The fabric of our society is interwoven with the expressive arts; they are a central part of the Welsh identity.
From Shani Rhys James to Iwan Bala, Grace Williams to Dafydd Iwan, R.S. Thomas to Waldo Williams, Michael Sheen to Ruth Jones - greats of the Expressive Arts are nearly ten a penny in Wales; and never have pennies been treasured more.
Yet, the Expressive Arts in Wales are more than the greats – they belong to all of us. An englyn to mark an occasion; Yma o hyd at the football; Calon Lân at the rugby; choirs in the pub; our folk songs and dances passed down through the ages.
Our curriculum celebrates our cultural heritage. Across five distinct, yet complementary disciplines (art, dance, drama, film and digital media, and music), children’s inherent creativity is guided through the creative process.
Children learn to plan, create, and evaluate at increasing degrees of complexity and depth during their school journey.
Engagement in the Expressive Arts is for all learners, and its inclusive nature enables children to further develop their sense of self through self-expression.
At Ysgol Sant Baruc, all children are given the opportunity to create, practice, perform and evaluate regularly across the five disciplines.
The school also contributes to the Expressive Arts-based cultural events such as the Eisteddfod, Book Slam and Gŵyl Fach y Fro. Such events afford children the opportunity to perform their work, profiting from the growth in confidence and sense of achievement those challenges provide.
At Ysgol Sant Baruc, we recognise that not everyone is destined for the big stage and the bright lights – nor does everyone want to be. And so the aim of our curriculum is to foster enjoyment and personal satisfaction in creative expression, contributing to the quality of childrens’ lives.
Our hope is that our children become confident enough to express themselves, strong enough to practice and improve, and resilient enough to pursue the things that bring them joy.