Drama

The Drama department encourages students to engage in creative and practical work, exploring real life situations, masks, play texts and storytelling.

Key Stage 3 Drama Curriculum

In Key Stage 3 Drama, students embark on an exciting journey of creativity, collaboration, and self-expression.

Year 7 students have one drama lesson per week, while Year 8 and 9 students experience drama once a fortnight. Across these lessons, students explore a wide range of drama styles and genres, including trestle masks, soap operas, scripted work, devising, and physical theatre. Each topic encourages students to develop essential performance skills while fostering teamwork and creativity.

Key Stage 4 Drama

At Key Stage 4, students have the opportunity to take the BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts. This exciting and practical qualification allows students to develop their skills in acting, performance, and production, while gaining a deep understanding of the performing arts industry.

The course is divided into three key components:

Component 1: Exploring the Performing Arts

In this component, students explore a variety of performance styles, genres, and professional works. They investigate how different practitioners create performances and study key themes, techniques, and approaches in drama.

Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques

Students focus on developing their practical performance skills. They take part in workshops, rehearsals, and performances, learning how to apply techniques in acting to a variety of performance styles. The aim is to improve their ability to create compelling performances, develop their craft, and refine their technical abilities.

Component 3: Responding to a Brief

In this externally assessed component, students are given a brief by an exam board, and they must devise and perform a piece in response. This requires them to use the skills and techniques they’ve developed throughout the course to create a unique and engaging performance, demonstrating creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Key Stage 5 Drama

At Key Stage 5, students can pursue the BTEC National Extended Certificate in Performing Arts. This course provides an in-depth exploration of performance skills, techniques, and the performing arts industry. It is ideal for students looking to develop their practical abilities and gain a solid understanding of the creative process and industry standards.

The qualification is made up of four key units:

Unit 1: Investigating Practitioners’ Work

This unit allows students to study the work of influential theatre practitioners and explore how their ideas and techniques have shaped contemporary performance. Through research, analysis, and practical exploration, students will learn how to apply these practitioners’ methods to their own work.

Unit 2: Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance

Students focus on refining their acting skills in this unit. Through workshops, rehearsals, and live performances, they develop both vocal and physical skills essential for delivering compelling performances.

Unit 3: Group Performance Workshop

In this unit, students work collaboratively to devise an original piece of theatre in response to a set brief. They are required to apply their creative skills, problem-solve, and perform as part of an ensemble.

Unit 19: Acting Styles

This unit provides students with the opportunity to explore a variety of acting styles, from naturalism to more abstract forms of performance. They study the characteristics and demands of different styles, allowing them to diversify their performance skills and adapt to various roles and genres.