The Drama Department
We have high expectations of our students, and we work hard to encourage them to learn to express their thoughts coherently as well as creatively; to experiment with technical as well as acting skills; and to back this up with high-quality written work. We seek to develop each student’s individual potential.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, we work to develop key skills such as: awareness of stage space and audience; improvisation; physicality (use of body language, gesture & facial expression for intended effect); mime & movement; role-play; script-writing; script & thematic interpretation. Students are also expected to demonstrate co-operation, concentration, active listening, and independent thinking skills in lessons. Each year, students study different topics which embed and extend these skills. In Year 7, students have one lesson per week. In Years 8 & 9, students have a double lesson per week, split between alternative half terms in Drama and Art.
Year 7: Darkwood Manor; Pantomime; ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’; Greek Theatre; Introduction to Shakespeare; Script-writing.
Year 8: Silent Movies; Victorian Melodrama; Shakespeare
Year 9: Hillsborough; Commedia Dell’Arte; DocuDrama
Key Stage 4
We follow the Edexcel syllabus, which is structured as follows:
Unit 1: Thematic Devised Study (Coursework, worth 30% of the final mark)
Students explore a theme using a range of specified techniques. The marks are divided between practical work done in class and written evaluation (2000 words in total).
Unit 2: Script (Coursework, worth 30% of the final mark)
Students explore a published play text using a range of specified techniques. Students must watch a live production, preferably of the text studied. The marks are divided between practical work done in class; the written evaluation and a review of a live production (3000 words in total).
Unit 3: Practical Examination (worth 40% of the final mark)
Performance candidates work in groups to stage, rehearse and perform extracts from a published play. Performance Support candidates may study lighting, sound, set or make-up design. An external examiner watches the performances and allocates marks. Students receive individual performance or performance support marks.