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The Drama department drama seeks to ensure that all pupils develop a broad range of skills and knowledge. Pupils are introduced to technique, style, genre and scripted drama in order to give them a deeper knowledge and understanding of drama in as many forms as possible.

Year 7

In year 7, pupils develop basic performance skills, explore scripts, learn about playwrights and develop an understanding of style and genre.

The Pied Piper, Robert Browning

The scheme covers:

  • Using a story as a stimulus for practical work
  • Basic acting skills
  • Audience awareness
  • Learning rehearsal technique
  • Developing dialogue
  • Communicating a message (Intro to Dramatic Intention)

The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty, David Calcutt

The scheme covers:

  • Using a script as a stimulus for practical work
  • Using acting skills to communicate a specific role
  • Using stage directions
  • Developing rehearsal technique
  • Understanding a playwright’s Dramatic Intention

Darkwood Manor

The scheme covers:

  • Using a variety of stimuli to develop practical work
  • Developing acting skills
  • Developing audience awareness- creating moments on stage
  • Learning about spacing
  • Developing a basic dramatic intention

Revolting Rhymes, Roald Dahl

The scheme covers:

  • Introducing non naturalistic Drama
  • Learning simple non naturalistic techniques
  • Developing ensemble work skills
  • Developing audience awareness
  • Identifying a dramatic intention through abstract work

Next Stop. High School!

The scheme covers:

  • Developing understanding of non-naturalistic Drama
  • Using non-naturalistic techniques to devise
  • Applying ensemble work skills
  • Applying stage discipline
  • Communicating a dramatic intention through abstract work

Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the style of Musical Theatre
  • Adapting acting skills
  • Applying performance skills
  • Developing stage discipline
  • Developing skills in singing and dancing
  • Communicating dramatic intention through style of performance.

Year 8

In year 8, pupils further develop their performance skills, explore scripts, develop an understanding of dramatic intention.  They explore a variety of stimuli and texts across a range of styles and genres.

Mysterious Disappearance

The scheme covers:

  • Using a story as a stimulus to explore practical work
  • Developing naturalistic acting skills
  • Language of the role
  • Developing rehearsal technique
  • Communicating with the audience

Murder in the Folly, Nikki Guy

The scheme covers:

  • Interpreting a melodramatic script
  • Adapting use of acting skills to reflect style
  • Exploring comedy as a genre
  • Using stage directions
  • Creating moments of humour

Our Day Out, Willy Russell

The scheme covers:

  • Interpreting a naturalistic script
  • Adapting use of acting skills to reflect style
  • Developing understanding of context to inform acting skills
  • Using context to understand Dramatic Intent
  • Communicating a playwright’s Dramatic Intention

Social Media

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the difference between naturalistic and non-naturalistic Drama
  • Learning more complex non naturalistic techniques
  • Developing ensemble work skills
  • Understanding of target audience
  • Communicating a dramatic intention through abstract work

Devising

The scheme covers:

  • Devising for target audience
  • Developing understanding of style
  • Developing ensemble work skills
  • Developing rehearsal technique
  • Communicating a dramatic intention through abstract work, including song and dance

Hairspray, Thomas Meehan/ Mark O’Donnell

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the style of Musical Theatre
  • Adapting and applying performance skills
  • Developing understanding of style/ genre
  • Using stage discipline
  • Developing skills in singing and dancing
  • Understanding context
  • Communicating dramatic intention through style of performance

Year 9

In year 9, pupils learn how to adapt their performance skills, explore scripts, deepen their understanding of dramatic intention and further develop their understanding of style and genre.

Musical Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors
Frank Oz and Howard Ashman
Grease Allan Carr and Bronte Woodard

The scheme covers:

  • Introducing the Performing Arts industry
  • Applying performance skills
  • Introducing musical theatre makers
  • Considering stage discipline within the genre
  • Combining the disciplines
  • Vocal skills

Konstantin Stanislavski
DNA Dennis Kelly

The scheme covers:

  • Interpreting a naturalistic script
  • Developing naturalistic acting skills
  • Using Stanislavski’s rehearsal techniques
  • Developing understanding of style/ genre
  • Using naturalistic acting skills to evoke empathy

