Drama

The Drama Department aims to empower students through the transformative power of theatre, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression while building a community of lifelong learners and advocates for the arts.

 

KS3 Overview 

Our Curriculum aims to be a magical and joyful experience. KS3 ensures that all students study Classics, Skills based workshops (Voice, physicality) Devising, Scripted and CPSHE led projects. We offer the exploration of Drama through theory as a way of underpinning practical work, bridge gaps and analyse and evaluate process and performance. This is repeated every year with emphasis on raising the level of challenge via text, stimulus, topic and research. We plan multiple opportunities to perform and be celebrated publicly. Students are trained and encouraged to run the technical aspects of both in class assessment and public performances to develop a real sense of ownership of work and develop key skills that open up the idea of real world jobs (Directors, Filming, Lights, costume and sound design)We offer a bespoke set of enrichment opportunities. KS3 Drama Club, master classes in all aspects of the arts, training in the technical elements of theatre.

Year 7

The Drama course in Year 7 is designed to spark a student’s imagination, get them thinking about performance in a creative way and to develop their confidence in a new school. Students will learn how to work positively and productively in groups by overcoming difficulties and celebrating achievements.

Students receive an introduction to the basic performance principles which explore voice, movement and space in a way that engages their audience.  Students participate in a range of creative tasks that includes dramatic explorations on friendship, a performance in a musical number, physical theatre, researching and structuring documentary drama based on historical tragedies and allowing their imagination to soar by creating stimulus-based performances on haunted houses.

The drama department has a strong ethos of shared performance and is proud that every student in Year 7 is given the opportunity to present rehearsed performances to students and staff outside of their immediate class.  These performances teach students to manage their nerves, hone in on their group work and collective responsibility as well as develop their communication skills.

Year 8

Pupils in Year 8 continue to develop their skills in drama.  The aim of the year is for all students to build on their previous learning by taking the skills taught in year 7 schemes of learning to independently hone their craft as actors/directors/designers. They will also be introduced to more aspects of theatre such as creating tension, focus, exploring the effect of a Greek Chorus and classic texts, The refinement of verbal and physical skills, the building of confidence and the reflection upon important issues continue.

In their second term students will take on the challenging text ‘A View From The Bridge’ which aims to broaden their knowledge of scripts and allows them to develop their understanding of character. Throughout this scheme of learning students will explore the social/historical context surrounding the world of the play and will use this knowledge to inform their dramatic choices as actors, directors and designers.

Students will also get the chance to explore the award winning musical ‘Hamilton’ which aims to build their confidence on stage and introduce them to the world of musical theatre. This scheme of learning aims to improve students understanding of movement and voice and champions theatre created specifically for ethnic minority actors. The drama department are proud to offer students the chance to explore their ‘super power’ In drama ensuring all schemes of learning include opportunities to learn lighting, sound and set giving all students the understanding of the wider world of theatre. 

Year 9

Pupils in Year 9 continue to broaden their understanding of Drama as an art form and study more complex forms of theatre that develop a sensitive and informed approach to performance. The development of oral skills, the improvement of self-esteem and the reflection upon important issues continue as students embark upon explorations in:

  • Storytelling & Characterisation

  • Forming a company- Performing the prologue from Romeo and Juliet

  • Devising Theatre

  • Documentary Theatre

  • Creativity ‘Thinking outside the Box’

  • GCSE texts

The year 9 curriculum aims to give students a taster of GCSE following a similar trajectory of the three examined components. 

  • Devising Theatre 

  • Performing a Scripted Piece 

  • Writing from the perspective of a director/designer/performer

     

The impact of purposeful engagement in drama helps to build life skills for life at university and for a full range of careers that require students to communicate effectively with others professionally, socially and personally.

How will they be assessed?

Year 7

Students are assessed on their practical work in lessons and in shared performances.

Students receive feedback on their performance by their teacher and by their peer group.  They are made aware of the assessment objectives and work towards achieving them by applying their own personal targets.

Assessment tasks include:

  • Creating the final scene of an explored character.

  • Interpretation of a variety of dramatic texts.

  • Performing as part of an ensemble

  • Using a variety of techniques to perform a devised piece of theatre 

  • The presentation of an original, complete and structured play based on a historical tragedy.

  • Participation in whole class performances.

Year 8

Students are assessed on their practical work in lessons and their writing in theory lessons including a mid year and end of year assessment. They receive feedback on their performance by their teacher and by their peer group. Students are given a copy of the A4P criteria used for both written and practical assessments which can be found below. They are made aware of the assessment objectives and work towards achieving them by applying their own personal targets.

Assessment tasks include:

  • Applying techniques in creating tension and focus to prepared improvisations.

  • Using chorus skills to present a section from an original piece of Greek Theatre.

  • The dramatic telling of a story using a variety of dramatic techniques explored.

  • Understanding the importance of the social and historical context of a text

  • Using vocal and physical skills when playing challenging characters

  • Ability to apply theoretical knowledge to their practical work

Year 9

Students are assessed on their practical work in lessons. They receive feedback on their performance by their teacher and by their peer group.  They are made aware of the assessment objectives in making, performing and evaluating the drama and work towards achieving them by applying their own personal targets.

Assessment Tasks include:

  • Interpretations of a range of dramatic texts using a variety of strategies

  • Whole class performance 

  • Spontaneous responses to a variety of stimuli

  • Advanced ideas in physical theatre

  • The introduction of theatre practitioners studies at GCSE and A Level to give substance and theory to their responses

  • Solo, pair, small group and whole group responses to a range of dramatic scenarios

  • Looking at a performance from the perspective of an actor/director/performer 

Home Learning

Year 7

A variety of observational, research and reflection tasks may be set a various times to develop and inform responses in lessons.

Year 8 

A written assessment will be given at the end of each term which they can complete at home using the notes taken from theory lessons. The theory will underpin the practical work they have been doing and allow for all students to show their understanding of theatre through other means than just performing.

Year 9

At appropriate times in the course pupils are encouraged to develop their work by meeting and working with other members of their group in their own time. There are additional tasks set as home learning periodically through each project.  These tasks may include information gathering, observation and opinion forming tasks among others. Students may also be asked to write written responses to work created in their practical lessons to prepare for the reflective nature of the GCSE course.

How can parents support their child?

Year 7

We would encourage parents to discuss the drama work that their child experiences in school and to encourage them to learn lines and complete detailed research when necessary. If possible, parents might take their child to experience live theatre performances so that students build a range of references for their work and consider the effect of live communication as well as those seen through the television or mobile phone screens.  

Year 8

We would encourage parents to discuss the work that their child makes in school and to discuss acting, characters and story that they encounter on television or in the theatre. Families can help students to learn lines and ensure that the Year 8 performance is speaking loudly, clearly and with expression.  If possible parents should take their child to experience live theatre performances so that students build a range of references for their work.

Year 9

We would encourage parents to ask students about their drama work at school as well as discuss acting, characters and story that they encounter on television or in the theatre.  If possible parents should take their child to experience live theatre performances so that students build a range of references for their work. Parents could also begin to ask students about their acting choices and become an at home audience for them to practise their performance work to.

ts build a range of references for their work.