Why do we learn drama?
At Evelyn Grace Academy, the intent of the Drama curriculum is to build confident, creative, critical, collaborative communicators. It will enable strong performances in both written and practical examinations, supported by a deep emphasis on building students’ essential skills beyond the stage and studio. The department seeks to facilitate its students in becoming successful in their adult lives, whatever path they carve. Students will learn to develop their physical and verbal expressive skills, alongside their written and analytical skills. The synthesis of these different modes of communication is key to all aspects of the Drama curriculum. By following a spiral structure, the curriculum will also constantly challenge and nurture students, building their abilities, knowledge and understanding. Throughout their time in the Drama department, students will be exposed to a variety of media, tasks, cultural and historical stimuli, and ideas which will develop their ability to observe, analyse, critique, and understand these new and different experiences. Thus, as they step into adulthood, they will be armed with the confidence and skills to engage with the richness that the world can offer them.
Head of Department
Ms L Mannings
Our approach
Knowledge-rich
In order to build these skills, we must first build knowledge, and this comes from varied exposure to all facets of Drama. Students will have a preconception about what they will encounter, and for many this will discourage them from seeing themselves as Drama students. It is vital to explore iterations of Drama from as broad a range of cultural and historical perspectives as possible. Not only will students encounter traditional elements such as Stanislavsky’s Naturalism, or Brecht’s political Epic Drama, but they will also encounter the physical theatre of Frantic Assembly, and the non-verbal expression of mime. Examples of a broad range of theatrical conventions and styles will align with a variety of play writes and performance groups, which will in turn be built upon each year. Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between these styles, genres, and practitioners, thus developing their critical thinking and analytical skills.
Vocabulary-rich
A consistent and thorough focus will be placed on developed, verbal responses from year 7. Each lesson will have a set of key terms at its core, which will provide students with an anchor and context for their learning that day. They will be challenged to connect these terms to those encountered in previous lessons and years, thus deepening their understanding and richness of their vocabulary. When they are able to use these terms in speech, the effort to use them in their written responses will lessen. Key terms and concepts will often be paired with an opposite term to highlight to students the difference, and therefore defining features, of each. In this way, genres and styles can be presented using a variety of texts and performances, further embedding in students the meaning of each key term. When giving both verbal and written responses, students will be encouraged to challenge and support one another to use key terms accurately and appropriately to demonstrate their analysis and evaluations.
Mastery
Mastery is the instinctive application of knowledge and skill, without the need for active and deliberate thought. In Drama, this looks like a performer moving confidently around the space, or a technician enhancing the atmosphere and action given by stage performers with carefully chosen sound, lighting, or costume. It is a director or playwright creating characters and scenes that connect the audience with the performers in order to explore a theme or feeling. It is also fluent and well evidenced critique of a performance element, written or spoken with an understanding of the intention of the performer and their success in realising this intention. It is built by constantly reiterating previously encountered terms, ideas, examples, and suggestions, and by asking questions to encourage students to evaluate the links between what they did before, and what they will do today. It is built, significantly, by exposing all students to a representative range of the key aspects of Drama at the very beginning of year 7 and expanding on each of these throughout each lesson and year as they move forward.
Progression Planning
Both the three- and 5-year curriculum plans are built on a spiral curriculum model; where foundations are laid in year 7, highlighting significant and separate aspects of Drama, and then each year building more depth and detail into students’ understanding of each aspect. It must be done systematically, so that students can use their prior knowledge to support their current learning without clouding a new concept or blurring the lines between two contrasting examples. It is also vital that students who leave the Drama department at the end of year 9, have achieved all of the skills set out in the intention of the curriculum, without feeling that their learning journey is hindered by not continuing to study Drama. In year 10, that end point becomes the new foundation on which higher order skills are developed and put into the context of examinations as well as wider life-long applications. This means that they key features of what a GCSE student must demonstrate will be first introduced at year 7. Likewise, it is vital to couch KS3 in the context of being valuable beyond a GCSE exam, so that each student can benefit from their learning regardless of their choice to study Drama at GCSE or not.