Bertolt Brecht
Bouncers and Shakers John Godber

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding style
  • Identifying practitioner’s influences
  • Understanding context
  • Adapting performance skills
  • Communicating a playwright’s Dramatic Intention through style of performance

Theatre in Education
Historical events

The scheme covers:

  • Using a historical event as a stimulus
  • Combining naturalistic acting skills with non-naturalistic techniques
  • Developing language of the role
  • Developing audience awareness
  • Communicating a dramatic intention
  • Understanding verbatim theatre
  • Brechtian techniques

Devising

The scheme covers:

  • Researching a stimulus
  • Adapting use of acting skills and techniques to reflect style
  • Understanding structure
  • Choosing target audience
  • Creating and communicating a dramatic intention

Musical Theatre

The scheme covers:

  • Exploring the Performing Arts industry
  • Applying performance skills
  • Developing understanding of style/ genre
  • Improving stage discipline
  • Evaluating the work of Musical Theatre makers
  • Analysing performance skills and
  • Style of musical theatre productions eg. Jukebox Musical/ Book Musical/ Opera

Year 10

Pupils studying GCSE Drama follow the AQA specification.  They say:

We’ve built in as much opportunity as possible for students to do what they like best – participate in performance.  All students devise drama.  All students explore texts practically and work on two text-based performances.

Students can choose to develop as a performer and can be sure to gather many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.

Pupils are encouraged to develop confidence, communications skills and creativity.  Through practical work, they can explore important issues and challenge their own beliefs.  As part of the course, pupils experience live theatre and are keen to talk about their learning.

Unit 1: Devising

The scheme covers:

  • Using a stimulus as a starting point
  • Brechtian techniques
  • Identifying and communicating creative intention
  • Research based devising
  • Group work skills and rehearsal technique
  • Stage discipline

Unit 2: Blood Brothers, Willy Russell

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the plot and characters
  • Exploring context and genre
  • A playwright’s dramatic intention
  • Understanding key moments
  • Communicating intention to a target audience
  • Introducing unit 1: Understanding Drama

Unit 3: Devising

The scheme covers:

  • Revisiting unit 1
  • Developing Brechtian techniques
  • Using more complex stimuli as a starting point
  • Workshop techniques
  • Rehearsal techniques
  • Structuring a performance
  • Target audience

Unit 4: Devising Drama – EXAM

The scheme covers:

  • Responding, Developing and Evaluating (unit 2 on AQA specification)
  • Developing a devised performance for a target audience
  • Using rehearsals to refine a devised performance
  • Multi role- acting skills
  • Responding to feedback
  • Group work skills

Unit 5: Billy Elliot, The Musical

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the plot and characters
  • Evaluating acting skills
  • Style of musical theatre
  • Historical context
  • Understanding a playwright’s Dramatic Intention

Year 11

Pupils studying GCSE Drama follow the AQA specification.  They say:

We’ve built in as much opportunity as possible for students to do what they like best – participate in performance.  All students devise drama.  All students explore texts practically and work on two text-based performances.

Students can choose to develop as a performer and can be sure to gather many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.

Pupils are encouraged to develop confidence, communications skills and creativity.  Through practical work, they can explore important issues and challenge their own beliefs.  As part of the course, pupils experience live theatre and are keen to talk about their learning.

Unit 1: Blood Brothers, Willy Russell

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the plot and characters
  • Exploring context and genre
  • A playwright’s dramatic intention
  • Understanding key moments/ themes
  • Communicating intention to a target audience
  • Analysing acting skills
  • Proxemics and use of space

Unit 2: Billy Elliott, Lee Hall

The scheme covers:

  • Understanding the plot and characters
  • Evaluating acting skills
  • Style of musical theatre
  • Historical context
  • Understanding a playwright’s Dramatic Intention

Unit 3: Texts in Practice – EXAM

The scheme covers:

  • Exploring scripts
  • Historical context and genre
  • Interpreting a character
  • Characterisation workshops
  • Performance skills
  • Acting skills
  • Stage directions and proxemics
  • Dramatic intention

Unit 4: Understanding Drama – EXAM

The scheme recaps:

  • Blood Brothers
  • Billy Elliot
  • Exam technique
  • Exam practice

It isn’t always about what they do on stage. It’s about them growing and working together. Appreciating each other and realizing that true talent is in the heart.