Drama

Head of Department Mr Halford-Pollard

Year 7

Drama Foundations.

In this module students learn the key knowledge on which future learning within the subject is based. These consist of: playing a character different from yourself, still image, scene transitions, ‘The Classic Narrative’ structure, using the whole stage space, mime, the importance of non-verbal communication, making work clear for an audience, using slow motion to ‘mark the moment’, creating contrast in pace, ‘Actor as object’, performing with energy and commitment.

Darkwood Manor.

This module is primarily focused on using the ‘Drama Foundation’ skills within a narrative context. There is a focus on giving peer feedback to develop students oracy and understanding of how meaning is created for an audience. In addition students are introduced to the following new skills: narration, use of pace, pitch, pause and volume, multi-role, flashback, fastforward, body language, posture, facial expression, whole class drama, teacher and pupil in role, thoughts aloud and ideas of the theatre practitioner Brecht.

The Box.

The overarching focus of this module is on using Drama to develop a narrative around a character and their circumstances. This is about the process of exploring ideas through Drama. This is balanced with using ‘Drama Foundation’ skills and developing the following new performance skills: ensemble movement with music, thought tracking, an introduction to creating dramatic tension for an audience. Whole class Drama and Pupil in role, introduced in the previous module, are re-visited and built upon. There is an increased focus on students feeding back and evaluating work.

Mime & Movement

This module focuses on developing a deeper skill level in and understanding of mime and movement. This includes an introduction to mask work, movement with music, creating silent movie’s, building on some of Brects performance ideas. There is also a focus on analysing how meaning is created in performance.

Dystopia 3084.

This scheme of work focuses on using Drama as a medium to explore themes, issues, characters and circumstance. It does this by focusing on explorative strategies in response to a text based stimulus. In addition students recap much of the knowledge and skills which they have been acquiring over the academic year. There is also an end of year extended devising and performing project

Year 8

TiE Stimulus Performance Project.

Students learn to create their own performance work over an extended timeframe while learning and refining their knowledge and skills within a creative context.

Students finalise their work and perform their pieces. From this they will learn how to apply their Drama skills in context as well as gaining knowledge of how to create large scale project work over a sustained time period. They will gain experience of performing extended work.

Expressionism.

This module introduces students to the expressionism genre of theatre. Students learn about and explore the ideas of the British theatre practitioner Stephen Berkoff. The focus is on creating work that looks at moments of real life from the perspective of a characters mind. This involves a detailed rehearsal process with a focus on timing and precision.

The Life and Times of Sam Smart.

This aim of this module is primarily to to use the skills and knowledge introduced in the ‘Expressionism’ module to create sophisticated performance work within a narrative framework. Performance skills are ‘layered’ to allow students to create some complex work. A tight time frame for creative tasks increases the level of challenge. The concept of ‘abstract performance’ is also introduced. Students deconstruct how meaning has been created in own and peer performance work.

Refining Acting Skills & Staging Script.

Students learn how to assign and convey status to a character, how to create dramatic tension and subtext and how to develop a character. They gain experience of staging a script and applying their knowledge to their realisation of it.

The Story of Anna Brooks.

Students explore characters and circumstances based on a real life occurrence. This unit of work uses the Drama medium to develop students understanding of characters and theme. Once understanding has been developed students create an end of year performance which is designed to draw on all of their skills and knowledge developed over the course.

Year 9

Practitioners, theatre companies and Devising Dramatic Work.

Students learn about Berkoff, Brecht and Frantic Assembly their techniques in practise and key terminology. Students also learn how to structure a focused written paragraph when writing about dramatic work in performance.

Devising Drama.

This project enables students to learn how to respond to a stimulus in a GCSE way in preparation for component 1 of their GCSE. Students conduct research which informs their practical work. They will learn how to select appropriate styles to communicate meaning to an audience.

Scripts and Genres.

Students will work on a range of script extracts by different authors, time periods and genres. They will learn how to interpret them and make staging decisions. They will increase their knowledge of authors and genres as well as increasing their practical experience in working with scripts.

Presenting and Performing Texts.

Students work on performing an extract from a play text for example ‘The Exam’ by Andy Collins. They gain experience and knowledge of how to develop and refine a performance of a real script over a sustained project with a view a view to giving a high quality performance. This prepares students for the demands of the Unit 3 performance exam.

The Monologue Project.

The focus of the module is to gain the knowledge of how to rehearse with a script to create a high quality and detailed performance work (this supports both practical coursework and exam assessments). They will also gain valuable live performance experience to prepare them for future performances and potentially for auditions.

Devised Performance Project.

Students will practice responding to stimuli set by OCR for a previous GCSE cohort. They will create a focused performance in response which they will perform at the ‘Stanfest’ arts festival. Students will learn to devise creatively within thematic and time constraints. They will also build the performance experience in preparation for GCSE performance assessment. Students learn to evaluate their own performance work analytically in preparation for GCSE coursework.

Year 10

Blood Brothers Set Text Practical Exploration.

The best way to get an intimate knowledge of a playtext, it’s characters and themes is through a journey of creative practical exploration. Students learn the minutiae and layers of scenes and characters and make decisions about how they would direct a scene or play a particular character in performance.They also learn about lighting, sound and set design and apply this knowledge to developing their own interpretation of the play. They answer written questions on the play to support this knowledge development and prepare them for the demands of the GCSE written exam.

Staging a Play (mock component 3 Exam Project)

In ‘Theatre Company’ groups students work on interpreting a complete play and staging selected sections of it. Students have have to understand the text, characters and context of the play as a whole and show this knowledge in performance. They have to work in creative collaboration learning and developing the skills needed to create a successful outcome. They also produce a written portfolio of the process that evaluates and documents processes and the creative journey.

Component 1 Devising Coursework & Portfolio (30% of GCSE). Work collaboratively to create, develop, perform and evaluate their own
piece of devised drama as either performers or designers. Performance exam takes place this half term and written coursework is due in after the summer break.

Year 11

Component 4 Written Exam Blood Brothers Set Text.

Students review play and themes and sit a mock exam. Year 11 theatre visit to support the live theatre extended writing question in the final written exam.

Component 4 Written Exam.

Preparation and practice for extended writing the live theatre review question.Component 3 Presenting and Performing Texts. Learners develop and apply theatrical skills in acting or design by presenting a showcase of two extracts from a performance text.

Component 3 Presenting and Performing Texts.

Learners develop and apply theatrical skills in acting or design by presenting a showcase of two extracts from a performance text.

Component 3 Presenting and Performing Texts.

Examination by visiting examiner (30% of GCSE). – Component 4 revision and exam question practice.

Component 4 revision

Exam question practice and exam technique for summative assessment (40% of GCSE)