The Arts

Dance

Dance is a compulsory part of our PE curriculum in LC1 and LC2 (Year 7 and 8) and can be continued as an option from LC3 (Year 9) upwards. All students have the opportunity to sign up for dance classes as part of our co-curricular provision, as well as recreational based clubs throughout the week.

We cater for a wide range of styles and abilities and all our lessons promote inclusion, physical fitness, enjoyment and social interaction. No previous dance experience is required and students can choose to work towards being entered for exams (RAD or ISTD). We also invite professional dancers and companies to deliver workshops and performances.

There is an annual dance performance staged at our purpose-built theatre in the Parabola Arts Centre, most recently Sleeping Beauty. This year the Dance Department are collaborating with the Art Department, using a selection of GCSE and A Level artwork to inspire the dance pieces. Other opportunities for students to perform include the annual International Society Gala, the Talent Show organised by our Sixth Form and our annual inter-house dance battle.

In 2024 we took a group of pupils to Disneyland Paris to compete in the International Festival of Dance and Performing Arts which will continue to be a bi-annual trip, alternating with a Dance Trip to London or other areas of the UK. We also entered a number of students in the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts and the Gloucestershire Schools dance Festival. 

Drama

We have a long tradition of creating exciting and thought-provoking theatre. Whether acting, directing or supporting productions in our 325-seat Parabola Arts Centre (PAC) theatre, or engaging in professional workshops, drama is a diverse and inspiring part of College life.

The Drama Department stages four main productions each year, and pupils from every year group can audition for at least one. Students often assist behind the scenes, directing or as part of our technical crew, supervised by the PAC technical manager and technician. Recent productions have included: Grease the musical, Once Upon a Time and Showcase, as well as our annual Open-Air Shakespeare Festival.

Students are able to study for Trinity and LAMDA acting, musical theatre and communication exams with our visiting drama teachers. Every year students across Upper College and Sixth Form College (Years 10 -13) are successful in gaining places on the National Youth Theatre Acting, Technical and/or Musical Theatre courses.

Music

Every week during term, more than 1,000 individual music lessons and ensembles take place within the Music Department. This is all the more amazing as no pupil misses an academic lesson to attend a music lesson. A tremendous range of instruments are taught by more than 40 permanent or visiting staff and many girls also take exams (ABRSM, Trinity or LCM).

The diversity of music-making is a joy for all. The talents of our keen and skilled musicians are on display at the five main annual concerts, Scholars’ Recitals and our ever-popular House Music Competition, as well as during events such as masterclasses and other competitions. The Princess Hall is used for major music concerts, while our smaller Performance Platforms scheduled over lunch or after school take place across College.

We have also recently expanded the number of public concerts we give, staging events in Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham, and at Tewkesbury Abbey. Our major overseas tours take place biennially, usually in the first week of the summer holidays. Recent tours have taken us to Venice, Tuscany and Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Provence, Andalusia and Catalonia. Over the past few years, the choir has also sung in St. Paul's Cathedral, St. George's Chapel, Salisbury Cathedral, Eton College Chapel and York Minster, Winchester Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral.