Dance Curriculum Support

Brighton & Hove’s Dance Development Officer is available to support you in the delivery of dance in your school. The courses are designed for all teachers, those who are new to teaching dance and the more experienced practitioners who want to refresh and develop their practice further. Through a comprehensive in service programme teachers can be guided and supported alongside peers in a non threatening environment.

Courses for Primary School and Early Years teachers

A comprehensive programme of in service professional development training is directed towards primary school teachers with an emphasis on integrating dance into the wider cross curricular teaching and learning at KS 1 & 2 and the Foundation Stage. Practical approaches to teaching and learning are explored in a non threatening environment with opportunities to share ideas with other teachers.

TOP Dance Training Programme

Sport England and Youth Sports Trust have developed Top Dance with support from the National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA) and advice from many leading dance practitioners. During the sessions you will work with the Top dance resource cards to develop ideas for schemes of work.

Top Dance provides teachers with:

• A 4 hour training course
  
• Pack of Top Dance resource cards
  
• Top Dance handbook
  
• Suggestions of other appropriate resources
  

Top Dance will:

• increase the confidence and understanding of dance for teachers
• be suitable for Key Stage 1 & 2
• help promote consistent and high standards in dance across the authority
• support long, medium and short term whole school cross-curricular planning.

Top Dance resource cards are divided into five sets of cards based on different themes:

• Words, words, words (literacy stimuli)
• Counting on you (numeracy stimuli)
• Visual Image (visual stimuli)
• Sounds Like (auditory stimuli)
• Times & Places (history & geography stimuli)

Additional cards have been designed to assist with the delivery of dance activities for young people with disabilities.

The cards are supported by a Handbook which includes useful hints around getting ready (warmed up), cooling down and progression.

A Top Dance CD is also available which includes 16 different tracks, one to support each card. This has to be purchased separately from The Davies Sports Catalogue priced at £14.99 approximately.

Go to education.brighton-hove.gov.uk and enter Tops Dance in search engine

The Primary Curriculum through Dance

This course focuses on making links between key areas of the curriculum such as literacy, numeracy, ICT or other art forms with dance. Opportunities are available for schools to design a custom made training programme around a particular area of the curriculum according to the needs of the staff and pupils.

A Framework for Dance at Key Stage 1 & 2

An introductory programme of twilight training sessions for primary school and Foundation Stage teachers. The courses explore practical and theoretical approaches to planning and teaching a series of dance lessons using accessible ideas from the wider curriculum.

First Steps

An exploration of practical ways of planning and teaching dance at the Foundation Stage and lower KS 1, encompassing the use of multi sensory stimuli as a starting point for expressing movement ideas.

Courses for Non specialist Secondary PE teachers

At secondary level the training explores a range of theoretical and practical strategies to planning and delivering a well balanced dance curriculum.

Looking at Dance

A one day course guiding teachers through resource based learning. The course uses case studies to demonstrate approaches to teaching dance using professional video works as a stimulus for dance at KS 3, 4 & GCSE.

Introduction to Dance at KS 3

An introductory course focusing on teaching dance at KS3 and planning a unit of dance work. The course focuses on planning dance lessons around engaging and accessible ideas and stimuli. Especially geared towards teachers working with young people including boys who have minimal experience of dance.

Getting Started on GCSE Dance

One day, half day or twilight training course for teachers who need support with planning and delivering the GCSE syllabus, focusing on schemes of work and ideas for resource based learning.

Site Specific Dance

A one day course focusing on using buildings and historic sites as a stimulus for creating movement with young people.

Other Training Opportunities for Teachers and Specialist Dance Practitioners

Mentoring Support
Regular and long term support is available to NQT’s, teachers in the early stages of their career and non specialist dance teachers through a combination of one to one consultancies, team teaching and work shadowing opportunities.

Dance Residencies
Longer term, on-going training programmes can be developed in accordance with the needs of an individual school. Residencies usually involve a combination of in-service training for teachers combined with creative workshops for the students. Successful residencies have been arranged in response to needs identified by Ofsted inspections or as part of a new school development plan. Previous projects have used dance and movement to develop knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Exploration of alternative learning and teaching styles
• Development of creative writing skills through dance
• Creation of a cross art form performance

Booking Information

If you have identified a need to develop dance teaching and learning for yourself or within your school and would like to discuss the cost of a training course or package contact laura.woods@brighton-hove.gov.uk