Drama
“We must all do theatre, to find out who we are, and to discover who we could become.” Augusto Boal (theatre maker and practitioner)
“The arts can help students become tenacious, team-oriented problem-solvers who are confident and able to think creatively.” Arne Duncan (US Secretary of Education 2009-2015)
Curriculum Intent
The curriculum intent in Drama is two-fold; students develop essential collaborative, creative and communicative skills as well as building knowledge of a plethora of theatre styles, companies and practitioners. Lessons at Key Stage Three are practical; students work individually, in teams and as a whole class to explore a range of different strands of drama and theatre. Styles studied include pantomime, melodrama and the horror genre, as well as a range of different world theatre styles such as Greek theatre and Kabuki, aimed at fostering an understanding of arts across the world and the importance of theatre in different cultures. Students also study multiple play texts including classics such as ‘A Christmas Carol’ and more contemporary pieces, for example ‘Cookies’, a play exploring the effects of online relationships and cyber bullying.
Our curriculum spirals. We reteach and revisit several different drama techniques such as cross-cutting, freeze frame and physical theatre in different ways, for example when devising theatre but also when interpreting scripts and characters. At Key Stage Four and Five, this enables students to make links with previous learning as their broader understanding of drama as an art form grows, and they start to take influence from different theatre practitioners and companies such as Brecht, Artaud and Frantic Assembly.
The drama department also offers many Extra-Curricular Activities (ECAs) including an annual school musical, performed in our fantastic, purpose-built theatre, showcase performance evenings, a one-act play, and the opportunity to visit the theatre and attend external workshops. In the past, theatre visits have included trips to mainstream musicals such as ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘My Fair Lady’, as well as smaller-scale lesser-known plays. This again builds students’ cultural capital as well as enabling students to connect their learning to real-life examples.
Support and Challenge in the Curriculum
The individual needs of every student are accounted for in Drama, to ensure all learners make maximum progress and can access and enjoy their lesson. Working groups are carefully considered to allow peer support and a directorial challenge for more confident pupils, and ‘Challenge Zone’ is regularly used both practically and in written work.
The range of stimuli, topics and play texts covered in Drama offer a suitable level of challenge and we create an environment in Drama of high support and high energy, where mistakes are celebrated and learnt from, and students work collaboratively.
Curriculum Content
Assessment Summary
At Key Stage Three, assessment is completely practical, and divided into three areas: creating, performing and evaluating. For creating and evaluating, students are given a holistic mark based on their contributions to directing drama, creative ideas, using different techniques such as cross-cutting, still image and soundscape in imaginative ways, and working within the stylistic features of a particular theatrical idea, as well as verbally peer assessing and constructively critiquing their own work, the work of their peers and professional pieces of theatre. For performing, students will complete a summative performance assessment once a term, either in a small group or as part of a whole class piece and will receive an individual mark for their creation and interpretation of character, and their use of vocal and physical expression. Students are set a termly homework, usually on Microsoft Teams, to support and enhance their understanding of a key topic.
At Key Stages Four and Five, students are marked in accordance with the requirements of the qualification units and will be given a grade and an assessment record sheet. With mock units and examination practice, students will be given detailed feedback on their achievements and targets for improvement, as well as the opportunity to complete green pen work to propel their progress. For practical work, students will receive regular teacher feedback both verbally and in writing, with clear links to the assessment criteria, and suggestions of how to further improve.
Y9 Bridging Year
Year 9 Bridging Year
All students study Drama for a term in Year 9 as part of the Wider Modern World curriculum. Students will work for half a term on the development of a devised piece of theatre, and half a term on the interpretation of a scripted piece of theatre. Students will work both in small groups and as a whole class. Lessons will workshop a range of theatre styles and scripts, culminating in students choosing their favourite to work towards for assessment. This enables students to continue exploring a breadth of theatre style, whilst developing essential teamwork and collaborative skills.
Year 9 Specialism
Students who have opted to study Drama as their specialist subject will explore a broad range of theatre practitioners, ranging from Artaud to Frantic Assembly, and will make work in a range of different theatre styles. Students will also interpret a range of different play scripts, both classic and contemporary. Additionally, we use a range of different stimuli and themes, ensuring drama retains pertinent societal links to world issues, and that students can start to use the forum of drama to navigate the world around them.