Curriculum Aims

We believe in bold, artistic experimentation and innovative critical discourse that respects tradition while pushing against the limitations of form through the encouragement of the free use of creativity and imagination through exploration. Drama should prepare the minds of young people to cope with and challenge the outside world as well as educating students about theatre and its history, learning to express themselves in a safe environment.

Students will explore drama through looking at social themes and issues, key extracts from texts and refining their skills, preparing them for the future whilst always demonstrating respect and empathy. They will have the opportunity to develop co-operation & collaboration and confidence in communication through developing vocal and physical skills, explore social issues though drama to develop tolerance and understanding. Students will be exposed to different peoples’ perspectives and emotions on issues and events and use subject specific vocabulary effectively. They will develop an understanding of how to apply, analyse different stylistic qualities and develop an ability to evaluate their own and others’ work.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Overview

Students will be introduced to the world of drama both practically and theoretically through 18 exciting schemes of work over their time in Key Stage 3. All schemes of work have links to a play, piece of dance, art and music, a British value, a career link and to a social, emotional health issue to create a cross curricular and academic feel to this practical subject. Students will receive an expressive and engaging education into the introduction to Explorative Strategies, Drama Mediums and Elements through workshops and tasks. Students every lesson will build on skill sets and knowledge by exploring, devising, performing, and evaluating. Every 6 weeks students will be assessed using the drama assessment policy and framework based on the 4 Cs of drama: Confidence, Collaboration, Creativity and Concentration. In Year 9 we build on the knowledge and skills acquired from Year 7 and 8 with a direction of preparing students if they were to continue their studies and choose drama as a GCSE option.

Key Stage 4

Course: GCSE Drama (J316)

Exam Board: OCR

Final Assessment: 30% Devising Drama [01/02] (non-exam assessment), 30% Presenting and Performing Texts [03] (non-exam assessment with visiting examination) and 40% Performance and Response[04] (Exam Assessment – 1 hr 30 min written paper)

GCSE Drama J316 Specification (ocr.org.uk)

Curriculum Overview

Students will study this course which OCR has designed to be a practical, engaging, and creative specification. It will provide our KS4 students with opportunities to understand and create drama as a practical art form in which ideas and their meaning are communicated to an audience through their newfound knowledge of practitioners and artistic vision but also their own creative artistic choices too. The main purpose of this qualification is to allow students to study drama in an academic setting, interrogating this art form to create and understand performance work. This course will help our learners to be independent learners, critical thinkers and effective decision makes, all personal attributes that can make them stand out as they progress through their education and into employment. We hope to ignite and engage our learners’ creativity, passion, and interests with an exciting selection of play texts, educational visits and workshops which is an inclusive course to allow all learners to achieve.