The curriculum is engaging and inclusive and will equip students with the skills to study at GCSE level or pursue a Music Scholarship if they wish.

Private tuition is offered to all pupils in the school on a broad range of instruments – brass, wind, strings, piano and keyboards, percussion, voice and drums. Music lessons are exceptionally popular and are scheduled on a rotational basis throughout the school. Children are encouraged to demonstrate their musical progress by performing in termly recitals and are entered into termly ABRSM examinations when they are ready.

Drama

The Drama curriculum is broad and varied and allows our children a space to grow in confidence on and off the stage. Our pupils, no matter their age, love taking on the roles of characters, discovering scripts, devising their own monologues, getting into costume and sharing incredible stories to an audience.

LAMDA and Trinity Drama examinations are popular at KS. Selected children are prepared and entered for these exams throughout the year and are very successful.

Dance

Dance at KS is very popular and is loved by the whole school community. In Dance, we have equal performance and technical focus. As part of the curriculum, we are developing the study of the IDTA syllabus and children will be entered for exams from across the school community.

Drama Company

We open auditions to all students in Y5-7 for a space in the Drama company. 15 exceptional actors get selected for their shown potential in acting and work together to produce a performance that takes place in the summer term at The Chelsea Theatre. Recent performances include A Twelfth Night and the incredibly successful A Midsummer Night’s Dream by our cast of 2022! 

Students also work on the Trinity Drama Syllabus and prepare for potential Acting Scholarships at KS and other future school options. 

This group annually prepares innovative pieces for ‘Poetry Together’. You can watch the most recent performances of ‘Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat’ by T.S. Elliot and ‘The Crown’ by Carol Anne Duffy featuring two special guests from the Royal Hospital Chelsea here. In 2021 the Drama Company performed their bespoke performance of ‘The Queen’ in front of HRH Duchess of Cornwall. 

Musical Theatre Company

We open auditions to all students in Y5-7 for a space in the Musical Theatre company. 15 students get selected for their shown potential in Musical Theatre including singing, dancing and acting. This group works to produce a group piece following the IDTA syllabus as well as their hit show which takes place in the summer term at the Chelsea Theatre. 

Show Choir

Show choir is open to all students from Y4- Y11. The show choir has a busy schedule throughout the year but particularly in the Autumn term where they perform in the KS Remembrance Service, KS Carol Service and out and about in the Knightsbridge Community sharing Christmas cheer for all to hear! Highlights include singing in the St Paul’s Knightsbridge Foundation Carol Service and entertaining guests at local prestigious hotels including The Carlton Tower Jumeirah and The Berkeley. In the Spring and Summer they build their repertoire ready for whole school events. 

Other Performing Arts Clubs

The are many other performing arts clubs available in the KS Club program which are very popular and provide excellent opportunities to develop skills in Music, Dance and Drama: 

  • Orchestra
  • M:Tech
  • Drama Club
  • Glee Club
  • Tap Dance
  • Street Dance
  • Ballet

Click here to see the full list of clubs