Drama

 

The drama curriculum is aspirational because it supports a practical exploration of content, developing the knowledge and wisdom of its students through its application in group work, alongside reflection and evaluation of self and peers. Challenging learners to build in confidence and creativity through practical outcomes encourages higher aspirations over time, with scaffolding and differentiation in content over the stages of learning. Students will explore cultural issues, historical periods, theatrical practice/practitioners and a published play within their study of Drama showing that an appreciation of the arts aids learning in multiple areas across the curriculum and a wider knowledge and understanding of the world beyond the classroom. The main value of Drama at Manshead CE Academy is to create and develop students who are intuitive, creative, resilient, innovative, self-motivated and who challenge common misconceptions, opening up a world of expression and setting them up with the skills needed for a wide range of employment opportunities.  

 

The drama curriculum serves our pupils by implementing consistent expectations and structures in lessons through group work, peer feedback and assessment develop compassionate learners whose respect for each other can be demonstrated through their communication, work ethic, theatre etiquette and evaluation. Drama at Manshead CE Academy is fully inclusive and develops every child’s ability to work cooperatively and creatively in a safe and supportive environment. It gives students a variety of skills sought after by employers and universities as well as growing them as a member of a wider community through group work, communication and enhancing self-confidence through various situations. The Drama department offers a program of learning beyond the classroom. Our biggest project is the annual whole school production which is offered to students in all year groups within the school. The production encourages students to be involved both on and off stage with our school community running the technical, backstage and set design each year. This huge collaboration breaks down barriers and inhibitions between year groups and is a huge reward for all involved. 

 

The drama curriculum allows our pupils to flourish by assisting in the creation of emotionally mature and well-rounded individuals whose experience of collaboration, performance and creativity will provide them with the knowledge they will need to lead teams, communicate effectively in business, present their ideas and concepts with confidence and tenacity and the resilience to get feedback and come back stronger. Students will complete their studies having learnt how to devise, appraise, empathise, collaborate and create performances, encouraging them to think outside the box through the freedom of their own expression. Throughout the year, Drama clubs for specific year groups offer further challenge and opportunity for those wanting to further their Drama experience.   

 

Theatre trips are arranged by the department at each Key Stage to allow access to professional work, inspire student practice and reward our hard-working community.  

 

Sequencing in Drama 

The curriculum  begins with the foundations of basic skills within year 7. These skills are then expanded on, developed and challenged throughout the following key stages. In every year group we study a play text to support the heavy emphasis of understanding the process of putting text into performance within the subject.  

Year 7	‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’
Year 8	‘Bugsy Malone’
Year 9	‘Blood Brothers’
Year 10	‘Macbeth’
Year 11	Teacher chooses modern text to suit student’s strengths.
Year 12	Students choose practitioner text.  Two contrasting Shakespeare extracts.
Year 13	Students choose film script.

Throughout Key Stage 3 students are introduced to and explore a variety of genres and performance styles to lay the foundations of devising and creating theatre. This is then developed into Key Stage 4 and 5 through the analysis and application of methodologies, conventions and techniques.  