Enrichment
The possibilities for enrichment in Drama go far beyond creating and watching performances. It is also important that the academic study of Drama is seen in as exciting and enjoyable a light as the typical enrichment offerings of skill-based rehearsal clubs or performance watching opportunities. Enrichment in Drama must place what is learned in the classroom in a different context to what can be encountered in stand-alone or separate situations. By the same token, year-long enrichment opportunities can enable students to develop and maintain their skills and passion between terms spent studying Drama in the classroom. Therefore, the offering will be workshop based, and specifically focused on one skill, theatrical element, or opportunity which is not possible within the classroom. For example, a technical project to build model sets for a show, culminating in seeing a performance of that show, over the space of a term. Seeing performances in theatres is vital, and curriculum opportunities should be complimented by extracurricular excursions. In the wider life of the school, it is vital to nurture a thriving passion for performing arts by performing in-school productions, which encourage students to make long-term commitments to developing their performance and technical skills with the end goal of delivering a live performance. Whole-school productions feed both the enthusiasm for Drama, as well as enabling students to develop their academic skills to be demonstrated in formal assessments.
Inter-House Drama
A strong ambition for the department is to offer both in-class and inter-house performances. While Drama is far more than just being on stage, a performance is a hugely important, central feature to Drama as both a subject and an art form. By encouraging students to support their own team members in a potentially nerve-wracking situation such as a live performance, we will nurture the ethos of respect and valuing others that makes any Drama classroom a safe space. Therefore, inter-house Drama events offer students a chance to both engage in their school community, and to present themselves as representatives of those communities on a literal whole-school stage. In this way, the Drama department can support all students in developing their character, even when outside of the Drama studio itself.
Year 7
Students study Drama in a termly rotation with Art and DT.
Term 1 | Term 2 |
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Introduction to Drama and Performance Skills Lesson 1: Structure and Story Lesson 2: Narration and Still Image Lesson 3: Mime and Movement Lesson 4: Chorus Lesson 5: Devising a Performance and Rehearsal for Final Assessment Lesson 6: Final Performance Assessment and Written Assessment During Year 7 students explore the core elements of a story, key performance techniques and key evaluation skills. They will work in groups to develop their verbal, performance, and evaluative skills, and at the end of the term will complete a practical and written assessment. |
Melodrama Lesson 1: What is your favourite Genre? Lesson 2: What is Melodrama? Lesson 3: Good Always Wins Lesson 4: Melodrama and Comedy Lesson 5: Modern Melodrama Lesson 6: Performance and Evaluation Students will be exposed to different key genres of theatre and will explore melodrama in detail. Stock characters, storyline and comedy used in Melodrama will be explored. The difference between genre and style will be highlighted, with the definition of each term being reiterated each lesson. |
Homework |
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Homework will be set biweekly and take the form of written tasks and academic reading. |
To stretch myself... |
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• I will research practitioners and styles based on what I learn in my lessons • I will ask questions to explore each topic in more detail • I will watch performances in my own time • I will take part in extra-curricular performances and showcase events |
Exam Board |
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Edexcel |
All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Design & Technology
Year 8
Students study Drama in a termly rotation with Art and DT.
