Drama

Teaching Staff and Responsibilities

Mrs Alphonse: Subject Leader for Drama

KS3 (Years 7-9)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS3?

At KS3, classes are taught in form groups (classes of 30-32) which are all mixed ability.

What are our aims at KS3?

  • To introduce pupils to drama and to encourage an appreciation of the performing arts.
  • For pupils to develop and experiment with a wide range of performance skills.
  • For pupils to understand how drama and theatre is developed to create engaging and meaningful performances.
  • Pupils are able to devise their own original drama performances.
  • Pupils are able to develop practical drama from play texts.
  • Pupils recognise and take into consideration the social, cultural and historical context of play texts.
  • Pupils have an understanding of technical theatre including use of stage space and stage configuration, in addition to use of lights and sound.
  • Pupils are able to communicate meaning to an audience considering performance and design elements such as movement, lighting and sound.
  • Pupils develop collaboration and empathy skills through their practical exploration of plays, themes and issues.
  • Pupils are able to plan and realise their creative vision in relation to clearly defined aims and intentions for their audience.
  • Pupils learn to reflect upon and refine their work.
  • Pupils can recognise and develop practical work in different performance styles.
  • Pupils begin to recognise the theory and practice of theatre practitioners.

How does this subject develop over KS3?

Throughout KS3, pupils explore a range of social issues through the medium of drama.  Pupils do not need any prior performance experience and are introduced to a range of performance skills and techniques as they progress throughout KS3 and build on these skills and knowledge.

  • Year 7 is an introductory year, pupils learn to develop contrasting characterisations, use their bodies in performance developing physical theatre and begin to create naturalistic characterisations exploring the theme of Secrets. Throughout Year 7 students will work to devise their own original drama using the skills listed above.
  • In Year 8, pupils build upon the characterisation skills developed in Year 7 and extend their physical theatre learning choreography and stage combat. Year 8 pupils develop a play text that combines naturalistic and stylised performance techniques before writing their own original piece of scripted drama exploring the impact of knife crime.
  • In Year 9, pupils consolidate the skills learned in Years 7 and 8 in order to prepare for GCSE Drama.  Year 9 pupils have an increased number of lessons and study two play texts in depth, as well as learning new performance skills exploring the methods of physical theatre company Frantic Assembly and developing their own original work.  Year 9 students are also encouraged to consider design aspects in order to create dramatic effects and convey symbolic meaning to their audiences.

What will my daughter learn at KS3?

Year 7

Introduction to Drama – Darkwood Manor

Pupils will develop:

  • Collaboration skills
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey a clear character
  • An understanding of stage space and configuration
  • An understanding of performance style and genre

Physical Theatre

Pupils will develop:

  • Collaboration skills
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey an object or emotion
  • An understanding of stylised theatre
  • An understanding of stage space and configuration

Secrets – Exploring the impact of secrets and understanding self-harm.

Pupils will develop:

  • Collaboration skills
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey a naturalistic character
  • An understanding of stage space and configuration
  • An understanding of naturalism (Stanislavski)
  • An understanding of Theatre in Education

Year 8

Stage Fighting – Developing basic stage combat skills and choreography.

Pupils will develop:

  • Synchronisation and collaboration skills.
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey a fight.
  • Spatial awareness and an awareness of health and safety factors
  • An understanding of how theatrical effects are created

Monologues & Knife Crime – Developing script writing skills and exploring the wider impact of knife crime of different people within a community.

Pupils will develop:

  • Script writing skills by writing in role
  • An understanding of the impact of knife crime from different viewpoints
  • An understanding of the methods used to create a naturalistic characterisation (Stanislavski – Given Circumstances, Magic If, Objectives and Emotion Memory
  • Analysis and evaluation skills

Arbeit Macht Frei – Script

Pupils will develop:

  • Collaboration skills
  • Script development skills
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey naturalistic and stylised representations of characters and themes
  • An understanding of stylised theatre
  • Empathy understanding the treatment of Jews during WW2.