Year 7	Pantomime – stock characters, audience participation and exaggeration.  Darkwood Manor – creating suspense and tension through storytelling.
Year 8	Silent Movie – slapstick, clowning, placards, use of mime to create character and narrative.   Devising – using stimuli to inspire original ideas applying skills and techniques explored in lessons.
Year 9	Billy’s Story – cross cutting – creating non-linear narratives to develop complex storylines and multi-faceted characters. Using music to enhance atmosphere.  Masks – a focus on physicality and the basics of mask work.  Practitioners: Stanislavski, Brecht, Frantic Assembly, Verbatim (Paper Birds) – an introduction to key performance styles and the techniques needed to create work specific to their methodologies and practices.  Devising – applying methods and techniques explored throughout the year to create an original and substantial performance.
Year 10	Live Performance (mock) – using the building blocks of previous years alongside responses to professional theatre, students devise work suitable for exam expectations. As a mock, this unit allows for practice, refinement and reflection of strengths and weaknesses.   Masks – observing professional theatre companies use of masks and analysing their impact. Developing an original piece of theatre whilst designing and creating own mask for performance.
Year 11	Live Performance – reflecting on previous feedback and evaluation, using lessons learnt to develop a performance with clarity in genre and style to be examined externally.
Year 12	Approaches to Acting – studying the works of four key historical performance methods; Naturalism, Epic Theatre, Total Theatre and Physical Theatre.  Puppetry - observing professional theatre companies use of puppetry and analysing their impact. Developing an original piece of theatre whilst designing and creating puppets for performance.
Year 13	Performance Preparation – a culmination of knowledge and experience in the arts demonstrated through choice of design role alongside an acting audition. Reflecting on individual strengths and areas for development to ensure a confident and analytical response.

  

  

Adaptive Teaching in Drama 

This is seen through individual outcomes, teacher groupings, weekly teacher, self or peer feedback, modelling, clear and accessible success criteria, student rehearsal and polish time alongside a heavy focus on student independent practice and reflection.  

  

Spirituality in Drama  

 

This is imbedded through:  

 Creativity:   

Drama allows students to celebrate personal, individual and group creativity. It allows for students to refine and evaluate thoughts, feelings, emotions and creative works. Drama allows students to show delight in sound, voice and movement. Through performance, Drama creates a sense of pride, joy and achievement. Drama makes links between subjects like History and English, and this can support a more meaningful creative process. By considering how people feel, drama can move people deeply as they become absorbed in the creative processes.  

 

Forming Relationships:   

Drama allows an individual to work together in a team and reflect on and shape creative ideas, thoughts and expressions. Students work with a wide variety of people, and this deepens human connection, leading to a greater sense of self as well as the innate understanding of the strengths and differences between people. By experiencing drama, students gain a greater sense of the viewpoints, motives and emotions of others and are able to gain empathy and express themselves.  Drama allows people to co-operate with and take on roles that can boost their own self confidence and self-belief. By working together, drama strengthens the bonds of a community and allows for satisfying and worthwhile relationships to be formed and maintained. Drama in the wider school community develops resilience and inner strength alongside an awareness of and responding to the needs and wants of others.   

  

  

Learning Beyond the Classroom 

 

Drama is not only seen in the extra-curricular opportunities and theatre trips provided by the department for students in all year groups, but on a much wider scale through the more holistic development of our students. Drama’s fundamental values help to promote empathy, teamwork, problem solving, communication skills, organisation, creativity, resilience, commitment and the opportunity to work towards a common goal whilst supporting and encouraging others. These skills aid the development of well-rounded and confident students who can go into the world of work with an appreciation of self-worth, the ability to ‘think outside the box’ and communicate their ideas and concepts to others in a multitude of situations. 

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring    1	Spring    2	Summer   1	Summer   2
Year 7	Spy School	Pantomime	Darkwood Manor	Performing Text   ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’	Dr Duban	Journey to the Forbidden Island
Year 8	Silent Movie		Performing Text   ‘Bugsy Malone’		Devising
Year 9	War – Billy’s story	Performing Text      ‘Blood Brothers’	Working with Masks	Practitioners:   Stanislavski   Brecht   Frantic Assembly   Verbatim	Devising        Live performance
Year 10	Performing Text   Classic          Macbeth		External    Live Performance (mock)      Professional theatre company workshops		Masks and Puppetry
Year 11	Performing Text   Modern      Teacher chosen texts		External    Live Performance (official)      Professional theatre company workshops		External    Live Performance
Year 12	Approaches to Acting      Planning a Career		Elizabethan theatre      Planning a Career		Puppetry      Planning a Career
Year 13	Vocal Techniques      Acting for Camera		Performance Preparation      (External Assessment)		Performance Preparation