Drama
Teaching Staff
- Joanne Howard (DOL)
- Todd Murgatroyd
- Sam Wilkinson
- Beth Dixon
Curriculum Intent in Drama
Students will be fully engaged with the stimulus to govern their own learning and not be stagnant in thought. Students are prepared for all aspects of further education, Vocational training or post 16-18 employment through functional learning and thinking skills. We are not preparing actors, we are shaping thinkers. The subject provides a creative outlet for young people to take ownership of their own work. The department is driven by its want to be fresh and contemporary and builds a bespoke curriculum around each cohort of students.
Key Stage 3 Students will feel comfortable and confident in a creative environment. The department intends to support the learning needs of every student through the development of Core Drama Skills. Learning will be student lead and teacher developed. The department prides itself in responding to the needs of each class through differentiated learning and task.
Department Information
Years 7, 8 and 9 Drama is a non-assessed course operating on a one lesson a week basis. The students rotate termly on a carousel. The focus of these lessons is student lead and peer assessed. Learning and curriculum is skills based and bespoke to each group. Progress is monitored through self-identified evaluation and teacher feedback. Groups work towards an end performance incorporating learnt skills and knowledge.
Key Stage 3
|
Key Topic area(s) |
Cross - Curricular Departmental links |
|
Year 7
Key skills: Basic development of core skills needed to create Drama; including physical, vocal and stage craft.
Confidence of the students is also developed, nurturing a love for the subject and encouraging passion. |
Students are encouraged to explore their own feelings, beliefs and ideas to find meaning and develop Drama work based on a wide variety of subject matters and stimuli. At Key Stage 3 students cover a variety of topics, Knife Crime, the holocaust, political concerns and domestic issues; such as violence and abuse. This can be linked textually to History and English. During the term students are encouraged to explore a range of perspectives to develop their compassion and empathy for others.
Over the course, embedded into the learning is the social, cultural and historical context in which the productions which the practitioner studied are set and the theatrical conventions of the period in which the performance texts were created. This creates a further natural link with History and SMSC.
As part of the curriculum students at both key stages are regularly given the opportunity and the motivation to investigate and offer reasons about moral and ethical issues. At Key Stage 3 students undergo extensive character development throughout all units of work e.g. Physical Theatre and Gestus. They will explore character motivations, uncovering reasoning for certain behaviours and characteristics. They also study Brecht who developed specific theatre practices and the student’s question what moral issues are explored within his work. Students are encouraged to develop empathy through themed collaborative work which requires them to look at a variety of different lifestyles and circumstances from a range of viewpoints.
There is a strong mutual respect between students across the department based on a shared desire for success within drama and beyond. Across KS3, students interact with a number of poetic and artistic texts to act as stimuli for their work, Blood Brothers being one of the most popular.
Students are asked to consider the context of the stimulus and what it means to them. They are taking culture to a personal level.
Students constantly reflect upon their self and others, considering context and impact. Social skills are developed as a result. The writing and emotional reading links with English and the students must be able to justify and expand upon the performances with reference to key terminology. |
|
Year 8
Practitioner Study: Brecht Students are to understand key elements including ‘gest’, ‘spass’ and narrative techniques. Students will explore in a fun and practical way, encouraging them to experiment and develop their understanding of Brecht’s Epic Theatre, culminating in a devised performance to consolidate and illustrate their knowledge. |
|
|
Year 9
Blood Brothers by Willy Russell
Key skills Interpreting Character in Performance Communication with Audience Interpreting themes Deconstructing Text
|
Learning Journeys
| Year 7 | Learning Journey - Drama - Year 7.pdf |
| Year 8 | Learning Journey - Drama - Year 8.pdf |
| Year 9 | Learning Journey - Drama - Year 9.pdf |
Social Media:
Ofsted Performance Reports:
