We are immensely proud of the rich and varied schemes of work that the Drama department provide for our learner’s. We have a thriving, inclusive and innovative department. As experienced practitioners we pride ourselves on creating theatre makers of the future, enabling young people to gain experience in production, performance and design.
We believe that Drama is a valuable and necessary part of any learner’s journey at secondary school. This subject builds confidence, communication skills, resilience, self-discipline and stamina as well as supporting learner’s versatility, curiosity and global awareness.
We strive to provide opportunities that harness these skills in all of our Drama lessons. Every learner in our care should have the equality to access and achieve within our subject and through our varied extra-curricular programme.
Schemes of work have been carefully crafted to support learner’s understanding of theatre practitioners, devising techniques and script work. We are keen to ensure that each scheme builds on prior learning and supports learners to develop a growing social and cultural awareness of the world around them, ownership and pride in their work and embed social skills that can be utilised across the whole curriculum.
The Key Stage 3 Drama curriculum aims to engage and support students who are academically and socially prepared for the next stage of their education. We provide opportunities to be generous and kind in encouraging and celebrating the work of others throughout each term developing group skills were peer learning tasks are built in to everyday lessons as part of excellent teaching practice. We aim to ensure that we create consistent opportunities for all students to reflect on their learning, consider their targets to move forward and develop a confidence in the specific language and terminology of Drama – illustrated through routine oral discussion.
Students are introduced to Rehearsal, Performance and Evaluation in year 7 and this is embedded throughout all KS3 lessons. We steadily build students skills and confidence in the assessment criteria and provide regular guidance as to how students can develop across the key stage.
We aim to ensure that there is continuity and progression as students travel through the Key Stage - that Schemes of Work build on each other to prepare the students for future learning. Throughout each scheme we provide opportunities to broaden the horizons of our students by exposing them to a range of cultural, social and historical stimuli.
We build have built in GCSE Drama terminology throughout KS3, developing confidence in students analytical and evaluative skills. We aim to ensure that by the end of year 9 students can articulate confidently performance analysis using the drama toolkit in line with our assessment criteria.
Through the cross curricular project in Year 9 students are given the opportunity to experience the format and style of a GCSE Drama Devising unit based on independent learning across the three subject areas.
Our KS3 Drama schemes include:
Course Code: WJEC Eduqas GCSE (9-1) in DRAMA 601/8420/6
Exam Board Specification: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/drama-and-theatre/gcse/
The GCSE is split into 3 Components:
Non-exam assessment: Internally assessed, externally moderated – 40% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design (Lighting, Sound, Costume & Makeup or Set).
Learners must produce:
Performing from a text. Non-exam assessment: Externally assessed by a visiting examiner - 20% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners will study toe extracts from the same performance text chosen by the centre.
Learners participate in one performance using sections of text from both extracts.
Interpreting theatre. Written examination – 1 hour and 30 minutes (40% of qualification)
Section A: Set Text ‘The IT’ by Vivienne Franzmann
Learners will answer a series of questions about the acting and design of the set text.
Section B: Live Theatre Review
Learners will answer one question, from a choice of two, requiring analysis and evaluation of a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course.
Our ambition is that all learners studying GCSE Drama will:
A level Drama and Theatre Studies develops transferable skills for progression. Students will develop a multitude of skills, including collaboration, communication and an understanding of how to amend and refine work in order to make a smooth transition to their next level of study or employment.
The course has a clear and coherent structure comprised of three components:
Devising Theatre - Non-examination assessment
Content overview:
Text in Performance
There are two areas of focus:
Theatre Makers in Practice
There are three areas to be covered:
Through the Performing Arts Key Stage 5 curriculum students should: