Feb 6, 2012
Specialisms
English and Performing Arts are the two specialist subjects at LWA.
Competence in literacy is absolutely central to student success in the secondary curriculum, and at LWA we are aiming for nothing less than excellent achievement in English and related studies. Senior Leader Kenwyn Paddy, Director of Learning for English and Literacy, is assisted by Debbie Danks as Area Team Leader. Dr Danks specialises in English Language studies, and leads a team of highly qualified teachers and support staff in delivering functional skills qualifications, GCSEs, and both Literature and Language at Advanced level. Extensive intervention for students struggling with aspects of literacy is planned collaboratively by the English team together with the Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Co-ordinator, Keeley Chaffe.
Leeds West Academy is proud of the tradition of outstanding achievement in Performing Arts for which the predecessor school was rightly known throughout the region. Fiona McMahon, Director of Learning Enhancement, is leading this specialist focus, with a particular emphasis on using creative approaches to develop active learning by students across every subject area at LWA. Performing Arts subjects have consistently set the gold standard for high achievement in the past. At Leeds West Academy it is our belief that all curriculum areas will reach the standards of the best.
The state of the art facilities for English and Performing Arts will be adjacent to one another in the new building, and co-located with Creative Digital Media Arts in the central ‘Communications Hub’ of the Academy. The library, theatre, dance studios, arts and music rooms will be interspersed with multi-media classrooms, lecture rooms, and seminar rooms to provide a stimulating learning environment for the Arts at LWA.
