The Co-Curriculum

Performing Arts at St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School allows our pupils to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas in a meaningful way. It also helps expand our children’s ability to act out thoughts in their minds.

Through drama and the Arts, our pupils express themselves using different facial expressions, voices and tones, and body language. Our teachers incorporate drama and role play elements in their classes from Early Years through to Year 6.

Drama can develop pupils into becoming better communicators, and storytellers. Drama requires children to play different characters. A good understand of characters, roles and subtext of plays will allow children to relate better to different situations, context and even cultures.

We believe that Drama and Arts improves voice projection, articulation of words, fluency with language, and persuasive speech. Listening and observation skills develop by playing drama games, being an audience, rehearsing, and performing.

Drama can help to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, and promote a sense of belonging and purpose.

We strongly believe that creative thinking and the ability to confidently communicate ideas, and focus on solutions are the skills our children need for the future.

Everyone knows making music is fun, but music education also provides a myriad of benefits to your brain, physical and mental health, and general well-being. The impact of learning to sing or play an instrument on a child’s development is more than twice that of sports, theatre, or dance. 

Learning music offers a multitude of benefits that extend beyond the realm of artistic expression. Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of music on cognitive development and academic performance. 

Playing an instrument improves memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills, which are all essential in the classroom. Music also nurtures creativity and enhances spatial-temporal skills, which have been linked to success in mathematics and sciences.

Every pupil at St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School engages in quality music education from their entry into Nursery until the end of KS2 in Year 6.  In the early Years, music is incorporated consistently into daily routines and is used to enhance teaching of the core curriculum in addition to being taught as a stand-alone subject.

All children will have the opportunity to sing, to listen to music, to experience different musical instruments, to perform and to enjoy music.

Music helps our pupils increase in self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

The Art curriculum at St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School is designed to immerse the children in exciting visual art concepts and techniques. We believe that exposure to Art and Design is essential to provide a rounded education. 

Lessons are embedded in an understanding of art history and its great masters across cultures and time. Pupils are encouraged to explore different styles and approaches inspired by creatives, professionals, trips to galleries and artist workshops. All age groups will have a rich experience through the creative arts. 

On top of the obvious development of individual creativity and self-expression, Creative Arts can increase a child's confidence and motivation which in turn improves well-being. Hands-on learning is enjoyable and engaging, helping pupils learn through experimentation and making mistakes.

There are also benefits of using arts and creativity as part of the wider curriculum which enhances the teaching of other subjects (such as History, English and PSHE).

Creative Arts are a vital part of a whole school ethos of cultural appreciation and diversity, equipping our pupils with cultural knowledge and understanding. It also helps with hand-eye coordination, concentration, self-expression and risk taking.

STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. At St Pius X, we help build skills that extend far beyond the traditional science fields. Our quality STEM experience will empower your child to pursue varied interests and become confident problem solvers.

Getting children involved in STEM subjects from an early age is crucial in supporting the growth of the young talent required in the future – nurturing the next generation of doctors, engineers, teachers and scientists.

As continual advances in technology are changing the way children learn, connect and interact every day, skills developed by children through STEM provides them with the foundation to succeed at school and beyond.

STEM learning promotes critical thinking, curiosity, persistence, decision-making, leadership, entrepreneurship, acceptance of failure and more. Regardless of your child’s future career aspirations, these skill sets will go a long way in preparing them for their future.

At St Pius X, your child will see that there is no limit to what they could pursue or become, and that careers across all disciplines and interests can benefit from a creative mind and innovative spirit.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are fundamental to our understanding of the natural world and the universe. By learning about STEM at St Pius X, pupils can gain a better understanding of how things work and how we can use this knowledge to improve our lives.

St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School provides the unique opportunity for all children to perform at the highest level in various sports whilst simultaneously experiencing a broad and balanced curriculum taught through a range of activities. 

Regular physical activity in children’s life not only helps them to stay healthy but also improves their emotional fitness. Including such activities right from the childhood helps them to make it a part of their routine with ease. 

Playing sports can enhance a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School offers an amazing number of sporting opportunities across all year groups, swimming, cricket, football, hockey, rounders, tennis to name a few.

At St Pius X, we encourage our pupils to be comfortable in team situations and we develop players and athletes of high technical ability. We believe that sports participation increases self-belief and mental toughness. 

Pupils have the chance to represent the school in one of the many teams and individual sports in our highly competitive fixtures programme.  Elsewhere children can enjoy the range of activities on offer in the curriculum.

We believe that our innovative programme of sports helps to build resilience, develops a positive mindset, encouraging children to take risks, be compassionate and resilient, preparing them for all that life has to offer beyond St Pius X Catholic Preparatory School.

Our Forest School and outdoor learning encompasses a wide range of learning experiences undertaken outside. With a dedicated Level 3 qualified Forest School Leader, our pupils experience an unstructured setting and are free to create new games, engage in dramatic play or explore freely.

At St Pius X, we allow children to access the woodland areas during Forest School sessions. Pupils can explore the woodland area, this includes climbing trees and creating games around natural resources, such as sticks and trees. This type of play helps a child assess and manage their own risk as well as use their imagination to create games, the possibilities are limitless.

The children also spend time in Forest School learning to identify trees and plants in our grounds. The children are able to identify trees and bushes by their buds and leaves and also enjoy researching anything new that they find in the grounds such as fungi.

We are passionate about encouraging outdoor learning at St Pius X and the aims of the sessions are to inspire, encourage, motivate and engage children. 

Forest School offers our pupils the opportunities to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. We ensure that ‘the great outdoors’ is always at the forefront of our children’s minds.