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Drama
Head of Subject: Mrs Helen McGovern
Welcome to the Drama department, we have a strong reputation as a successful subject across the school and wider community. Encouraging and developing students to grow in confidence, consider life from different perspectives and learn numerous performance skills.
Drama curriculum intent
Drama strives to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate, gain knowledge, develop skills and understand the world around them. Drama allows our students to challenge, question and reflect upon their own opinions and values and respect the views of others. The curriculum is ambitious and encourages the students to develop their cultural capital and understanding of the wider world we live in. Students are able to explore a variety of creative styles and genres, developing a sense of pride, personal identity and confidence. Drama develops the student's interpersonal skills and stimulates their imagination to explore issues, beyond their own experience, in a safe and supportive environment. Drama exploration provides an outlet for emotions, creativity, imagination, thoughts and reflection, giving students time to experiment and establish a range of roles and stories. Strong relationships and a safe classroom environment offer the students time to discuss and experiment with their own skill set.
The department is a vibrant, lively and integral part of the school offering a varied and extensive extra-curricular program. The department has had many successes within the school environment but especially within the community as whole.
We have 2 performances spaces:
- D2 – A dance studio with mirrors and changing room
- D1 – Performance space with the lighting and sound equipment. This space is used for School Production
Both spaces have a changing a room where students are expected to leave bags, coast, blazers, shoes and socks. Students work bare feet in the space and can wear a dance/drama/jazz/ballet shoe.
Projects we participate in are:
- Drama Secondary Showcase at the Hall for Cornwall
- RSC partnership
- School productions
- Redruth’s Got Talent
- Creative arts showcase/evening
- GCSE exam work showcase
- Performances and workshops with The Hall for Cornwall
The department consistently achieves a high level of academic achievements within KS4
The department has 2 members of staff and two technicians:
- Mrs McGovern - Head of Drama
- Miss Cumes – Drama teacher
- Mr Dryburgh – Creative Arts Technician
- Mrs Grose – Creative Arts Technician
What does the Key Stage 3 drama curriculum look like?
KS3 has exciting and varied topics whilst learning techniques, styles and genres
Year 7 topics
Term 1 Coast
Team skills – Compromise, listening, cooperation, leading, directing, suggesting and developing ideas.
Basic drama techniques – Using still image, movement, mime and script.
Term 2 The Changeling
Stimulus – Using pictures and story to explore prejudice.
Basic drama techniques – Using still image, thought tracking, defining the space and mime.
Term 3 Space
Character – Creating a character using facial expressions, voice, gestures, movement and space.
Staging and script – Learning the different staging patterns and applying one to a piece of script.
Year 8 topics
Term 1 Secret Agents
Using props, music, different scenarios and a variety of group sizes to devise characters and short scenes.
Term 2 Mime and Movement
Exploring mime and comedy using the influences of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. Creating and choreographing a double act – Can you make us laugh?
Term 3 Script
Using a range of scripts from Loop script to Shakespeare through these scripts they will explore – Precision, cues, staging patterns and areas, character and adapting script for a modern audience.
Year 9 topics
Term 1 Devising
Using the theme of Gothic Horror to explore and develop their own pieces of theatre.
Term 2 Physical Theatre
Learning to work as an ensemble and create essence machines, personifying objects and script.
Term 3 Conflict and diversity
Applying Forum theatre techniques to explore conflict and different people’s perspective of the same situation. Exploration of diversity using the noughts and crosses play.
Students have folders which include writing in role, assessment and feedback
No homework is set in drama.
Drama Club runs every Wednesday 3-4 pm for KS3 in D2 (This will differ whilst School Production runs)
Tech Club runs every Tuesday lunchtime in D1
All KS3 are welcome to take part in The School Production
What does the Key Stage 4 drama curriculum look like?
GCSE Drama (Eduquas/WJEC)
How is the GCSE in Drama assessed?
The GCSE in Drama is made up of 3 units:
- Unit 1 Practical = 10% of Final Grade
- Unit 1 Supporting Evidence = 20% of Final Grade
- Unit 1 Evaluation = 10% final grade
- Unit 2 Practical = 20% of Final Grade
- Unit 3 1 1/2hour written exam = 40% of Final Grade
Year 11
During Year 11 students will have two practical opportunities for friends and family to come and support and watch their performance work.
Students will be expected to find additional rehearsal time after school to work on improving and refining their performance work.
How can you support Drama learning at home?
- Take them to view live theatre and live streamed performances
- Buy programmes and texts to support their subject knowledge and interest
- Visit websites to explore and research
- Support their commitment in school productions and KS4 rehearsals
- Download apps linked to their learning for example editing apps and music/sound apps
Websites
- www.eduquas
- www.tremough
- www.miracle
- www.hallforcornwall
- www.bbc.bitesize
