This area of learning includes Art and Design, Music and Drama. It allows our children to share and develop their creative and expressive talents. Art and Design activities begin as exploratory play before becoming more structured and focused on skill development in Foundation Stage. This practice continues in Key Stage 1 and 2. Children have the opportunity to use a range of materials and tools to express their ideas. Each year we hold an art exhibition to allow our parents and the wider community the opportunity to view our children’s artwork.
Dramatic Play begins in Year 1 with children using props and costumes to develop their imaginative ideas. This continues throughout each year group with children performing to an audience in a range of situations. Each December, Years 1, 2 and 3 perform in a Christmas show for their parents and extended family members. Years 4 to 7 participate and lead our parish community in a Carol Service in our local parish church. We recently performed a production of ‘Matilda the Mini Musical’ which included all children from Years 4 to 7. Over the course of the school year, each class hosts an assembly which contains song, verse and drama to showcase the learning that is happening in that particular class.
All children have the opportunity to participate in a range of musical activities during their time at St. John’s. We facilitate musical tuition for children who wish to learn to play a musical instrument from outside music teachers as well as drawing on the expertise of our school staff. We have ‘Budding Musicians’ for Years 1 to 7 as part of our Extra Curricular programme.
We have a school choir who meet weekly to practise songs and hymns which enhance our assemblies, prayer services and religious ceremonies. Our children are also members of a Shared Education Choir with Killowen P.S. This choir performs at Shared Education events and in our local area of Coleraine, e.g. switching on of Coleraine’s Christmas tree lights on a regular basis.
