Drama

Drama encourages students to build their knowledge about the ways in which we communicate through theatre and group work nurtures mutual respect for other people’s perspectives in a caring environment. Learning to work collaboratively is an important tool for empowering students to live and work in a world that is increasingly team orientated.  Students are encouraged to be ambitious in their application of leadership skills and will become empowered by their independent creativity.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9):

• When students join us their base line knowledge of drama skills is varied so we begin Year 7 learning the building blocks of creating drama.  Then throughout their KS3 journey students explore a range of themes from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory through to Shakespeare taster sessions where they can put these skills into play.  As they join Year 8 and are becoming more fluent with the skills, we introduce them to some differing styles of theatre and explore the voice of theatre looking at protest and social media. In Year 9 students are given more time to explore what theatre means to them and put their ideas together (Alice in Wonderland) and begin to look at how we make it interesting for the audience (Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time).

Topics covered in Year 7:

• Basic skills
• Pantomime
• Physical Theatre - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Shakespeare

Topics covered in Year 8:

• Protest Theatre – Brecht and Boal techniques
• Bugsy Malone – using a text
• Social media – devising skills

Topics covered in Year 9:

• Physical Theatre – Alice in Wonderland
• Characterisation – Missing Person
• Using a script – Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11):

• At GCSE we use AQA - a board that encourages students to become confident performers and designers with the skills they need for a bright and successful future.
• Over the two year course students will practically explore a range of styles, practitioners and texts, developing their skills, ideas and opinions. As a part of the course, we expose students to live theatre and bring in different practitioners to work with them.
• Through drama we aim to promote the development of independent learning, leadership, collaborative working and exploring creativity. Roles within the arts are much more varied than an actor on the stage and the transferable skills that can be obtained are more diverse than being able to perform a soliloquy, we ask students to see the value in that.
• We offer a range of extra-curricular opportunities to students; in the Lower School we have a drama club that produces the end of year musical that is open to all. In the Middle and Upper School, we will be entering the Shakespeare for Schools Festival. At all levels we offer the opportunity to gain an Arts Award in either Bronze or Silver. In the autumn and spring terms Drama, Art and Music will have a showcase event displaying students’ work.

Further information:

Please view the Drama Learning Journey.