Takeisha Achene James
A multi-talented musician, music and performing arts is Takeisha’s area of expertise, as well as being the Year 10 tutor.
LVS Hassocks introduced dance and drama to the school’s curriculum in September 2023, and it has quickly grown in popularity among the children, which in turn has boosted their confidence and self-esteem.
“They begin by being a bit nervous about dance, thinking they can’t do it, but with encouragement to ‘have a go’, we find the vast majority become engaged with the lessons and really enjoy it,” says Takeisha. “Music club has become another strong favourite among the pupils too, with 15 students getting involved with our show, which they performed at the Summer Sharing event, which takes places at the end of the school year.
“As a teacher here at LVS Hassocks, you feel hugely proud to see how our students progress.”
“Music and performance classes really boost their confidence and self-esteem. It’s the place where they can express their creativity freely – there’s no right or wrong way, it’s all about having a go. Along with their confidence, it increases their overall happiness too. I’ve seen my current cohort progress from Year 7 to Year 9 and it has been incredible to see how much more mature they are – able and willing to explain their feelings, create friendships and able to go out in public and take the bus independently, for example.”
LVS Hassocks takes a joined-up approach to learning too, which means if they are studying a Shakespeare play in English, they will also do Shakespeare in drama. “It helps reinforce what they are learning and makes it fun at the same time,” says Takeisha.
“As a teacher here at LVS Hassocks, you feel hugely proud to see how our students progress, from being anxious or having major sensory issues around food, or perhaps being unable to sit with others, to becoming talkative and confident and happy to eat anything. We excel at helping children exceed their expectations and progress in ways that they may have once thought wasn’t possible.”