Drama

In Year 7 students explore How do I tell a story on the stage? The teaching focus covers the impact Drama has for an audience -and how to build the techniques to create it. Students learn how voice and movement choices impact on how words are received by an audience. Students are introduced to the theatrical genres of Naturalism, Tragedy & Comedy and their importance in theatre history. Our Shakespeare focus is on the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream where students explore staging and set design.

In Year 8 we pose the question What do I want my audience to feel/think? Students have the opportunity to develop and enrich their acting skills for an audience. Students regularly watch and learn from each other, finding supportive and constructive ways to improve practical skills. Further theatrical genres of Victorian Melodrama and Horror are learned, and a further Shakespeare text is explored – Macbeth. In the final term students learn about Ancient Greek Theatre through the play text Antigone.

All Students in Year 9 continue with the Drama curriculum where students learn How do I create theatre that has a message?  Using both Naturalistic and Abstract play texts. students learn to see beyond the stimulus and explore the limitless creative potential that exists from each new starting point. Our final Shakespeare play is Romeo and Juliet, and students can understand and appreciate all areas of the industry through investigating performer, director and designer roles.

Student assessment is both practical and knowledge based. The practical assesment is in the Drama studio where students are given a shared criteria in rehearsing a scene based on the current scheme of work. Understanding of theatrical roles, historical timelines and drama vocabulary are assessed

The aim of KS4 GCSE Drama is to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in practical performances (Devised & Scripted) either as a performer or designer. Students are taught to evaluate and analyse performers and productions through live theatre review and set text. We currently follow the OCR specification, and our set text is Missing Dan Nolan by Mark Wheeller. In Year 10 students learn Devising skills to create an original piece of theatre, learn to write and reflect on Drama lessons in preparation for coursework units and study for the written exam Performance and Response. In Year 11 the GCSE Performance exams are open to both actors and designers for both components – Devising Theatre and Presenting and Performing Text.