Drama

KS3 Drama Co-ordinator: Ms M Leaf

KS4 Drama Co-ordinator: Mr S Lodge

CURRICULUM VISION

Our intent is to develop individuality and encourage students to think and express themselves with confidence through active exploration of topics and themes drawn from life (both past and present). We encourage students to question and challenge their perception of the world and develop many of the soft skills such as creativity, empathy and communication which they will rely on in later life.

In particular our students will:

• be confident and courageous in their creative explorations.
• seek to develop creative identity beyond the classroom, generating individual empowerment and taking a Christian experience to new creative settings
• succeed in life aspiring to be the next generation of creative pioneers.
• become reflective individuals that hbve the confidence to explore and question the world around them

 CURRICULUM PROVISION

What is Drama?

Drama is action and can be structured as verse or prose and movement. It communicates a portrayal of life or character with parts of conflict or emotion. It can take any art form and is constantly changing. Drama is an integral part of our diverse school community, instilling ambitious and forward thinking artistic visions. It allows students to engage and empathise with characters and stories in an atmosphere of equality and empowerment.

"I think the job or the artist is to remind people of what they have chosen to forget" Arthur Miller

Why do we study Drama?

Being able to solve practical problems and work closely with others are two highly transferable skills for all subjects and professions. Drama skills are highly valued by employers and the Creative Arts is a huge and important industry in Britain. Students who study Drama become confident speakers, and the subject allows for greater variety in the way that students learn and express themselves, whilst making a contribution to their well-being, self-esteem and self-confidence. The experiences we have in these lessons enrich us and support our social and cultural development.

What do we study?

• At KS3, students are introduced to the language of theatre through different key drama disciplines: listening; responding; acting; creating; and critical evaluation.
• At KS4, the GCSE Drama course provides the opportunity for students to further develop their interpretive and analytical skills. Prescribed texts and live theatre performances are explored with an individual focus on the actor, director and designer.

In the Sixth Form we offer A-level Drama which is a course that will engage students through encouraging creativity, focusing on practical work that reflects  21st-century theatre practice,

To view a full summary of our Drama curriculum please click here for KS3 and here for KS4

To view information about Drama A level at the Green School Sixth Form please click here

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

How do we study Drama? 

At all Key Stages the learning style is very practical and physical. Students are given opportunities through practical role-play and written drama activities to experience the world around them and begin to appreciate situations from more than one perspective. Students are expected to work collaboratively in small groups and communication skills are highly valued. Key Stage 3 pupils are encouraged to share their reflections verbally, and show improvements through practical performance. At Key Stage 4 the reflective process continues as students begin to evaluate and analyse their practical work and the development of their creative ideas.

Presentation of Work 

A combination of practical performance based projects, historical research and personal reflection form the basis of most classroom lessons. The development of skills such as script writing, scenography, directing and sound design are all integral to the subject and students are encouraged to demonstrate what they have learnt through practical performance and verbal discussion with each other and the teacher.

Home Learning

We actively encourage students to continue their artistic development beyond the classroom. Home learning tasks often mirror and support the learning in the lesson. This could include activities such as rehearsal of lines for a performance, research of a character, time spent designing a scene or set, or even developing a sound track for your performance.

Co - curricular activities

Drama 

Drama plays a significant role in our school culture and all students are provided with exceptional opportunties to perform complex and sophisticated works to a high standard. Our groundbreaking approach to drama sees, on average, a hundred students involved in each production. Since the school opened in 2017 the scope and range of performances has provided a unique and inspiring offer to our students:

Whole School Productions

A Midsummer Nights Dream - W Shakespeare
Goodnight Mister Tom - D Wood
Nicholas Nickleby - D Edgar
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui - B Brecht
Romeo and Juliet - W Shakespeare
The Crucible - A Miller

Lower School Showcase

The House of Bernarda Alba - F Lorca
The Madness of King George - A Bennet
The Mountaintop - K Hall
Kes - L Till
The Grandfathers - R Mullarkey
One Man Two Guvnors - R Bean
Pravda - H Brenton
Dear England - J Graham
Nye - T Price
Much Ado about Nothing - W Shakespeare
The Accrington Pals - P Whelan
Small Island - H Edmundson
Red Pitch - Tyrell Williams
The History Boys - A Bennet
Amadeus - P Shaffer

Theatre Outreach Relationships

The Lyric Theatre - Britannicus Project
The National Theatre - New Views Playwriting/Small
Island/Othello/Dear England
Donmar Warehouse - Henry V/Trouble in Butetown Projects
Adventures in Motion - Matthew Bourne - Lord of the Flies
Old Vic - Future Project - Arts Mentoring/One Day Production
ENO Baylis - Ongoing Relationship - Hats Donation and Creative
Advice

How parents/carers can support their children

The best way to support your child in their study of Drama is through encouraging their participation and exposure to it. Students benefit greatly from experiencing live theatre whether amateur or professional and we encourage all of our students to visit the theatre as often as possible. There are also opportunities throughout the year to practise public speaking skills, and we hope that you support your child in taking full advantage of these. You can easily support your son for their upcoming practical work in ways such as: through running lines; supporting extra commitment given to additional rehearsals and sourcing props and costumes.

Recommended Reading

Time Traveller's Guide to Theatre for the first 400 years by Aleks Sierz and Lia Ghilardi
All about Theatre by National Theatre
Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story by DK

CURRICULUM IMPACT

Assessment

Formative assessment within the classroom focuses on peer evaluation and verbal discussion to help improve performance and understanding. Summative assessment takes the form of live performance and written performance evaluation.

Careers Leading on from Drama

•  At Degree level, students can study single or joint honour degrees encapsulating the Arts. Film, journalism, law and teaching are all closely linked to Drama, with vocational opportunities in certain modules. Another pathway for students are the music and drama conservatories such as Guildhall of Music and Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts which both provide vocational training in performance and technical fields with graduates going on to work in film, theatre, television and radio.

• Further opportunities exist within organisations such as the BBC, National Film Theatre, BFI and National Youth Theatre as well as theatres like the Lyric, Royal Court and Old Vic who will offer apprenticeship schemes and post-18 courses.

• To view more information about our school Careers programme please click here.