Description

During the course of Key Stage 3 Drama lessons, pupils learn many new skills and baseline techniques which are used to enhance their learning. These skills are then developed at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. There are varied schemes of work including a Cross-curricular enhancement into areas on the PSHE programme. All lessons focus on themes all of which are designed to develop pupils’ drama and performance techniques. Students are assessed throughout the term and are encouraged to consider how they devise, perform and reflect on their performances. The assessments vary, some are practical and others are through written reflection, offering students an opportunity to show their understanding of creating and  performing drama.

Content

Year 7

Bullying, Peer Pressure, Mime and Melodrama, Monologues and Duologues, Drama Around the World.

• Drama techniques explored include Freeze Frames, Thought tracking, Script work.

Year 8

Lizzie Borden, Physical Theatre, Key Practitioners, Macbeth and Reinterpretation, Trestle Masks and Improvisation, Set Design.

• Drama techniques studied include Dream Sequence, Conscience Alley, Alienation.

Year 9

Theatre in Education, Frantic Assembly, Devising from a stimulus, Live Theatre Review, Stage Combat.

• Drama practices studied and developed include Physical theatre, Non-naturalism, Analysis and Evaluating, Discipline and Control.

Exam board

Edexcel

Description

The course encourages students to work imaginatively and creatively in a collaborative context creating, developing and communicating ideas. The specification challenges the students to explore and develop devised and scripted performance material, in an extremely engaging and exciting way. Both the theoretical and practical elements of the course help students to become critical thinkers with enquiring minds, confident communicators and independent learners.

Success Criteria

· Expressing yourself in an active, creative and exciting way, working in a group.

· Contributing your ideas and taking on board those of others.

· Exploring ideas by putting yourself in other people’s shoes.

· Playing many parts in different imaginary situations.

· Creating your own drama scripts.

· Exploring plays written by other people.

· Analysing performances and productions.

· Researching social, cultural and political contexts.

Content

The Edexcel course comprises three exciting units. The course has a greater practical focus, providing students with more freedom and opportunities to explore all elements of theatre. There are also Design pathways available.

Component 1 – Devising – 40%

In Component 1 students devise a piece of drama, showcasing their acting, devising and directing skills. Approaching this unit pupils will be applying a set of techniques including hot-seating, cross-cutting and thought tracking and be given time to reflect on the development of their ideas. To complete this devised unit pupils will be requested to create a written portfolio covering the creating and developing process and finally the analysis and evaluation of the performance.

Component 2 – Performance from a text – 20%

In Component 2 students must create a performance from a text. Pupils will be studying a post-1954 text and will be focussing on the characters, plot and themes, making links between social and historical periods of time. This unit will be assessed by an external examiner and therefore allows pupils to demonstrate the best of their acting capability.

Component 3 – Theatre Makers in Practice – 40%

In Component 3 students explore theatre in practice in their end of year written exam. In the preparation for the exam, pupils will practically explore and study The Crucible. Pupils will be asked questions on their decisions as a director, designer or actor and therefore all elements of the theatre are studied. On the GCSE course students will visit the theatre. For the final section of their written exam students will be asked to analyse and evaluate productions viewed.

Exam board

WJEC Eduqas

Description

This course is designed for students who enjoy reading plays and watching or participating in Drama as performers, directors or designers and who want to develop their skills in one or more of these areas.

One of the attractions of this Drama and Theatre Studies course is the opportunity to work within groups, sharing and exploring creative ideas. Practical work is the heart of the course which is appealing to pupils who love to perform.

In the Sixth Form, students who choose Drama and Theatre Studies often take complementary subjects such as English Literature, Psychology, Art, Music, Sociology or a modern language. Furthermore, some students choose Drama and Theatre Studies as a contrast to their other A Level courses in Humanities or Sciences.

Students who take this course gain an entry qualification into higher education where they may pursue courses in a wide range of Arts and Humanities subjects as well as in Drama and related creative subjects.

Success Criteria

· Self-Confidence

· Imagination

· Empathy

· Cooperation

· Concentration

· Communication Skills

· Enjoyment

· Emotional Outlet

Content

The course comprises three units with both theory and practical elements. The benefits are physical, emotional, social and they help to develop a sophisticated appreciation of culture and the arts. There are also Design pathways available.

Component 1 – Theatre Workshop – 20%

Students will be asked to create and perform a reinterpretation of an extract from a set text. Students will need to develop their pieces by applying the techniques of an influential theatre practitioner or theatre company (Stanislavski, Brecht, Frantic Assembly, Artaud, Boal, Katie Mitchell).

Component 2 – Text in Action – 40%

Students will be asked to create two performances for an external examiner. The first, students will create and develop a devised piece based on a stimulus material. The second, students will perform an extract from a text where pupils have incorporated a different style.

Component 3 – Text and Performance – 40%

For their end of year written exam pupils will be studying a range of texts (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Saved and Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.) Students will study the social, historical and cultural influences of the pieces. Within the exam pupils will demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in interpreting texts for performance. Students are encouraged to approach this component practically as an actor, designer and director, and as an informed member of a theatre audience.

We have established a lively, varied and well supported programme of extra-curricular activities, linking with various departments in the school, including Music, Dance, Art and Design & Technology. 

KS3 Drama Club is offered on a weekly basis with older students often taking responsibility and leading the students in considering all aspects of performance, resulting in live performances at the Christmas, Spring and Summer Concerts.

Throughout the year, the department offers exciting workshops including with Frantic Assembly and Highly Sprung Theatre Company. There are also regular theatre trips organised for the students in the examination classes and opportunities are given to watch productions through National Theatre Live.