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Drama

It is our aim to provide opportunities for all pupils to experience a wide range and depth of aesthetic and artistic exploration within Drama.  Introducing pupils to the skills of an actor and assisting them to develop their knowledge, understanding and application of these skills to fulfil their true potential.

Through studying Drama pupils will also develop skills that are essential to succeed in life.  These skills include the ability to work as part of a team and enables pupils the opportunity to understand different points of view, express their own opinions, listen purposefully and develop important communication skills. It will develop their sense of commitment and ability to appreciate and appraise constructively. Drama encourages planning techniques, research techniques and physical and perceptual skills.  Pupils will also appreciate the importance of time-management and effective action planning to develop their problem-solving skills.  The content of lessons will help pupils understand the values, issues and culture of today's world.

Drama makes an enormous contribution to a pupil’s personal development. In today's world, employers are looking for mature, creative people who can communicate effectively precisely the skills that drama develops.

Extra-curricular activities:

KS3 summary

In Year 7 pupils are introduced to Drama skills, including voice, movement, gesture, eye contact and facial expressions, and begin to develop these skills to use them effectively in performance. Pupils are given the opportunity to develop good working relationships with their peers through devising their own work and exploring Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They also experiment with how to build tension and create mood and atmosphere through exploring Lost on Mystery Mountain and What Frightens me.

In Year 8 the aim is for students to experience a range of different styles of Drama.  Through this exploration students continue to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of Drama as an art form.  Pupils are introduced to the style of Melodrama and challenged to apply their performance skills in a very over the top manner! Another style that students study is Theatre in Education and the play ‘Chicken’ by Mark Wheeller.  Students are also inspired by the work of Trestle Theatre Company and explore the use of masks in performance.

In Year 9 pupils begin to prepare for BTEC Performing Arts by developing their ability to apply the skills and techniques they have used in previous years.  The schemes of learning provide pupils with the opportunity to devise their own performances in the style of John Godber.  Another style of the Drama that students investigate is Verbatim using the play Game Over which is based on a true story. Students also devise their own performances from a given stimulus to experience one of the demands of the BTEC Tech Award studying in.

KS4 summary

At Key Stage 4 pupils are entered for Pearson BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts leading to qualification from Level 1 Pass to Level 2 Distinction*. With Level 2 Distinction* to Level 2 Pass being the equivalent of GCSE Grades 9 to 4. BTECs are vocational qualifications designed to help students succeed. Students develop knowledge and understanding through applying their learning to work-related contexts, and gain the skills they need for further study and employment.

Method of Assessment.

The course is made up of three components: two that are internally assessed and one that is externally assessed.  There is no written exam to sit at the end of Year 11.

Component 3 - Performing to a Brief Assessment: externally assessed task, where students work in groups of between 3 and 7 members to create a performance based on a set brief. Weighting: 40% of total course.

Students will develop an insight into and an understanding of a wide range of activities, building on their existing skills, knowledge and understanding gained from Key Stage 3. Drama is an exciting, creative and challenging course. Pupils will be assessed in their exploration of a variety of tasks including Devised thematic work, Study and Performance of a Scripted Play, Improvisation, Physical Theatre, Masks and Theatre in Education.

Pupils will be taken to the theatre to watch professional productions to develop a clear understanding of how plays are constructed and realized, to inform their knowledge and understanding of the skills used by actors in performance and to develop their ability to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the performance.

Curriculum overview

	Cardinal Newman Catholic High School Curriculum Overview
	Drama
	KS4 Qualification : BTEC Performing Arts Level 1/2 RPA3
	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Term	Year 10	Year 11
Rotation 1	Lost on Mystery Mountain	Melodrama	Devised – John Godber	Autumn	Introduction to BTEC Performing Arts.  Component 1 - Exploring the Performing Arts  Component 2 – Developing Skills and Techniques.	Component 1 - Exploring the Performing Arts
Rotation 2	Devised – Different Stimuli	Theatre in Education - Chicken	Verbatim – Game Over	Spring	Component 1 - Exploring the Performing Arts  Component 2 – Developing Skills and Techniques.	Component 3 - Performing to the Brief
Rotation 3	A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream	Trestle Masks	Blank Canvas - Devised	Summer	Component 3  Performing to the Brief – practice and preparation.	Component 3  Performing to the Brief

 

Staffing

Mr Batt (Head of Drama)

Mrs Williams