Ms K Don BA(Drama); BEd Hons Head of Department
Miss L Hunkin BA
Ms C McClean BA; MA

Our Aims

To encourage each pupil to gain confidence and self-belief.

To encourage pupils to work safely, considerately and productively in groups of various sizes, in pairs or individually.

To encourage each pupil to explore and investigate the world of theatre, from its origins to the present day through literature, the media, workshops, improvisation and theatre trips.

To teach each pupil the fundamental concepts of rehearsal and performance developing their knowledge with each key stage.

To encourage creativity and expression.

To safely guide the pupils in all technical and backstage aspects such as rigging and designing stage lighting, sound and stage management, prop designing and making, costume and make up design, even publicity and front of house management.

To develop a practical and theoritical understanding of various theatre practitioners, theatrical styles and theatrical developments.

Resources

• A large hall and working stage with sound and lighting equipment.
• An extensive costume and props store.
• Audio/visual equipment.
• A wide range of DVDs and texts tailored to the needs of each key stage.

Extra Curricular Activities

• A large-scale, annual school play
• Regular regional and national theatre trips for all key stages
• Workshops with actors/theatre companies, both in-house and off-site.
• Occasional visits from casting agencies for TV/film work
• Year 9 Production Week, (a week off timetable in which to audition, rehearse and perform a show or play to a live audience).
• Play Days and Post-performance Workshops in local theatres.
• Additional One Act Festivals or Shakespeare Schools Festival performances where appropriate
  

Years 7 - 9

• A wide range of skills are taught offering the progressive study of a variety of skills and concepts.
• The pupils follow a practical course which enables them to devise and present drama and to study and appreciate it.
• The pupils explore a wide range of theatrical styles genres and techniques.
• We aim to provide the pupils with a firm foundation from which they can choose to develop their skills into GCSE Drama and AS/A2 Theatre Studies.

The table below shows some of the technical vocabulary to be covered throughout the course.

• spoken thought
• mime
• facial expressions
• eye contact
• role
• empathy
• suspension of disbelief
• narrator
• soundscape
• whole group image
• spontaneous
• improvisation
• audience awareness
• group work
• still images
• role play
• evaluation
• unison

• status
• accepting/blocking
• teacher in role
• flashback
• hot-seating
• characterisation
• space
• proscenium
• stock character
• stereotype
• non-naturalistic
• duologue
• genre
• motivation
• over-the-top acting
• Melodrama
• focus
• projection

Years 10 - 11

• GCSE AQA Drama 4240:www.aqa.org.uk
• Coursework 60% Written paper 40%
• Coursework:
• Pupils will work on several modules throughout the two years, two of which will be used as final coursework.
• Each module consists of three parts:
• Part 1 is work in progress and is an evaluation of the pupil’s practical work in rehearsal.
• Part 2 is the final presentation and is a demonstration of the pupil’s practical skills, (usually in Acting).
• Pupils will also undertake practical work that is both scripted and unscripted.
• Written Paper:
• Students must answer Section A and either Section B or C.
• Section A - Questions on practical work copmleted during the course.
• Section B - Questions on the study and performance of a scripted play.
• Section C - Questions on the study of a live theatre perfomance seen. 
  
• Pupils will undertake practical work that is scripted and unscripted.
• Each section will ask them to explore the work from the perspective of a director, designer or actor.

Post 16

• AQA Drama and Theatre Studies: http://www.aqa.org.uk/
• AS Level:
• Unit 1(60%): Live Theatre Seen and Pescribed Play -written.
• Section A - Response to Live theatre seen during the course
• Section B - The study of a set text (A Doll's House  by Henrik Ibsen). Pupils are required to interpret the text from different performacne perspectives
• Unit 2 (40%): Presentation of an Extract form a Play - practical.
• Performacne by the group of an extract of a published play using the influence and style of a chosen theatre practitioner. The assessment also includes the pupils' preparatory and development work and supporting notes.
• A2 Level:
• Unit 3 (30% of A Level): Further Pescribed Plays including Pre-Twentieth Century - written.
• A study of two further set plays -
• The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni
• A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller.
• Unit 4 (20% of A Level): Presentation of a Devised Drama  – practical.
• The performance by the group of a devised drama. The assessment includes the pupils' preparatory and development work and supporting notes.