The Drama Department
Drama Aims
The Drama curriculum offers a comprehensive range of experiences to meet the needs of individual students. We encourage all students to develop and improve their skill level irrespective of their abilities and to establish a positive self-esteem towards themselves as performer, director, analyser and audience member.
Key Stage 3 Compulsory Programme
The KS3 programme consists of mask work, Greek theatre, improvisation, political theatre, as well as practical work on themes such as 'The Evacuees', Big Brother and 'States of Tension'. Students are taught in their normal teaching groups. All students involved in KS3 have entitlement to at least three 30-minute lessons per fortnight through all three years.
Year 7 Aims
- To introduce the expectations and strategies necessary for success in drama.
- To develop positive working relationships and dynamics within the teaching group.
- To encourage enjoyment and enthusiasm for Drama as an art form
- To enable pupils to explore and respond to relevant issues with sensitivity and empathy.
Year 8 Aims
- To develop confidence in the use of a variety of Drama strategies.
- To foster co-operation skills, enabling pupils to realise the benefits of sharing ideas in various forums.
- To encourage and extend enthusiasm, enjoyment and experience of Drama as an art form.
- To enable pupils to confront, explore and respond to challenging issues with sensitivity and empathy
Year 9 Aims
- To encourage experimentation with drama strategies and exploration of theatre form.
- To develop individual confidence and the ability to communicate ideas in any group situation.
- To sustain enthusiasm for Drama as an art form and develop an interest in GCSE Drama.
- For pupils to continue to confront, explore and respond to challenging issues with sensitivity and empathy.
GCSE Drama
The two-year course is based on the AQA syllabus 4242. This enables students to develop their dramatic abilities by acquiring technical expertise and skills in a variety of acting styles, genres, thus developing a theoretical and practical knowledge in an understanding of physical activities.
Year 10 and 11 Aims
The GCSE course encourages candidates to develop:
- An understanding and response to a wide range of play texts, an appreciation of the ways in which playwrights achieve their effects and the ability to communicate the author's intentions to an audience.
- An awareness of social, historical and cultural contexts and influences through an investigation of plays and other styles of dramatic presentation.
- Increased self and group awareness and the ability to appreciate and evaluate the work of others.
- Skills of creativity,self-confidence, concentration, self-discipline and communication.
The course is broken down into 60% practical work and 40% written exam.
AS / A2 Drama and Theatre Arts
The course is based on the AQA Syllabus, which has been designed to provide progression from GCSE and to provide a sound foundation for study in higher education. A level Drama is 60% theory based and 40% practical. Students cover set texts in each year as well as looking at key practitioners through practical work. It is an integral part of the course to see a varied range of live theatre and many trips are organised throughout the two years.
The A/S and A2 Aims The A Level course encourages candidates to develop:
- Knowledge and understanding of two key theatre practitioners and how their work is put into practise.
- Knowledge and understanding of three set texts from through history from a theoretical and practical point of view.
- Acting and designing skills in two styles of performance.
BTEC Performance Studies
BTEC Drama - The course is based on the EdExcel BTEC and counts for as many UCAS points as a full A-Level. It is a two year course and students need to complete both years to gain the qualification. Alongside the Dance and Drama A Levels and Dance BTEC it can provide a complete Performing Arts course of study in the sixth form but can also be taken by itself. The course covers 6 units looking at different areas of Drama skills and is marked through internal and external assessment, tutor statements, portfolios and working diaries. It is a more practical and vocational course than the A-Level.
