Subjects

Year 7

Students begin their journey into the world of acting by developing their characterisation skills and learning how to use drama techniques to explore characters and create performance. As they move through the year they explore contrasting styles of theatre, focusing first on Elizabethan theatre through the exploration of Shakespeare’s classic play Hamlet and then moving on to study techniques used in contemporary physical theatre. 

Year 8

In Year 8 the journey continues by building upon students’ knowledge of performance styles. They are introduced to a variety of performance styles including Naturalism, Melodrama and Pantomime. They then get to focus on scripts, concentrating in particular on how actors use movement, voice and space to bring scripts to life. The end of the year focuses on the use of masks within performance.  

Year 9

The final part of students' KS3 journey focuses on how theatrical performances are constructed. The year begins by exploring how different dramatic techniques can be used to explore a range of stimuli. The year continues by exploring the theories of some of the most influential theatre practitioners using their theories and rehearsal techniques to create work in a variety of styles. Students then take the knowledge they have learnt in the first term and apply it to the study of a play. Within this unit students also look at the way designers bring plays to life on stage by investigating the work of lighting, sound, costume and set designers.

Year 10

Students begin the year by developing the knowledge and skills needed to create their own performance. The skills and knowledge learned are then used to devise an original piece of drama in small groups. Students then move on to the study of a set play. Through both practical exploration and group discussion, students develop their ability to evaluate how the script would be presented to an audience and the effect that it has on an audience.

Year 11

Students complete the two final units of the GCSE course. In component 2, students will work collaboratively to produce their own performance of a play which is performed in front of a visiting examiner. In component 3 students will sit a written exam answering questions on the set play they studied and a live performance they have seen.

Drama and Theatre Studies course

Year 12

Students begin the year by developing their creative skills through working as part of a group to devise their own piece of theatre. They will draw upon their prior knowledge of genres and styles to create a piece of theatre that is relevant to a contemporary audience. Students then study one historical text and through practical activities, research and discussion they investigate how contemporary performances of that text differ from its original performance conditions.

Year 13

Students begin the year by working collaboratively to perform an extract from a published play as part of a group and to perform either a monologue or a duologue. Students then return to the study of the set text and go to see a performance in preparation for their written examination in which they will need to answer questions on how they would stage the text they studied and how the performance they saw differed from how it would have been performed in its original performance conditions. 

BTEC Performing Arts course

The BTEC Performing Arts course will develop students’ performance skills in a variety of genres.

Year 12

Students begin the year by developing their performance skills which culminates in two assessed performances. Students will then work collaboratively, to produce work which is an example of work from a specific genre such as physical theatre, classical theatre or musical theatre.

Year 13

In Year 13 students will work collaboratively to produce two more pieces of theatre – these may either be devised by the group or be interpretations of existing pieces of work.

Learning Journey Drama