The Arts

Inspiring Creativity, Confidence and a Lifelong Love of Expression

At East Hunsbury Primary School, the arts are not an add-on to the curriculum - they are a vibrant, essential part of who we are.

Music, dance, drama and visual art give our pupils the freedom to explore ideas, express themselves and grow in confidence. These rich opportunities help children to Work Hard, Be Kind, and Believe in their unique creative potential. Through specialist teaching, exciting projects and inclusive whole-school experiences, we ensure every child thrives through the arts.

Dance and Creative Expression for Every Child

Every pupil from Years 1 to 6 enjoys dance as a valued part of our curriculum, giving children the chance to move, express themselves creatively and build confidence. Dance is taught through engaging lessons that develop coordination, teamwork and imagination. In Year 6, pupils take this even further by working with a specialist dance teacher to create a large-scale production that brings the whole year group together. Last year, they amazed families and staff with a stunning performance of The Wizard of Oz - a joyful celebration of hard work, creativity and shared achievement.

Our Specialist Unit also takes part fully in dance, through inclusive sessions taught by Ella Styles. This ensures every child - regardless of needs or abilities - can experience the joy and confidence that comes from movement and creative expression.

Every year group gets to do a class assembly to their families amongst other opportunities to perform throughout the academic year. A highlight, is, and will always be, the utterly brilliant reception nativity!

A Musical Journey for Every Learner

Music is at the heart of our creative offer. We are proud to work closely with NMPAT (Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust), who provide high-quality instrumental lessons for pupils wishing to learn specific instruments.

Alongside this, we are fortunate to have our own dedicated in-school music specialist, who teaches weekly curriculum music to all pupils from Reception to Year 6. Children explore rhythm, pitch, composition and performance in a rich, exciting and supportive environment.

Our musical opportunities also include:

• Musician Club, where pupils compose, create and experiment

• Bucket Drumming, building rhythm, ensemble skills and confidence

• Tailored one-to-one and small-group sessions for pupils with additional needs

Sing and Sign: An Inclusive Celebration of Music

One of the highlights of our week is our Sing and Sign assembly, where the whole school sings together using Makaton to sign the lyrics. It is joyful, inclusive and unifying - ensuring every child can participate in a meaningful, expressive way.

Year 3 and the Royal Opera and Ballet

From this year onward, our Year 3 pupils take part in an exciting creative project with the Royal Opera and Ballet. This year, they are exploring The Magic Flute, learning about its characters, music, storytelling and symbolism through drama, movement and art.

This partnership inspires pupils to develop creative thinking, curiosity and imagination while introducing them to world-class performance and the magic of opera.

Shakespeare in Year 5: Bringing Literature to Life

Each year, Year 5 pupils embark on an immersive Shakespeare project with the Royal Shakespeare Company, local artists and the Silhouette Youth Theatre School. They explore themes, movement, drama, writing and composition before producing a professionally filmed final piece.

Year 4 and the National Gallery: Take One Picture 

Year 4 pupils participate in the prestigious Take One Picture project with the National Gallery. Using one painting as inspiration, children explore art, sculpture, design, writing and cross-curricular themes, culminating in a visit to the National Gallery in London to see the artwork firsthand.

We are incredibly proud that our pupils’ outcomes have gone even further. Our children’s work has been displayed:

• in the National Gallery

• at the Royal and Derngate Theatre

• at the University of Northampton

Inclusive Community Art: Who Are You In Your Mask? 

In 2025, pupils from both The Hive and Mainstream joined together for a community-based project: Who are you in your mask? Through mask-making, mixed media and storytelling, children explored identity, personality and creative expression. Their amazing work was then exhibited at a community gallery in Kettering. 

Choir and Community: Sharing Our Voices

Our choir is a shining example of creative confidence. Pupils regularly perform at community events and national events like the Big Sing and Young Voices which is one of the largest school choir concerts in the world.

A Future Filled With Creativity

Our arts offer continues to grow because creativity helps children to think deeply and imaginatively, develop empathy and kindness, persevere through challenge, express themselves with confidence and discover new passions and talents.

The arts at East Hunsbury Primary School bring joy, belonging and inspiration to our community. Through music, dance, drama and visual art, children learn to express themselves, celebrate one another and take pride in their creativity.