Drama & Theatre Studies
Key stage 3
What we study:
Year 7 students leap straight into Drama and this involves: an introduction to performing skills, using short scripts and improvisation, storytelling and playwriting skills, an examination of the Titanic story, the world of Ancient Egypt, World War I, recreating Fairy tales and moral fables, the creation of atmosphere, suspense and ‘cliff-hanger’ endings and developing skills such as reflection, resilience, team building, critical thinking, independence and creativity.
Year 8 - Half termly project work looking at advertising and the media, introduction to Shakespeare, the concept of genre and different performance styles and achieving a range of audience responses, Drama that deals with current issues and building on the core skills of reflection, resilience, team building, critical thinking independence and creativity started in Year 7.
Year 9 - Mini GCSE Drama style projects focussing on different scripts, characters and settings. The challenge of playing more than one role and developing vocal and physical skills to create different characters and emotions. An introduction to Film Studies and the creation of podcasts to help develop specific vocal skills.
How we study:
We have two lessons a week in Year 7 and then one in Year 8 and 9. Students research, plan, rehearse and performing their own work and evaluate the work of others. Students use online evaluations to build up their understand of dramatic terms and skills and to watch recordings of their own work. Drama is a practical, lively and energetic subject at all levels.
Key stage 4
GCSE Drama is an exceptional course, ideally suited to those who are excited about the prospect of creating imaginative and professional devised and scripted work. Students will work in groups and perform scripted extracts from plays, create their own original devised work from scratch, study a modern set play that has been a huge hit in the West End and watch a wide range of performances to analyse and evaluate how successful they were.
Course Content:
Component 1: Students learn key terms, perform and discuss a set play and analyse live or streamed theatre.
Component 2: In groups, students research, plan and perform original pieces of devised Drama
Component 3: Students research, plan, rehearse and perform two extracts from different plays.
How we study:
We have 3 lessons in Year 10 and 2 in Year 11. We work practically in groups researching texts and ideas and then use rehearsals to plan performances. Final assessed performances take place in the PAC. We watch and analyse live and streamed theatre and also study a set play, which we perform and direct.