Drama

What is the Department like?

We are a quickly growing department, consisting of four teachers. Drama lessons are delivered in dedicated practical spaces, including a purpose-built drama studio with full lighting and sound facilities.  We aim to deliver a curriculum that is both practical and academically challenging. At the same time, Drama is a rare opportunity for students to develop emotional and social awareness and we aim to encourage a supportive environment for self-expression and self-reflection.

We teach Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level, as well as offering a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities for students from all year groups.

What are Drama’s cross-curricular links, and why are they important?

Drama aims to instil students with an appreciation of how various aspects of the curriculum link together through a series of carefully forged links with other departments in the school. This is important because children go to school in order to learn the skills needed for life, and none of their subjects exists purely on its own; they all link together in the outside world. Therefore, it’s important that they should do at school.

English

All students in years 8 and 9 do a half term Drama project with their English teacher. As speaking and listening is such an important part of the English curriculum at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 we aim to teach students the skills needed for:

• delivering speech to an audience
• performing with energy to create mood and atmosphere for an audience
• developing and sustaining a character
• working creatively and collaboratively as part of a group
• developing and evaluating practical work
• Reflecting on and evaluating the success of their own performances

Citizenship

Anti-bullying and social responsibility are topics explored in both subjects. Through peer-training, we aim to help students develop:

• A sense of social responsibility
• A sense of self-worth
• The understanding that they are not too young to make a difference
• The understanding that their care as much as them

What is Drama like at Key Stage 3?

Drama is an expanding subject at Key Stage 3, and it is taught in different ways depending on the year group.

Year	Half-term 1	Half-term 2	Half-term 3	Half-term 4	Half-term 5	Half-term 6
7 (1 lesson every fortnight)	Settling into secondary school: Games and teamwork	Monologues and montages: Considering your audience	Devising drama from a picture stimulus: Creating atmosphere	Evacuation: Creating and sustaining a complex character	Bullying and social responsibility: Whole class in role project	Melodrama: Performing a script
8 (1 half-term unit of work in English lessons)					Shakespeare and theatrical styles from around the world.
9 (1 half-term unit of work in English lessons)					Performing with purpose: Showing empathy and developing a stimulus.

What is Drama like at GCSE?

Students can choose to take Drama as an option in Year 10.  There are five lessons per fortnight. During the course students explore two aspects of Drama, which are:

Creating Drama and Theatre

Responding to Drama and Theatre

The course is assessed through 60% practical and 40% theory.

Practical assessments are carried out in a controlled environment, where the teacher makes a judgement of the student’s grade based on evidence of students’:

commitment and contribution to the group during the rehearsal process over a number of weeks

• contribution towards the group performance through use of vocal and physical techniques; sensitivity to the creation of mood and atmosphere; awareness of the audience

Students must submit their two best assessment marks to the exam board. As Year 10 is often taken up with developing and honing performance skills, the best assessment marks often come in Year 11.  Theoretical assessment is carried out in the examination, which can be sat either in the summer of Year 10 or that of Year 11. The exam assesses students’ theoretical response to Drama and Theatre through a compulsory question on:

the development of a piece of theatre performed by students during the course

Alongside the options of answering on question on either

a piece of live performance seen during the course from the audiences’ perspective

or

performance suggestions for a set play studied during the course

Students can expect to study the curriculum as follows:

YEAR 10
Autumn 1	2 week introduction to GCSE Drama Read whole scripted text (to also be used for written exam) Preparation and rehearsal period: Scripted
Autumn 2	Theatre visit Preparation and rehearsal period: Scripted *SCRIPTED CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT
Spring 1	Introduction to TIE and Forum Theatre Preparation and rehearsal period: TIE
Spring 2	Preparation and rehearsal period: TIE DEVISED CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT *WRITTEN YEAR 10 (MOCK) EXAM
Summer 1	Theatre visit Written exam preparation DRAMA WRITTEN EXAM
Summer 2	Devised / scripted workshops – linked to developing rehearsal and performance skills
YEAR 11
Autumn 1	Introduction to devising Preparation and rehearsal period: Devised
Autumn 2	Theatre visit Preparation and rehearsal period: Devised DEVISED CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT
Spring 1	Preparation and rehearsal period: Scripted
Spring 2	Preparation and rehearsal period: Scripted SCRIPTED CONTROLLED ASSESSMENT
Summer 1	Theatre visit Written exam preparation *WRITTEN EXAM
Summer 2	Study Leave

Formal assessments – these go towards the final GCSE grade

* These assessments are least likely to be used. If a candidate achieves their target grade in Year 10 they probably will not re-sit in Year 11. Candidates will most likely use Year 11 controlled assessments, but some might produce their best work in Year 10. In this case, these can be submitted instead.

During the course there are a range of opportunities for students to go on a number of theatre trips to venues such as:

The West Yorkshire Playhouse

The Alhambra

The Liverpool Everyman

The Lowry

Additionally students are encouraged to see as much live theatre as possible in their spare time, as this only enhances and enriches their performance potential.

Homework

GCSE Drama is requires dedication and commitment from those who choose it. Although students might not receive written homework as often as they do in other subjects, they are expected to stay after school to rehearse at least once per week in the month preceding assessments.

Further Study

As a subject, Drama is compatible with a number of other GCSEs such as Art, Textiles, Dance and English. It is also very successful at developing all kinds of students’ self-esteem and confidence. Drama GCSE students go on to do a wide range of things including studying Drama and Theatre Studies AS and A2 at TGS, or doing a more vocational Performing Arts course at College. They also can take completely subjects and keep their Drama interests alive by joining Amateur Dramatic Societies or simply by going to the theatre.

What extra-curricular opportunities are on offer for me?

The Drama Department works hard throughout the year to ensure that all pupils are able to take advantage of a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Recent projects have included:

Peter Pan (Feb 2009)

Over 50 pupils from year 7 to 12 took part in the school production that ran over two nights in the School Hall. It was the first at the school for a number of years, and all concerned worked tirelessly for three months to ensure it was a huge success. Well done!

The Merchant of Venice at the Shakespeare in Schools Festival (Oct 2009)

Sixteen year 8, 9 and 10 students worked on a half hour abridged version of Shakespeare’s sinister play that tackles the themes of discrimination, violence and justice triumphing against the odds. They performed with three other schools at the Bradford Playhouse.

The Lion King for Activities Week (July 2010)

Over 150 pupils were involved in putting on the Disney musical in one week. Set, costumes and marketing was taken care of by pupils and teachers like. Fifteen actors learned lines and stage directions in one week, while over fifty students from across the school either sang or danced for the week to add pure magic to a truly stunning school production that really will take some beating!

Alice in Wonderland for Transition Week (July 2010)

Year 8 pupils rehearsed and performed two fantastic scenes from Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland for a number or Year 6 pupils who will be coming to Thornton as Year 7s in September. They worked on their own to create a spectacular and professional experience for the Primary School pupils. Well done!

Up-coming projects...

Richard III – for all year 8, 9 and 10 pupils. To be performed in December 2011.