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Culture & Enrichment

Overview

“I would teach children, music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” – Plato

Culture is an important component of curricular activities, especially in our Primary School.

Dramatic presentations are undertaken by individual classes at weekly assemblies. The various phases, viz. Pre-Primary, Junior Primary and Senior Primary of the school put on productions annually. The Pre-primary have an annual concert and the upper phases alternate yearly. Drama allows pupils to express, explore and find themselves. It is applied through improvising, role-playing, play building, puppeteering, story-making, telling, dramatisation and so forth.

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Music

Music is enjoyable and enriches our pupils’ lives and education. It helps develop language & memorization; it promotes craftsmanship; it increases coordination; it provides a sense of achievement; it facilitates emotional development, pattern recognition, imagination, relaxation, discipline, creativity, spatial intelligence, risk-taking and self-confidence, etc.

Music at ISSA

Music is an international language. We at the International School of South Africa ensure that all our students from grade 1 to Form 3 are afforded the opportunity to learn this language.

Students in the Primary school (Grade 1-6) have one period of music and are exposed to various musical activities, be it from general class music to Marimba, all our students all involved in the art of making music whereas students in the Secondary School from Forms 1-3 have 2 periods of Music (1h30 min). Music is offered as an academic subject. In this 3-year period, learners are exposed to various musical genres which underpins the notion that Music is an international language.

For the more refined musicians at our school, we offer IGCSE music up to A-level which further prepares our students who wish to study Music at university or even as a career.

We currently offer the following instrumental tuition. Vocals, Strings, Woodwinds and Piano and have formed many ensembles who perform regularly at concerts and school events; The Primary and Senior School choir, Vocal ensembles and various instrumental groups.

Finally, we have a robust music programme where students have timetabled music and also attend individual Music lessons in partnership with students from the University of Potchefstroom who come in twice a week to teach our students how to play a variety of instruments, guitar, percussion, voice piano just to name but a few. In addition to that, they also take the Trinity College Music examinations.

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ISSA Choir

Choir

Choir is run as an extramural activity for Grades 4 to 6, as well as Marimba for Grades 5 and 6. Class music is taught from Grades 000 to Grade 6 in the weekly academic programme. Individual music tutoring is conducted with instruments such as recorder, piano, voice, violin and drums.

Art

Art is taught to Grades 4 to 6 by a specialist Art Teacher, and the lower phases are taught Art, largely integrated into the curriculum, by class teachers. Currently, Pottery classes are offered as a ‘paid-extra’ activity after school. Art develops our pupils’ creativity, academic performance, motor skills, confidence, visual learning, decision-making, perseverance, focus, collaboration skills and accountability, etc.

Dancing

Ballroom Dancing classes are offered to Grades 4 to 6s as an extramural activity. Dance sessions by Erin Musson (a professional dancer and choreographer) are offered as a ‘paid extra’ to allow our pupils to further explore their creativity. Dance is important for our pupils because it aids the development of kinesthetic intelligence, creates opportunities for self-expression, promotes higher-order thinking skills, enhances the quality of life, improves physical fitness, provides enjoyment and promotes respect for various cultures, etc.