Year 7

We build a Drama ‘Toolbox’ of creating, performing and responding skills, in order to assist students with their stage confidence as an individual or within a group. All of this is built on a foundation of collaboration and developing resilience with students working cooperatively throughout the year and taking part in self and peer assessment in order to develop their own skills.  This armoury is linked to a variety of social ideas, dramatic styles and forms of theatre including creating a news programme, exploring characterisation and play structure through melodrama, physical theatre & a miniature musical of Shakespeare's Tempest. Class Booklets contain written tasks which are intrinsically linked to the practical work including research, reflection and script based exercises.

Year 8

In Year 8 we focus on building a creative imagination and developing characterisation on stage and screen. We develop and foster the imagination through devising & stimuli including building characters, exploring dramatic structure, creating mood & atmosphere as well as developing verbal presentation skills. The content includes detective and ghost stories, a reworking of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Genre Mash-Ups & an Introduction to Improvisation. Termly homework will be projects developed throughout their practical development including written reflections of their development and script writing activities. Class Booklets contain written tasks which are intrinsically linked to the practical work including research, reflection and script based exercises.

Year 9

In Year 9 we focus on developing longer project work which emulates the environment of GCSE Drama. We look at the practical exploration of theatre history, theatre as a social commentary and the development of a scripted performance using technical theatre. This journey includes modules in Stage Make-Up, Shaking Up Shakespeare, Five Minute Films, Surrealism and Verbatim/Documentary Theatre. We also include the practical study and reworking of key extracts of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Written tasks in Year 9 look at research and development of their own creative ideas in order to present them in practice. In addition to the above class booklets contain written tasks which are intrinsically linked to the practical work including research, reflection and script based exercises.

---

GCSE (Years 10 & 11) - Exam Board Edexcel

Aims of Subject

Offers students the opportunity to explore Drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention. 

Students will create, perform and respond to drama informed by their theoretical knowledge of drama and theatre. 

To develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of what makes effective Drama by studying practitioners, watching and evaluating productions.

To develop pupils' own skills in regards to design, characterisation and direction. 

Content and Assessment Overview

Component 1:  Devising Drama  40% of qualification.

• 10% writing and performing your play in the theatre - You will create your own play in a group based around an exciting number of stimuli given to you, this will include directing, acting, set design, costume, lighting and marketing

  

• 30% written portfolio -  Post performance you will develop a 2000 word portfolio that will include how you created your play, your influences, research and evaluation of your own performance.

  

Component 2: A performance from a Scripted Play. 20% of qualification.

Students will perform in, or design key elements for two key extracts of a script or a shortened version of a play, performed for an external examiner. 

Component 3:  Written examination: 40% of qualification.

The exam is 1 hour 45 minutes in length and is comprised of 2 compulsory sections 

• Section A: Study of a set text from the perspectives of Director, Designer and Performer - Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

• Section B: Live theatre evaluation - A commentary on a piece of live theatre that they have experienced during their GCSE studies considering performance and design elements.

Course Description

Students will gain experience of directing and collaborating creatively whilst encountering a range of stimuli as a basis for dramatic exploration through both performance and the designing of other theatrical elements such as make-up, costume, set design and lighting.  Self-devised work will be an important part of the course, as will frequent visits to the theatre.  Throughout the course, students will learn how to review their own work and that of others with a positive critical awareness, using appropriate specialist terminology.  They will learn to identify thematic and technical links between theatre of different genres, periods and cultures.

How will the course help me?

In Drama you need imagination as well as an ability to create work in a group. This is a kinaesthetic and problem solving subject that requires you to be a team player, prepared to work with anyone and develop leadership skills. This will help anyone who wants responsibility in any field with the confidence to manage, organise and help people. It is also designed for individuals who want to go into the arts whether it is working for the BBC, script writing, fashion design, production or performing. Ultimately drama is about the study of people and finding brilliant and creative ways of reflecting humanity. 

Homework:

You will have an hour a week completing a drama diary as well as play writing, research, reviewing plays and performances, learning lines and building an extensive theatrical knowledge through research and reflection.

How your family can help?

Drama is a subjective subject and therefore discussion around the topic is always encouraged. Engaging in debates about topical issues including what people are watching or listening to is always encouraged, a holistic knowledge of social, historical and cultural influences is an asset. More traditional tasks could include line learning, encouraging your son or daughter to be confident expressing ideas vocally and visiting the theatre wherever possible in order to broaden knowledge and theatrical experience.

For more information please contact Ms A. Swan (Head of Drama)