Drama

Curriculum rationale

In Expressive Arts we aim to foster a love for the Arts by offering a broad and balanced experience across art, dance, drama and music.  We want to enthuse passion, creativity and a love for our subjects that you may not have previously experienced.

The KS3 curriculum should serve as an enjoyable, engaging and broad drama experience for all students. It is created to fulfil the national curriculum requirements, as well as providing an opportunity to perform and devise scripted and original pieces of drama.

Our drama curriculum has been designed around the three core areas of drama; performance, devising and appreciation. Drama is a powerful and expressive subject which encourages students to develop their creative, emotional and intellectual capacity, whatever their previous experience in the subject. This curriculum recognises the role of drama in young people’s lives and has been designed to inspire, challenge and motivate every student, no matter what their level of ability. Each area of study is progressively built upon over time using a spaced-learning/interleaving approach e.g. in Year 7 they start learning about performance skills and move onto learning about devising skills in unit 2. This structure is then applied in Year 8 and 9 reviewing prior knowledge and introducing new skills and more challenge. We aim for all students to be independent learners, critical thinkers and effective decision makers by the end of KS3- all personal attributes that can make them stand out as they progress through their education and apply beyond the classroom into adult life. 

Curriculum Design

The KS3 curriculum includes various topics e.g. students learn how to present work from a script in Year 7, in Year 8 they explore Physical Theatre and devising skills are developed in Year 9. Written elements are incorporated into each unit of work through end of topic knowledge tests and script writing. Assessment is regular and uses a model personalised to our curriculum allowing students to make rapid progress and take ownership of what is required from them to progress to the next step. 

Curriculum Plan

Year 7

	Topic	What will students learn by the end of the topic	Assessment
Topic 1 (on a rotation with dance)	Darkwood Manor Introduction to drama focusing on fundamental vocal and physical skills.	What a still image is. Understand what physical skills and vocal skills are. Know how to create a character and apply improvisation skills through hot seating. To apply creative transitions to their pieces. Know what a monologue is. Understand the role of a costume designer.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Small group performance of Darkwood Manor weighted 70%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 30%.
Topic 2 (on a rotation with dance)	Chicken! By Mark Wheeller Introduction to presenting and performing text. Exploring Chicken! as a piece of Theatre in Education.	Understand what a script is and key roles within theatre. Learn about the style Theatre in Education and the playwrights intentions and themes for the play. To apply the technique of cross cutting. Explore 'In the round' staging and areas of a stage. How to evaluate their own performance.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Small group performance of Chicken! extract weighted 70%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 30%.

Year 8

	Topic	What will students learn by the end of the topic	Assessment
Topic 1 (on a rotation with dance)	Blood Brothers by Willy Russell Developing skills on how to interpret a script through improvisation and comedy genre.	Develop their knowledge and application of new physical and vocal skills. Learn about genre with a focus on comedy. To apply proxemics and levels to their duologue pieces. Learn about the playwrights intentions and themes for the play. Explore Proscenium Arch staging and understand the role of a set designer. How to rehearse effectively.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Duologue performance of Blood Brothers extract weighted 70%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 30%.
Topic 2 (on a rotation with dance)	Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon Cross curricula link with English exploring Frantic Assembly and physical theatre style.	Develop their knowledge of playwrights intentions and themes explored within a piece of text. Learn about the Physical Theatre style and the Frantic Assembly methods of creating movement. How to rehearse effectively and safely using physical theatre. To understand the importance of symbolism and abstract ideas in drama. Able to review a piece of live theatre.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Group performance of Curious extract weighted 70%. End of topic written knowledge assessment- Live theatre review weighted 30%.

Year 9 

	Topic	What will students learn by the end of the topic	Assessment
Topic 1 (on a rotation with dance)	DNA written by Dennis Kelly. Exploring conventions of a script and developing skills on how to interpret a script and creating a believable character.	Understand conventions of a script: language used, characters created, themes explored, playwrights intentions and how a script is structured. The importance of physical and vocal skills and how they contribute to creating a character. Demonstrate and consolidate prior skills such as symbolisim, proxemics, levels and stage areas. Explore Thrust staging and understand the role of a lighting designer.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic -Small group performance of DNA extract weighted 70%. Written knowledge assessment- Concept pro forma weighted 30%.
Topic 2 (on a rotation with dance)	Devising drama Creating and developing ideas to communicate meaning for a theatrical performance. Applying theatrical skills to realise artistic intentions in live performance.	Know how to research into a stimulus and generate creative ideas in response to their research. To create a plot summary and structure ideas within a chosen genre and style. Develop ideas in their chosen discipline- performer or designer to contribute to the end performance. Perform their final piece applying theatrical skills as either a performer or designer which shows clear links to their planned artistic intention.	Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Group performance of devised piece or designer ideas for set / lighting or costume weighted 70%. Written knowledge assessment- Devising portfolio weighted 30%.

Curriculum Assessment

Years 7 - 9 will have regular, low stakes diagnostic tests to check understanding and allow teachers to address misconceptions. They will also have an end of topic practical and theory assessment. These assessments allow teachers and students to identify areas of strengths and areas to improve.

Extra-curricular opportunities:

Drama offers a wide variety of opportunities outside of the classroom. We offer an after school drama club at key stage 3, which leads to performance opportunities in our Winter and Summer Arts Festivals. Alongside side this we plan in an annual theatre trip and we work collaboratively across the Expressive Arts Team to stage a whole school musical production.