Drama
Drama is taught up to GCSE level and is a popular option choice. There are two subject teachers and one peripatetic member of staff.
Private Speech and Drama classes are available to pupils from Year 7 and above. Girls can be entered for examinations in spoken English, Acting or the speaking of Verse and Prose held by ‘The Guildhall School of Speech and Drama’ and ‘The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art’.
The aims of the department are:
- To develop enjoyment, understanding, skill and imagination in making and responding to drama
- To develop pupils’ confidence and skill in performing
- To enable pupils to become familiar with a body of knowledge, principles, skills, techniques and vocabulary related to drama, thus extending pupils’ awareness of drama as a major cultural feature
- To develop pupils’ understanding of how to analyse and appreciate drama as an art form
- To provide opportunities for pupils to experience live theatre
Years 7 – 9
Pupils in Years 7 – 9 receive one hour-long lesson of drama each week. Classes are timetabled in form groups.
The schemes of work for Years 7 – 9 introduce pupils to a wide range of performance styles. The aim is to develop pupils’ confidence in creating, performing and responding to drama. The curriculum is designed to provide structured progression, enabling pupils to access the higher-level skills required at GCSE level.
Units of work include: communication, improvisation, characterisation, melodrama, Macbeth, Greek Theatre, mask work and TIE.
Years 10 & 11
Pupils in Years 10 & 11 study the AQA syllabus, which encompasses a strong practical element (60%) in addition to a written examination (40%). Pupils will produce devised, improvised and scripted performances and will study a set text from a performance perspective. In addition, there will be opportunities to see live theatre productions and complete written reviews.
Results
The department’s results for 2009 were excellent. At GCSE 100% of candidates gained either an A* or an A grade.
Facilities
Drama is now taught in a new Drama Studio with a computerised lighting system.
Curriculum Enrichment
The department produces one annual school production, working with colleagues from other departments. Past productions include Pat and Margaret by Victoria Wood, My Fair Lady, Big Bang, Torchbearers and Joseph. We are currently working on our biggest musical yet, West Side Story due to be performed in Spring 2010.
In conjunction with the Music Department, we hold annual cabaret evenings to showcase the breadth of talent in music, drama and dance.
Junior Drama Club runs once a week is open to pupils in years 7 and 8. Alongside skill-based workshops, pupils also have the opportunity to work towards performances. Previous productions include Alice in Wonderland and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Senior Drama Club runs once a week and is open to pupils in years 9 – 13. Pupils have the opportunity to develop their performing skills and work towards whole-school productions, most recently the hugely successful play Pat and Margaret by Victoria Wood.
Drama Skills is a new club, introduced to specifically develop acting skills with workshops on physicality, voice, characterisation etc.
We organise regular theatre visits and arrange for theatre companies to visit the school. Most recently we have been to The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester to see A Taste of Honey and Oedipus and to The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays to see An Inspector Calls.
What our pupils say about drama
'The lessons are really exciting and dynamic and there’s always something going on in the lessons and at lunchtimes.'
'Drama is the lesson I look forward to all week.'
'Drama is a fun, challenging and thought-provoking subject.'
'Drama GCSE has been extremely rewarding. It has given us a chance to express ourselves and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.'
