Drama

The Year 7 Drama curriculum in broken into three main areas of explorative work.  In the winter term, pupils develop their collaborative and creativity skills through the exploration of basic stagecraft and theatrical conventions.  The key performance skills covered are physicality, movement, and the effective use of stage space.  In the spring term, pupils build on their previous learning by exploring extracts of an established play text, encouraging them to consider how extracts might be staged to create mood and atmosphere, or to communicate a specific theme or genre. The key performance skills covered are the dynamic use of voice and speech, and characterisation.  In the summer term, pupils explore the works of Keith Johnston, the renowned improvisation practitioner.  Through the practical application of his teaching, pupils develop their problem-solving skills, adaptability, listening and responding skills, as well as their comedic timing and their ability to work with an audience.  The key performance skills covered are the dynamic use of movement and gesture, and the exploration of proxemics.

The Year 8 Drama curriculum is broken into three main areas of explorative work. In the winter term, pupils discover ways that drama skills can be used in the wider world and explore debating skills, voice-over work for animation, communication for radio, interview techniques and presentation skills. The key performance skills covered are voice, speech, movement, and gesture.  In the spring term, pupils work towards the realisation of a devised piece of theatre aimed at a specific target audience.  Storytelling and narration skills are developed through the rehearsal process of staging a range of children’s literature.  This is coupled with an opportunity to lead a small group in a workshop environment to develop confidence and to determine leadership potential. In the summer term, pupils explore a full play, which allows them to stage extracts and utilise a range of theatrical conventions and page-to-stage techniques.  The key performance skills covered are characterisation, effective use of stage space and understanding proxemics.

The Year 9 Drama curriculum is broken into three main areas of explorative work.  In the winter term, pupils explore a contemporised play text from the ancient Greek theatrical canon.  There is a focus on influential Brechtian techniques and page to stage conventions in preparation for the written paper at GCSE.   In the spring term, pupils explore the theatrical style of naturalism through the rehearsal and production process of selected extracts from contemporary dramas.  There is a focus on influential Stanislavskian techniques and page to stage conventions in preparation for scripted exam at GCSE.  In the summer term, pupils explore a full play text which is presented as a hybrid of performance styles.  There is a focus on the works of influential physical theatre and verbatim theatre companies in preparation for the demands of the devised component at GCSE.

At GCSE, pupils follow the Oxford and Cambridge specification and, in their first component, will have the opportunity to devise original theatre from a stimulus.  Pupils can be assessed as either an actor or a designer for this component, and there is associated coursework to support the final performance/design realisation.  The second component asks pupils to consider page-to-stage conventions when exploring one full play text.  Pupils can again be assessed as either an actor or designer, and there is associated coursework to support the two extract performances/design realisations. The final component is a written exam which asks pupils to explore another full play text and answer short and extended response questions from actor, director, and designer perspectives.  There is also an extended response question which asks pupils to reflect on a piece of live theatre they have seen.  Across the GCSE qualification, pupils will study two full play texts.

At A Level, pupils continue with the Oxford and Cambridge specification and, in their first component, will be asked to explore a range of influential theatre practitioners and one full play text, and to then realise a devised piece of theatre based on these areas of study.  The second component asks pupils to explore another full play text and produce an extended extract for performance.  There is associated coursework which supports both these components, and pupils have the option to be assessed as an actor or a designer. The final two components are assessed through written papers.  The first asks pupils to explore two full play texts and one shared theme from the actor, director, and designer perspectives, as well as an extended live theatre reflection question.  The second asks pupils to explore another full play and deconstruct, annotate, and justify artistic intentions for staging specific extracts of that play.  Across the A Level qualification, pupils will study five full play texts.