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Drama
Drama is exposure; it is confrontation; it is contradiction and it leads to analysis, construction, recognition and eventually to an awakening of understanding.
Peter Brook (March 1925-July 2022)
Creativity, collaboration and communication are central to our approach which places respect, equality and self-confidence at the heart of our teaching practice. Students find this an enriching experience which enables them to explore creatively together and to voice their own creative ideas.
Drama is a practical learning curriculum connecting skills and knowledge through all years from KS3 to A-level Drama & Theatre Studies through three key approaches to Drama and Theatre; scripted texts – creating the world of the play; improvisation skills and making original drama, and articulating our responses to live theatre performances - developing skills of analysis and evaluation across a wide range of theatre genres and diverse performance styles.
At the core of our Drama curriculum is practical engagement with theatre and its cultural, socio-political context in a global perspective. Students explore a wealth of theatre styles and traditions and develop the skills and confidence to create their own original drama in response to their personal views and understanding of the world around them. Students visit a host of theatre venues such as The National Theatre and The Globe Theatre, and locally our own Marlowe Theatre and the Gulbenkian Arts Centre. Visiting professionals from theatre and academia run workshops and research events with our students, enriching their knowledge and igniting their passion for Drama.
Drama Performances in our vibrant extra-curricular programme of small and large scale productions, offer students the chance to present their work as performers, directors or designers through an exciting range of plays and to collaborate with musicians, artists and designers across the school to share our creative endeavours.
KS3
|
Year Group |
Areas of Study |
|
7 |
Term 1: Darkwood Manor – Roleplay,Devising, Characterisation Term 2: Treasure Island - National Theatre, Railway Children - Theatre Design Term 3: Commedia dell’arte – Improvisation & One Man Two Guvnors production Term 4: Contemporary Scripted texts: Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time – excerpts; Refugee Boy by Lemn Sissay; Augustus Boal practitioner, Frantic Assembly and Physical Theatre Term 5: Greek Theatre – Oedipus & Antigone script excerpts Term 6: Shakespeare in the Park Midsummer Night’s Dream/Tempest |
|
9 |
Term 1: Blood Brothers Staging a production Acting skills and Design knowledge Term 2: Devising and Improvisation using Verbatim with Paper Birds Theatre Company - Power and Home Lemn Sissay & Benjamin Zephaniah Term 3: Noughts and Crosses Acting skills and Performance styles Term 4: Theatre Design in Noughts and Crosses Term 5: Trestle Masks - Comedy performance skills Term 6 - Start GCSE set text The Empress by Tanika Gupta |
GCSE
Board
AQA
Outline of the Course
- Explore drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention
- Create, perform and respond to drama informed by their theoretical knowledge of drama and theatre
Component 1: Understanding drama
- Practically study and explore a Set Play: The Empress, Tanika Gupta
- Learn how to analyse and evaluate the work of live theatre makers
Component 2: Devising drama
- Create and develop ideas to communicate meaning in a devised theatrical performance
- Contribute to devised drama in a live theatre context for an audience
Component 3: Texts in practice
- Interpret texts
- Create and communicate meaning
- Realise artistic intention in text-based drama
Assessment
|
Type of Assessment |
Duration |
Weighting |
|
|
1 |
Component 1: Understanding Drama Written Exam
|
1 hour and 45 minutes |
40% |
|
2 |
Component 2: Devising Drama Practical Assessment
|
This component is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA |
40% |
|
3 |
Component 3: Texts in Practice Practical Assessment
|
This practical assessment is marked live by an AQA Visiting Examiner and students may choose EITHER a performance OR a design specialism |
20% (40 marks) |
A Level
Drama and Theatre Studies
Minimum Entry Criteria
Desired: 7 in Drama (or 7 in English Literature if the subject is not studied at GCSE)
Essential: 6 in Drama (or 6 in English Literature if the subject is not studied at GCSE)
Board
AQA (7262)
Outline of the Course
Unit 1: Drama and theatre
- Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre
- Study of two set plays, one chosen from List A (drama through the ages), one chosen from List B (20th and 21st century drama)
- Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre performances
Unit 2: Creating original drama (practical) – Completed in Year 13
- Process of creating devised drama
- Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
- Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner
- This unit is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA as NEA Coursework
Unit 3: Making theatre (practical) – Completed in Year 13
- Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts, each taken from a different play.
- Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3. Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
- Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts. This unit is marked by AQA
Assessment
|
Type of Assessment |
Duration |
Weighting |
|
|
1 |
Written Examination – Section A: one question (from a choice) on one of the set plays from List A (25 marks). Section B: one two part question on a given extract from one of the set plays from List B (25 marks). Section C: one question on the work of theatre makers in a single live theatre production (30 marks) |
3 hours |
40% |
|
2 |
Creating original drama (practical) |
30% |
|
|
3 |
Making theatre (practical) |
|
30% |
