Welcome to Drama!
Year 7
Autumn Term 1:
Intro into drama; this module covers an array of basic drama skills and techniques including vocal & physical skills.
Autumn Term 2:
Mime and physical theatre; focusing on our physicality we explore skills such as exaggeration, physical control, spatial awareness, collaboration and body as prop. We study practitioners such as Marcel Marceaux and Jacques Lecoq.
Spring Term 1:
Practitioner study; It is important that, in early preparation for GCSE, students are aware of a variety of practitioners that help to shape the industry. Alongside exploring different performance techniques and methods designed by these practitioners, we also study historical, social and political contexts. Practitioners include: Stanislavski, Berkoff and Artaud.
Spring Term 2:
Theatre History: In this module we have a look at the key parts of theatre history that have helped shape theatre today - including Greek Theatre, Shakespeare and contemporary theatre: Broadway.
Summer Term 1:
Live Theatre Evaluation; as an exploration into this particular GCSE component, we watch, evaluate and analyse a Live Theatre production, focusing on critical analysis and the use of appropriate language and key terminology.
Summer Term 2:
Devising: Students are given a stimulus and then work together to create a performance. They build collaboration skills as well as design skills including set, lighting and sound design.
Year 8
Autumn Term 1:
Theatre in Education "Bullying"; Students are given the theme "Bullying" and, in groups, create an educational performance they could bring to a primary school as part of an Anti-Bullying project. Students must create this performance, but can use provided poetry and short stories to help develop their narrative.
Autumn Term 2:
Theatre crafts; students study the four key design elements that make up live theatre: set, costume, lighting, sound. Students explore these elements practically and theoretically to improve both written and performance based skills.
Spring Term 1:
Practitioner study; This unit explores different performance techniques and methods designed by a range of practitioners. We also study historical, social and political contexts. Practitioners include: Boal, Brecht and Brook.
Spring Term 2:
Shakespeare; Working with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, students look at the language and performance style of Shakespeare and how this has continued to inspire performance today. They study the history of Shakespeare to add context alongside characterisation and character development. This module supports their literacy and oracy skills in English as well as their dramatic performance skills.
Summer Term 1:
Physical Theatre DV8 and Frantic Focus on movement. Students study two different physical theatre companies; DV8 and Frantic Assembly. They practise partner work and working on collaboration skills such as the importance of eye contact, communication and physical and mental support.
Summer Term 2:
Unit 5: Stage Combat; This module focuses on the ability to create the illusion of fighting on stage and screen without physical contact. Health and Safety plays a huge part in this module! Throughout this module, students learn a new skill and the importance of teamwork and attention to detail within the drama classroom.
Year 9
Autumn Term 1: Recapping and building upon previous years, the students learn a further few drama practitioners to prepare them for their GCSE years. Practitioner study gets increasingly challenging as they progress. This is both a theoretical and practical module. Practitioners studied include: Stanislavski, Blythe and Waller-Bridge.
Autumn Term 2:
Blood Brothers; This module focuses on script work, characterisation and accents! Students learn how to master the Liverpudlian accent and how to act as young children.
Spring Term 1 & 2:
Unit 3: DEVISING AND LOG BOOKS; This unit runs as a mock GCSE. The students receive a stimulus (for example, a piece of music or a newspaper article) and they must design, direct, produce and perform a performance inspired by their given stimuli.
Summer Term 1:
Live theatre review Hamilton. Students learn how to analyse and review live theatre as expected from GCSE grade criteria. They focus on design elements such as set, lighting, sound and costume as well as acting skills and techniques. This module is assessed through 70% theoretical knowledge and 30% practical. Live theatre is currently planned to be delivered digitally.
Summer Term 2:
On Screen Acting; this module focuses on the skill of acting for television and film. Students practise presenting skills as news anchors or sports presenters and are able to film and direct their performances and watch them back, in a cinematic environment, to experience the full process.
Please click the link below to see our drama learning journey.