All Griffin Schools Trust schools share a conviction that rich co-curricular programmes underpin an inspiring curriculum. We believe every child should have the opportunity to experience and perform alongside professional performing and visual artists and musicians and that arts and culture should be an integral part of every child’s learning experience.

Trust Engagement

Throughout the year there are a number of Trust-wide events that Nicholas Chamberlaine takes part in:

Autumn Term

Since 2016 the Griffin Sports Festival has seen fierce inter-school competition of five ‘new’ sports and the event is officiated by representatives of national sports bodies.

All schools take part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, a national project which sees every school direct and produce a Shakespeare play which is performed in a public theatre.

Spring Term

Founders Day, started in 2016, and raises funds to support a cause chosen by students and is connected with the theme of the year. In every school the day centres on community: what it means to be a citizen so that students experience the difference they can make individually and collectively. This often lights leadership sparks in our pupils.

The Griffin Science Symposium, begun in 2017, addresses the theme of the year. Eminent scientists come from the John Innes Centre and the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London to give lively talks, demonstrations and workshops to students in years 6 and 7 from all schools.

Summer Term

The Griffin Arts Festival, was established in 2014. All schools run two weeks of events which include performances and activities open to their local communities. There are now two centres for the GAF residential experience: London and Birmingham, where the winners of competitions for places enjoy visits to national arts venues, and workshops with professional choreographers, poets and musicians. The festival ends with our very own Last Night of the Proms concert which itself is preceded by performances from our schools.

By the time they leave primary school, pupils have begun to discover their inner musician, artist, poet, scientist, philosopher, sportsperson or campaigner. That voyage of discovery continues at our secondary schools so that we truly build foundations for life.

Partnerships

Artsmark

Nicholas Chamberlaine is proud to have achieved the prestigious Artsmark Gold Award, which recognises and celebrates our school’s commitment to embedding arts and culture at its heart. The Artsmark Award has been created to help unlock the potential of children and young people, to develop their character and talent, and increase their knowledge and understanding. In short, Artsmark has been designed to bring the arts and culture to life in every classroom.

Visit artsmark.org.uk for more information.

The Artsmark panel shared the following comment about Nicholas Chamberlain’s submission:

“Nicholas Chamberlaine is to be commended for its on-going commitment to providing a diverse range of art and cultural activities for pupils.

Collaboration across the academy, like ‘The Big Draw’ and ‘A Day with Shakespeare’, have helped to maintain the profile of the arts across the school. It is also positive that 520 pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument in year 7 and 8 and to read how you have developed a partnership with MiSST and Warwickshire music in order to develop this initiative.

You have also provided a range of opportunities for students to perform, exhibit and celebrate their work. Students have also had the opportunity to develop their own choreographed routines performing these at both local and county events.

You have successfully raised the formal and academic achievements of pupils and considerably enhanced the profile of arts across the wider school community”

MiSST and Warwickshire Music Hub

One of the special opportunities of a place at Nicholas Chamberlaine School is the entitlement to receive three years of FREE tuition on an orchestral instrument. This is provided through our partnership with the Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST) and the Warwickshire Music Hub. This is only available in eighteen schools in the whole of England, and we are very proud to be the only school in the Midlands providing this.

MiSST is a charitable Trust that is committed to enabling their partner school’s access to the resources necessary to raise academic achievement through the provision of musical tuition on an orchestral instrument. Although this may sound at first to be an unlikely outcome, there is a growing bank of research to show that children who learn an instrument have increased self confidence, higher levels of resilience, greater concentration, and improved academic attainment. This is why we at Nicholas Chamberlaine believe and invest in this programme.

A high profile sponsor and supporter of the MiSST programme is Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer of so many fabulous musicals, including “Phantom of the Opera”, and “School of Rock”.

Every child in Key Stage 3 is provided with their own instrument for which they are personally responsible. Tuition is provided in small group settings of 6 – 8 students as part of their weekly music lesson. In between lessons, students are expected to take their instrument home and undertake regular practice to develop their skills, as part of their homework routine.

Currently we offer lessons on Violin, Viola, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone and Euphonium.

 
We believe that learning an instrument should primarily be fun and fulfilling. Therefore, during their time at Nicholas Chamberlaine, alongside the fulfilment of learning to play an instrument to a good standard, students are offered the opportunity to experience a range of concerts, visits and workshops that will enrich their lives forever.

Drama Partnership with Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (Coram SSF)

Extra and Co-Curricular

Additionally, there are a wide range of clubs and activities taking place before and after school, as well as during Lunchtime. Sports facilities are used widely and the many sports teams take part in a range of tournaments. Drama and the arts are well served in clubs as well as in the curriculum. The tutorial programme gives students the opportunity to take on leadership roles.

We encourage students to try something new and to build interests that will enrich their lives beyond school and continue into adulthood.

Out of class learning takes place through regular trips and visits and a range of additional study support for students taking GCSEs and A levels is provided as needed.