BHS Home 
 Site Map 
   
Page last updated

We became a Performing Arts College in 1998 under the Government's Specialist Schools Initiative in which successful schools were invited to apply for this status in one of a number of curriculum areas. We were redesignated in 2001 and expect to remain a specialist school for the next ten years at least!

As a Performing Arts College we teach the national curriculum and believe that all subjects are of equal worth. However, the extra funding that Specialist School status attracts allows us to offer enhanced opportunities in the Arts areas. These include Art and Design (including Textiles), Dance, Drama, Media Performing Arts and Music.

Exposure to these Arts subjects is known to

• boost self-confidence and self-esteem
• improve communication and negotiating skills
• encourage independent working
• develop the ability to compromise and work within a group
• increase routine use of analysis and evaluation
• produce articulate and confident young people
• enhance imagination and creativity as well as delivering their own discreet subject skills.
  

Being a Specialist School requires the setting of measurable targets in all the Arts separate subjects and for whole school examination results. These include wider provision of Arts courses, greater uptake of Arts subjects and increased overall examination performance in all Arts curriculum areas.
One third of the yearly grant has to be spent on providing support in the Arts within the local community. We run an extensive programme of Arts activities for schools across Warrington, both primary and secondary and for a variety of community groups