Term 1 | Term 2 |
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Practitioners in Action: Frantic Assembly and Brecht Lesson 1: Introduction to Physical Theatre Lesson 2: Still Image and Mime Lesson 3: Frantic Assembly and Chair Duets Lesson 4: Brecht and Didactic Theatre Lesson 5: Devising a Performance and Rehearsal for Final Assessment Lesson 6: Final Performance Assessment and Written Assessment During Term 1 students explore the Physical Theatre company Frantic Assembly, and the practitioner Bertolt Brecht. They will learn about the key features of these two practitioners and will develop practical skills to integrate into their performances. Students will work in groups to improve their verbal, performance, and evaluative skills, and at the end of the term will complete a practical and written assessment. |
Practitioners in Action: Brecht and Boal Lesson 1: Introduction to Forum Theatre Lesson 2: Improvisation Lesson 3: Forum Theatre Lesson 4: Brecht and Boal Lesson 5: Devising and Rehearsal Lesson 6: Performance and Evaluation During Term 2 students explore the practitioner Augusto Boal. They combine this new knowledge with their knowledge of Brechtian Theatre to understand how theatre has been a vehicle for social action in recent history. They will learn about the key features of Boal’s Forum Theatre and will develop practical skills to integrate into their performances. Students will work in groups to improve their verbal, performance, and evaluative skills, and at the end of the term will complete a practical and written assessment. |
Homework |
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Homework will be set biweekly and take the form of written tasks and academic reading. |
To stretch myself... |
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• I will read about the work of Frantic Assembly and Brecht • I will find examples of plays and performances influence by the practitioners we study • I will take part in extra-curricular performances and showcase events |
Exam Board |
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Edexcel |
All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Design & Technology
Year 9
Students study Drama in a termly rotation with Art and DT.
Term 1 | Term 2 |
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Devising from a Stimulus Lesson 1: Brecht and Epic Theatre Lesson 2: Elements of Epic Theatre Lesson 3: Recap of Forum Theatre Lesson 4: Theatre of the Oppressed Lesson 5: Rehearsal and Devising Lesson 6: Final Performance and Written Assessment During Year 9 students will build on their understanding of the practitioners and skills studied in Year 7 and 8 and will further develop their practical and written abilities. They will explore the use of theatre as a vehicle for social and political change throughout history, and the intention of Boal and Brecht in engaging the audience directly with performances on stage. |
Devising from a Stimulus Lesson 1: Introduction to Devised Theatre Lesson 2: Pictorial Stimulus Lesson 3: Aural Stimulus Lesson 4: Creating a Character Lesson 5: Creative Intention Lesson 6: Performance and Evaluation During Year 9 students learn how to create a performance inspired by a stimulus. They will learn how to explore the stimulus and share their ideas with their group in order to devise a coherent, creative, and well-rehearsed final performance. Students will build on their understanding of the practitioners and skills studied in Year 7 and 8 and will further develop their practical and written abilities. |
Homework |
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Homework will be set biweekly and take the form of written tasks and academic reading. |
To stretch myself... |
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• I will conduct independent research about my stimulus • I will watch performances inspired by specific practitioners • I will take part in extra-curricular performances and showcase events |
Exam Board |
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Edexcel |
All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Design & Technology
Year 10
Autumn |
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Mock Component 1: Devising and Evaluation Writing Practical Lessons • Stimulus Exploration • Structure and narrative • Performance techniques Theory Lessons • Definitions, key terms, • Techniques for short answers • Verbal practice of extended answers • Peer and Self-assessment End of term assessment: Mini Devising Performance and Mock Written Exam. |
Spring |
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Component 1 and Intro to Component 3 Component 1 Practical Exam (March) Written portfolio deadline (March) Component 3 text exploration Watch a live theatre performance and complete mock paper preparation. |
Summer |
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Component 3 – Mocks Practical Lessons • Explore set text for C3 Paper 1 • Watch recorded live theatre and practice written review writing for C3 Paper 2 Theory Lessons Portfolio write up, set as summer learning. |
KS4 Exam Board |
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Edexcel |
All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Design & Technology
Year 11
Autumn |
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Component 2: Scripted Performance Practical Lessons: - Explore text in groups - Self-evaluation Theory Lessons: - Component 3 Exam Question practice - Short question practice |
Spring |
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Component 2 and Component 3 Practical Lessons - Exam by February Half Term Theory Lessons Exam skills and Paper 1 and 2 prep |
Summer |
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Externa Examinations |
KS4 Exam Board |
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Edexcel |
All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Design & Technology