Throughout their time at St. Dominic Savio Catholic Primary school, pupils are given the opportunity to participate in a wealth of performance opportunities including:

• EYFS – Nativity
• Y1/2 – Nativity and KS1 Choir
• Y3/4 – Christmas Concert and KS2 Choir
• Y5/6 – End of Year Production and KS2 Choir
• KS2 - Dom Factor Talent Show
• KS2 - Performance Choir, participating in events at The Hexagon Theatre, Loddon Valley, Luckley House School and for assemblies and school social events.

Through our progressive approach to teaching performing arts, pupils are encouraged to participate in a range of skills linked to the arts right from their first term at our school, whether that is performing on stage, working on props, set design and costumes, supporting behind the scenes or learning the technical skills of lighting and sound. Most of our pupils begin their school career with little or no experience of performing arts and under the guidance of our knowledgeable and experienced staff find themselves able to put on performances they would never have dreamed possible. Pupils learn to uncover hidden talents and recognise talents in their peers also, building strong relationships and self-assurance. The skills learned through the participation in performance offers pupils skills that can be taken forward to secondary school and the world of work, such as collaboration and problem-solving skills, empathy, tolerance and social awareness.

Theatre education offers a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond the stage. We know that pupils’ self-esteem, confident and resilience is developed through their work in our performance opportunities, as well as the enhancement to their language, communication and comprehension skills. The transferrable skills taught through musical theatre and performing arts translate into improved performance in other academic subjects. Pupils learn to push themselves out of their comfort zone, try new things, embrace opportunities, build resilience and understand how to overcome disappointment or challenges.

We have also taken our KS2 pupils to several theatre performances including The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Theatre), The Tempest at South Hill Park, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre). Our KS1 / EYFS pupils have been fortunate to experience theatre trips to see Zog (Wyvern Theatre) and the Pantomime at The Hexagon Theatre.

We also host a travelling pantomime company at Christmas annually, where all pupils can enjoy the magic of theatre and experience a traditional pantomime.

We are blessed to have such an experienced team of staff, bringing their experiences from outside of school to support our pupils. Staff have a wealth of knowledge from their own personal participation in the world of performing, musical theatre, dance, vocal work as well as creative skills including art and design and costume making. We are also fortunate to partner with a professional lighting and sound technician who supports our students to learn more about the technology that brings our performances to life.

Performances at End of KS2:

2024 – Disney’s The Lion King Jr

2023 – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr

2022 – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat Jr

2021 – Oliver!

2020 – Bugsy Malone

2019 – Mary Poppins Jr

2018 – Peter Pan

2017 – Disney’s Aladdin Jr

2016 – Annie

2015 – Disney’s The Lion King Jr

Parent Testimonals

“It has been an absolute amazing journey seeing our son transform from a shy boy to a confident young individual who is incredibly independent. Who is not afraid to say his opinion or thought. His imagination and creativity has grown with him.”

“The exposure our son has had every year with the year end performances and with the Dom factor has helped build his confidence and given him a life skill that will shape his future.”

“Watching the year 6 perform the show with confidence, joy and such enthusiasm bought tears to our eyes. Every aspect of the play had such thought and effort put into it- the lighting, the costumes, the songs, the props and the effort of including every child in the class, to give them an opportunity to shine in their own way! How amazing is that!”

“My daughter had the opportunity to perform in the school's production of "The Lion King," and I couldn't be prouder of her performance. She embodied her character so well; It was a truly transformative experience for her. The production quality was incredible, rivaling that of a West End show, thanks to the staff’s phenomenal direction.”

“Participating in this production has greatly enhanced my daughter's confidence, communication skills, and creativity. Being involved in musical theatre has also helped her develop teamwork and collaboration skills, as well as boosting her academic performance. I am grateful for the amazing opportunities provided by the school's musical theatre program and can see the long-term benefits in her overall development.”

“I am delighted to write about my son’s wonderful experiences participating in various school events over the past 7 years, including the DOM Factor, Science Fairs, Christmas Shows and Summer Productions. He has always been enthusiastic about taking part in these events, and each one has contributed to his personal growth. Through his involvement, I have seen his confidence blossom remarkably. Whether he is on stage acting, helping with props, or working behind the scenes on the technical aspects, his communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team have improved greatly.”

“Participating in the musical theatre productions has sparked his creativity and enhanced his academic performance, including through him being able to draw the programme for this summer show The Lion King, which I was impressed with beyond any expectations! The collaborative nature of these events has taught him valuable lessons in cooperation and the importance of every role in a production, no matter how big or small.”

“I am confident that the long-term benefits of these experiences will continue to positively impact my child’s development, both in and out of school. The opportunities provided by the school have been instrumental in shaping his character and skills.”

“Thank you for providing such a nurturing environment for our children to explore their talents and grow.”

“My daughter has stepped out of her comfort zone and was encouraged immensely to a “Yes, I can!” attitude, which was fantastic to see. She felt supported and encouraged to take on the daunting first step of an audition and with the positive feedback from her teachers she was able to perform her role proudly and successfully. She learned her lines and helped her friends with theirs too, it was incredible to watch them work together and take accountability for their production. The confidence and resilience it has given her has been enormous. She is very proud of herself as she should be.”

“The Lion King show this year absolutely blew me away! My expectations for a primary school play couldn’t have been further from what year 5 and 6 and their teachers produced. The props, costumes, sound and lighting just elevated the entire performance. I was gripped from the opening song and enjoyed every second.”
 

“My daughter in year 6 has had virtually no experience of being on stage but with the encouragement of her amazing teachers she stunningly played one of the main characters and performed two incredible solos that brought tears to my eyes. Being given this opportunity has done wonders for her confidence and self-esteem and I truly believe this will help her immensely as the new chapter of secondary school approaches.”

“I was so impressed how the roles were split between the pupils and how everyone was involved, even if it was behind the scenes for those who didn’t want to be on stage.”
 

Pupil Testimonials

“Being a stage hand was a very fun experience, I was allowed to make a background as well as bringing the props on stage. It was exciting to create the props with the teachers and to put everything on stage. I had a great time being ‘props’. ”

“Everyone had their moment from prop team to main cast, everyone felt needed and everyone was vital for the show to go on.”

“I was tech for the performance, I played the music and sound and had the great opportunity of working with professional lighting technicians. It was my dream to be the tech for the show and I learned a lot about lights and professional sound.”

“Everyone who was involved will treasure the memory for a lifetime.”