Park High School in Stanmore has hosted its Annual Arts and Culture Festival, showcasing student creativity and cultural expression through two weeks of workshops, performances, and interactive events.
This year’s festival featured a range of sessions across different art forms. In the first week, Year 7 and 9 students took part in a Physical Theatre workshop led by drama teacher Ms Daler, exploring lifts and movement techniques. Year 7 also joined a West African drumming session led by Inspire Works, while students in Years 7 to 10 engaged in a spoken word and songwriting workshop focused on the cultural roots of Soca music.
Live Art Drawing sessions were held during lunch, allowing students to express themselves creatively. Stage combat workshops with Squire Stage Combat gave Year 8 and 9 students a high-energy experience, and the school also held its Arts Award Evening to recognise achievements in Dance, Drama, and Music.
GCSE Music students had an interactive session with the Nonesuch Orchestra, receiving praise for their engagement. Later that evening, Park High staff performed in a concert featuring instruments such as the tuba, bass guitar, and Chinese lute.
The week ended with a dance workshop by Park High alumna Anna Nicholls, now a professional dancer and founder of Hallomai Dance. GCSE and A-Level drama students also worked with Synergy Theatre Company in a session exploring modern British society through drama.
In the second week, over 50 students took part in musical theatre workshops with The Mozartists. Year 9 students visited the Barbican to see the London Symphony Orchestra perform, including a session analysing Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.
The festival closed with performances from GCSE Dance students, who presented their own choreography projects. A-Level drama students then delivered an immersive production of Vinegar Tom, a play about 16th-century witch accusations and their relevance today.
Headteacher Colette O’Dwyer said: “I never fail to be excited by the creativity of our students and staff and always enjoy seeing our student shine on stage. In this year’s Festival, our students have been inspired by an array of professional artists and I am grateful to all our staff for providing them with these rich opportunities”.
Laura Molloy, head of Performing Arts, said: “This year’s Arts and Culture Festival was our biggest and best one yet. Students absolutely loved getting to learn and experience other cultures through music and drama.”
The school was recently awarded the Bronze Equalities Award for its commitment to offering students a wide and diverse range of experiences. This follows its achievement of the ‘Artsmark Gold’ from Arts Council England, which recognises schools that embed creativity and culture into education.
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