Welcome to Drama

To introduce students to a range of theatre practitioners, to develop performance skills/techniques building each students confidence. To gain an understanding of a range of theatre performance styles and to introduce students to live theatre. To develop written/evaluation skills. To nurture a lifelong interest/ passion for theatre.

Implementation Key Principles:

• Performance - an exploration of various theatrical styles/genres. Students learn about the purpose of theatre and the roles and responsibilities involved in making theatre.
• This focuses on the performance knowledge and skills: technical, expressive, mental and physical skills; safe working practices.
• Devised theatre is the art of creating performances, the gathering and organisation of ideas and styles into order and pattern. This involves the ability to construct scenes and characters, in response to a chosen idea(s)/meaning(s)and theme(s). This must be clear to the observer/audience, effectively communicating the dramatic/artistic intention. These skills focus on group work, communication and developing structures and form.
• Appreciation – the ability to appreciate theatre styles, developments, and processes; using critical appreciation skills. Students learn to celebrate artistic creations; reflect to help with improvements for future performance work. The meaning of skills and drama techniques -e.g Vocal projection, physicality; understanding how to use techniques within their work -e.g staging, direct address, moving in unison, motif, action, space, dynamics, relationships,
• Content is rich, relevant and reflective of the diverse world in which we live.
• Learning is sequenced to enable young people to develop knowledge and skills.
• Literacy is explicitly delivered across the curriculum.
• Learning is adapted to support the specific needs of individuals.
• A sustainable approach is supported through the curriculum.
• Resilience is promoted for students by frequent (low stakes) assessment to inform teaching.

In classrooms, this may look like:

• Devised pieces performed by students.
• Extracts of Scripted text – that has been studied and developed by students. 
• Students developing their physical and technical performance skills.
• Practical task-based exercises.
• Independent practices focusing on rehearsal and refinement skills.
• Exploration of stimuli -looking at various ways to generate  ideas.
• Critical appreciation of peer work and feedback.
• Exploration of professional performance works analysing practitioners influences and creative processes and skills (across genres).
• Theatre History - A deepened understanding of professional influences and contributions to dance practices.
• Carefully planned shared schema, developed by experts and tailored by teachers to meet the needs of teaching groups
• DO NOW tasks drawing on prior learning and introducing work.
• Shared literacy and reading strategies in place, such as Inside Outside Beyond and whole class reading work
• Precise pedagogical decisions made for students with additional needs (EHCP, SEND K, PSP, Behavioral, PA) including additional adults, alternative resources or outcomes, seating arrangements, precise deployment of signature strategies
• Teaching which alters according to student understanding demonstrated both from assessment points and within lessons.

In work produced, this may look like:

• Performing: solo or ensemble performances using physical, technical, expressive, and mental skills.
• Devising: creating creative phrases/use of development and manipulation .
• Critical Appreciation: Do Now tasks, peer feedback, teacher feedback, written analysis and evaluations of professional performance works and student works.
• Regular feedback, which addresses knowledge or skills gaps
• Opportunities for conscious practise by students (reteach episodes, ‘fix-it’ sessions, revision)
• Opportunities for self and peer assessment, engaging with success criteria
• As relevant to course opportunities to engage with exam-style content
• Home learning will promote digital literacy in line with school strategy when necessary.

For students, this experience may include:

• Practical workshops led by professional practitioners and drama teaching staff
• Recorded performances in the classroom
• Live performance opportunities in the classroom
• Live performance opportunities outside the classroom.
• Consistent staffing in lessons with teachers who know them and similar learning journeys across year groups
• Regular opportunities to engage with feedback on progress (parents’ evenings, progress grades, reports, assessment feedback, in-class feedback, marking)
• A clear sense of the curriculum journey leading to CEIAG – how can you pursue this field of study? What might it lead you to?
• Where students are taught by professionals at the start of their career, they can expect additional adults in classes supporting through a range of strategies (live coaching, learning walks, observations, team teaching).

In evaluating the impact of our curriculum, we will consider:

• Outcomes data, BTEC Results, Additional qualifications (sports leaders, community languages, Entry level qualifications) and the performance of vulnerable groups within that data
• Destinations data at common points of transition from the school (Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5)
• Internal and external Quality Assurance processes (Ark review processes, governor accountability processes, internal audit processes, Ofsted)

The development of professionals into experts in their field through their work in supporting colleagues, supporting other schools, developing curriculum resource, becoming examiners etc.