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Drama

All students study Drama in Years 7, 8 and 9. Students then have the option at the end of Year 9 to continue to study Drama at GCSE. With the introduction of a new GCSE Drama Specification, which includes a written paper, the Drama curriculum has been further developed in breadth and depth in order to best prepare students for study at Key Stage 4.

In addition, there will be opportunities for students to participate in Drama clubs, house competitions, work with visiting companies and take part in a production as either a cast member or as technical crew. These will evolve alongside the developing curriculum.

Through Years 7-9 students study nine units of Drama covering a wide range of themes, texts and genres of theatre, several of the topics complementing their learning in PSHE. Students develop individual and group work, helping to direct and evaluate each other, reflecting on how to improve their creations alongside the devising and performing. Students play creatively with ideas for plot, structure, characters and staging, and consider audience and purpose. They are assessed throughout each year upon the following: characterisation; style, technique and genre. performing a role; use of stage and proxemics, group skills and evaluation.

We want to introduce young people to the world of theatre and equip them to be confident for life, teach them empathy and to be understanding of others.

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Term	Content	Assessment
Autumn Term	*Chamber of Horrors* Introduces students to the study of Drama and a focus on basic techniques and strategies used in Drama performances. Students’ work revolves around a story of a man who wins a competition to spend a night in a waxwork museum.	Baseline on communication skills and confidence in performing. Main assessment practical devised performance. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Spring Term	*Little Red Cap* Looks at the use of physical theatre in performance. Taking the classic nursery rhyme of Little Red Riding Hood and bringing it to life with narration, sound effects and physical theatre. To finish we explore The Curious *Incident of the Dog in the Night* *Time* script extracts using the style of performance company Frantic Assembly.	Practical physical theatre devised performance of Little Red Cap. Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Summer Term	*World Theatre* The art of storytelling from around the world. Exploring different narration styles and how these can be applied to storytelling. Students are told stories from Aboriginal heritage, China and home.	Practical performance retelling a story of their choice. Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.

Term

Content

Assessment

Autumn Term

Chamber of Horrors Introduces students to the study of Drama and a focus on basic techniques and strategies used in Drama performances. Students’ work revolves around a story of a man who wins a competition to spend a night in a waxwork museum.

Baseline on communication skills and confidence in performing. Main assessment practical devised performance.

Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Spring Term

Little Red Cap

Looks at the use of physical theatre in performance. Taking the classic nursery rhyme of Little Red Riding Hood and bringing it to life with narration, sound effects and physical theatre.

To finish we explore The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time script extracts using the style of performance company Frantic Assembly.

Practical physical theatre devised performance of Little Red Cap.

Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Summer Term

World Theatre

The art of storytelling from around the world. Exploring different narration styles and how these can be applied to storytelling. Students are told stories from Aboriginal heritage, China and home.

Practical performance retelling a story of their choice.

Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Year 8

Term	Content	Assessment
Autumn Term	Homelessness A themed practical exploration of life on the streets, challenging stereotypical views on the homeless with a focus on individually developing a well-rounded character.	Practical performance retelling the life story of their chosen homeless character and where they are now. Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Spring Term	*Silent Movies* Exploring this genre of performance; students explore the different stock characters, techniques and plot lines you find in this style.	Practical devised performance, creating their own silent movie and stock characters. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Summer Term	*Devising* Over the term students are given a wide range of stimulus to create and devise their performances from. These may be images, song lyrics, items, newspaper articles or themes. Along the way they are given different strategies to help them explore and create their work.	Practical devised performance inspired from their favourite stimuli. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.

Term

Content

Assessment

Autumn Term

Homelessness

A themed practical exploration of life on the streets, challenging stereotypical views on the homeless with a focus on individually developing a well-rounded character.

Practical performance retelling the life story of their chosen homeless character and where they are now.

Verbal and written evaluation of peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Spring Term

Silent Movies

Exploring this genre of performance; students explore the different stock characters, techniques and plot lines you find in this style.

Practical devised performance, creating their own silent movie and stock characters.

Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Summer Term

Devising

Over the term students are given a wide range of stimulus to create and devise their performances from. These may be images, song lyrics, items, newspaper articles or themes. Along the way they are given different strategies to help them explore and create their work.

Practical devised performance inspired from their favourite stimuli.

Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Year 9

Term	Content	Assessment
Autumn Term	Protest Theatre Students explore how theatre can be used to explore the big issues in the world. They look at the Suffragette Movement, Black Lives Matter and the Me Too Movement. Students will consider the moral questions arising from these protests and create their own pieces of Protest Theatre.	Practical devised performance exploring protest around a societal issue. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Spring Term	*The Dome* Students explore ‘the end of the world’ looking at human nature and survival. They create their own characters that they believe are deemed to be ‘important’ enough to be saved by government, placed in a ‘dome’ to recreate mankind. Students focus on the writing and delivery of monologues to convince authorities that they should be saved.	Practical devised performance using monologues they have written during the scheme. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.
Summer Term	*Blood Brothers* In preparation for the GCSE set text, students read and explore the play written by Willy Russell. This will be explored with a series of practical exercises focusing on the main themes, characters and plot of the play.	Series of workshop-based exploration of key scenes from the text. Verbal evaluation of self and peers. Formally assessed by teacher.

Term

Content

Assessment

Autumn Term

Protest Theatre

Students explore how theatre can be used to explore the big issues in the world. They look at the Suffragette Movement, Black Lives Matter and the Me Too Movement. Students will consider the moral questions arising from these protests and create their own pieces of Protest Theatre.

Practical devised performance exploring protest around a societal issue. Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self. All formally assessed by teacher.

Spring Term

The Dome

Students explore ‘the end of the world’ looking at human nature and survival. They create their own characters that they believe are deemed to be ‘important’ enough to be saved by government, placed in a ‘dome’ to recreate mankind. Students focus on the writing and delivery of monologues to convince authorities that they should be saved.

Practical devised performance using monologues they have written during the scheme.

Verbal and written evaluation on peers and self.

All formally assessed by teacher.

Summer Term

Blood Brothers

In preparation for the GCSE set text, students read and explore the play written by Willy Russell. This will be explored with a series of practical exercises focusing on the main themes, characters and plot of the play.

Series of workshop-based exploration of key scenes from the text.

Verbal evaluation of self and peers.

Formally assessed by teacher.

Key Stage 4

During this course we explore how drama is created, including all the acting and staging skills that are needed to put a piece of performance on stage. You will develop work as a performer, director and designer. You will learn how to create a wide range of characters and play them in performance. You will also study Drama in theory, supporting your practical with written exercises.

You will perform to an external visiting examiner and complete a written exam displaying your knowledge about different aspects of theatre and drama and evaluating a live performance you have seen. We follow the AQA exam specification.

Year 10

Term	Content
Autumn Term	Drama techniques and strategies revisited and extended from KS3 to assist with the devising exam performance.
Spring Term	Study and practical exploration of influential Practitioners in Drama. To assist with Devising exam performance knowledge
Summer Term	Devising exam from stimulus - practical exploration, performance exam and portfolio/essay work 40%.

Term

Content

Autumn Term

Drama techniques and strategies revisited and extended from KS3 to assist with the devising exam performance.

Spring Term

Study and practical exploration of influential Practitioners in Drama. To assist with Devising exam performance knowledge

Summer Term

Devising exam from stimulus - practical exploration, performance exam and portfolio/essay work 40%.

Year 11

Term	Content
Autumn Term	Preparation for Section B of written exam - Blood Brothers.
Spring Term	Scripted practical exam to AQA examiner 20%. Preparation for Section C of written exam - live evaluation.
Summer Term	Revision and written exam 40%.

Term

Content

Autumn Term

Preparation for Section B of written exam - Blood Brothers.

Spring Term

Scripted practical exam to AQA examiner 20%.

Preparation for Section C of written exam - live evaluation.

Summer Term

Revision and written exam 40%.

Website for exam board with specification and other material:

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

Curriculum Subject Information

Drama

Curriculum

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