Year 9

Too Much Punch for Judy by Mark Wheeler

Pupils will develop:

  • Physical and vocal skills to convey naturalistic and stylised representations of characters and themes
  • Script development skills
  • An understanding of stylised theatre
  • An understanding of the methods used to create a naturalistic characterisation (Stanislavski – Given Circumstances, Magic If, Objectives and Emotion Memory
  • An understanding of the dangers of alcohol and drunk driving
  • Further understanding of Theatre in Education
  • Written analysis and evaluation skills
  • Design ideas including use of lights, sound, or costume

Frantic Assembly & Devising Drama – Students will devise their own piece of theatre around the theme of Conflict.  Students will be encouraged to consider different forms of conflict and use their performance skills inventively to create a piece of engaging drama that includes:

  • Building blocks for devising physical theatre including Frantic Assembly techniques such as Round-By-Through, Chair Duets and Hymn Hands
  • Monologues
  • Narration – breaking the 4th wall (Brecht)

Pupils will develop devising skills including:

  • Improvisation
  • Role-play
  • Refinement

Girls Like That by Evan Placey

Pupils will develop:

  • Script development and collaboration skills
  • Physical and vocal skills to convey characters
  • An understanding of how to develop stylised theatre practically
  • An understanding of the impact of social, cultural and historical context
  • Design ideas including use of lights, sound, or costume

KS4/GCSE (Years 10-11)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS4?

At KS4, classes are taught in option groups (classes of 15-25) which are all mixed ability.

Which GCSE specification do we prepare pupils for?

AQA GCSE Drama (8261). Here is a link to the specification for more detailed information:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/drama/gcse/drama-8261

What will my daughter learn at KS4?

Year 10

We have selected the following options from the specification to teach in Year 10.

Component 2: Devising drama

Pupils are assessed on their ability to: create devised drama, perform devised drama (students may contribute as performer or designer) and analyse and evaluate their own work.

How it is assessed:

  • Devising log (60 marks)
  • Devised performance (20 marks)
  • 80 marks in total
  • 40% of GCSE

Year 11

We have selected the following options from the specification to teach in Year 11.

Component 1: Understanding drama

Pupils are assessed on their knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre and includes the study of one set play from a choice of six. Students are also expected to analyse and evaluate the work of live theatre makers.

How it is assessed:

  • Written exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes
  • Open book
  • 80 marks
  • 40% of GCSE

Component 3: Texts in practice (practical)

pupils are assessed on the performance of two extracts from one play (students may contribute as performer or designer).

How it is assessed:

  • Performance of Extract 1 (20 marks) and Extract 2 (20 marks)
  • 40 marks in total
  • 20% of GCSE

Are there any websites that will support my daughter’s learning?

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zbckjxs

www.digitaltheatreplus.com

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/topics/zbs3kqt/resources/1

KS5/A Level (Y12-13)

How do we organise teaching groups at KS5?

At KS5, classes are taught in option groups (classes of 10-20) which are all mixed ability.

Which A Level specification do we prepare pupils for?

AQA A-level Drama and Theatre Studies (7262) is the holistic study of drama and theatre. The course is both practical and academic and requires a genuine aptitude for and appreciation of the art form. Students are expected to demonstrate creativity and original thought in response to devised and scripted theatre. Students will study the roles of theatre makers and practitioners and will analyse and evaluate varied approaches to text.

Theatre Studies is a valuable A-level recognised by universities due to its many applications in further education and the field of employment. Any pupil considering a career that demands skill in interpersonal relationships and communication will benefit from opting for Drama and Theatre.

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/drama/a-level/drama-and-theatre-7262

What will my daughter learn at KS5?

Year 12

We have selected the following options from the specification to teach in Year 12.

Component 1: Written exam

(Taught in both Years 12 and 13)

What is assessed:

  • Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre
  • Study of two set plays, one chosen from List A, one chosen from List B
  • Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers.

How it is assessed: Exam takes place at the end of Year 13

  • Written exam: 3 hours
  • Open book
  • 80 marks
  • 40% of A-level

Questions

  • Section A: one question (from a choice) on one of the set plays from List A (25 marks)
  • Section B: one three part question on a given extract from one of the set plays from List B (30 marks)
  • Section C: one question (from a choice) on the work of theatre makers in a single live theatre production (25 marks)

This component is marked by AQA.

Component 2: Creating original drama

What is assessed:

  • Process of creating devised drama
  • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)

Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner.

How it is assessed:

  • Working notebook (40 marks)
  • Devised performance (20 marks)
  • 60 marks in total
  • 30% of A-level

This component is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.

Year 13

We have selected the following options from the specification to teach in Year 13.

Continuation of Component 1

Component 3: Making theatre

What is assessed:

  • Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts (Extract 1, 2 and 3) each taken from a different play

Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3

Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)

  • Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts

How it is assessed:

  • Performance of Extract 3 (40 marks)
  • Reflective report (20 marks)
  • 60 marks in total
  • 30% of A-level

This component is marked by AQA.

Are there any websites that will support my daughter’s learning?

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/drama/a-level/drama-and-theatre-7262

www.digitaltheatreplus.com

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

Future pathways/careers

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/drama