Drama

What are the aims of the Drama curriculum?

– To develop understanding and communication within the form of Drama.
– To develop an awareness of the diverse social, historical, and cultural contexts of Drama.
– To develop knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in devising (improvisation) and approaching a text through practical application.
– To introduce and gain knowledge of a range of theatre skills that are used in presenting a piece of theatre,
– To enable and develop skills of cooperation, understanding and
comprehension of ideas.
– To develop a range of theatrical skills and apply them to create performances
– To work collaboratively to generate, develop and communicate ideas
– To develop as creative, effective, independent and reflective students
able to make informed choices in process and performance
– To contribute as an individual to a theatrical performance

Course description:

Name of Course
KS3 Drama

Qualification
BTEC Tech Awards in Performing Arts

Outline of Course
Students will explore a variety of texts, musicals and plays throughout the year which will be linked to key theatrical techniques like hot seating, tableau and monologues. This will further aid communication skills, confidence and group/cooperation skills. This can then be developed towards BTEC Performing Arts which comprises of three units. The first focuses on the knowledge and understanding of the Performing Arts industry where students look at how musicals and plays are performed and the marketing that goes into them (linking into their already existing knowledge of musical/plays from previous schemes of work). The second unit is about developing the skills of the performer building upon the skills they have already gained through audience awareness and theatrical techniques. Then finally they have to work in a small group to perform a play by responding to a brief.

How it’s taught
The lessons are structured where students learn a new theatrical skill, linked to a play or musical where options are built into a practical and/or a sitting task which allows students the time to build their skills and confidence.

Topic
This year the plays are An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly, Blood Brothers by Willy Russell, A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tempest by William Shakespeare. The musicals are Footloose, Rock of Ages and Wicked.

Homework
Students will have research tasks based on the play/musical being studied.