Specialist Programmes

Music Specialist

The Music Programme at Botany Downs School provides students with a strong, well rounded musical foundation. Our curriculum is designed for comprehensive learning, exploring the core elements of music – beat, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, tone, texture, and mood – through hands-on experiences using a variety of instruments, movement, and voice. Students build resilience and technical mastery as they learn to read sheet music and play pieces with confidence. 

Creativity is key: students have opportunities to express themselves by improvising, composing original musical pieces, and creating graphic scores, building to  performances for their classmates to build musician confidence. We also foster a deep appreciation for music by exploring different eras and listening to classical works to understand the vision and intention of great composers.

Physical Education Specialist

In Physical Education, we focus on developing our physical skills in order to participate and enjoy different sports and games. We explore popular sports and games but also focus on coordination and fundamental movements in other small games and activities and use a range of exciting resources and equipment. Our students are exposed to a wide variety of sporting contexts and learn the skills in different ways, for example: through small-sided games to maximise participation, through learning the techniques for certain sports skills and also through playing larger team games. We have a great focus on team work and how to be a good team mate and discuss how our attitudes and participation during games can influence our peers.

Enviro Science/STEAM Specialist

In Enviro/STEAM, students take part in lots of different hands-on learning experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. Some lessons focus on environmental topics, where students learn about sustainability, looking after our planet, and the world around them. Other lessons are STEAM-focused, giving students opportunities to design, create, build, and explore through Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics activities. We also spend time developing science skills such as observing, predicting, investigating, and recording findings.