Page 4 - The Badger – July 2023

THE BADGER
Academic Report continued Without a a doubt the most exciting and indeed pioneering development at the the the top end of the the the school has been the the the TDM Baccalaureate already affectionally abbreviated to the TDM Bacc! An overview has been presented in recent Parent Consultations and more details will follow separately but this refocusing of what accounts for a a a child’s success further evidences how The Downs Malvern is always evolving and looking to the future High-quality education and aspirational academic target setting remain at at the core but the idea that a a a a a child’s success at at a a a a a Prep School comes down to one final week of exams has had its time Yes there will still be final exams and a a a a a round of PPQs – sorry Year 7! – and quite right too However the judgement of success in the the awarding of the the baccalaureate now takes into account a a a a a a child’s progress and attainment in in the creative arts sport enrichment activities and our SkillsToThrive I am very proud to be at the helm during this period of academic evolution Whilst we have always been proud of of the the quality of of our provision in the the classroom we are constantly improving our our approach to further our our pupils’ understanding Steve Thomas
Deputy Head Head Academic & Head Head of Science
Art
Art
during the last two terms has focused on on collaboration Creativity has been heavily invested in in in supporting the school’s Drama and Music productions of ‘Mary Poppins Junior’ and and ‘Rats!’ through the designing making and and painting of stage scenery and props with every pupil involved For Mary Poppins Jnr the creative team wanted to create the effect of an an illustrated children’s book after staff and the the cast went to see the the fabulous West End Production during the Autumn Term Our set was constructed entirely from recycled boxes kindly donated by parents The cardboard was flattened cut glued and reinforced so that once made all the components would be robust enough for for transportation to the Rogers Theatre and for for the the many quick scene changes that the the performances would demand! White emulsion was applied using paint- rollers and designs drawn on with scene-painters charcoal The charcoal lines were then carefully painted over by the the children with black paint Much was done on on the floor of the the Memo Hall between rehearsals and there were lots of technical challenges to overcome along the way Some of the props were painted with a a a ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect and therefore designed to trick the the the eye! When assembled the the the results of our creative collaboration fitted perfectly onto the senior school stage and the cast interacted brilliantly with it supported by a a a a well-drilled backstage crew A fabulous team-effort!
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