Department: Drama
KS3
Curriculum Implementation:
Our curriculum is designed to develop creative, expressive, and reflective learners who possess the knowledge, skills and understanding to communicate in a variety of ways. Pupils will express thoughts and communicate feelings through a range of activities, with practical exploration built into each lesson as well as regular opportunities to provide both verbal and written peer performance feedback. Furthermore, at KS3 we also focus on developing skills in group work, devising and performance from script, which follows the same structure of the KS4 GCSE course where skills in devising, script work, performance, written research and live theatre evaluation are assessed – which means full preparation is given throughout KS3 for those students choosing to go on to study Drama at GCSE and beyond. Throughout the KS3 Learning Journey, pupils follow a topic curriculum that develops their skills as a deviser, performer, and audience member. Pupils are supported in developing their confidence as they learn a number of key drama skills which they will then use to structure effective performance pieces. Transferable skills such as teamwork, time management, focus and control are integral to each lesson. Depending on the task, pupils work individually, in pairs, small groups and even as a whole class.
Monitoring and Assessing Curriculum Impact:
Monitoring student’s progress takes place within 3 assessment points across the year. These assessments are practical.
KS4
Curriculum Implementation:
Our curriculum is organised in line with the specification requirements for the Edexcel Drama GCSE course, focusing on developing knowledge, understanding and the skills in the fundamental elements of the subject – creating, performing and evaluating. The Learning Journey is designed and sequenced in a way that ensures all skills learnt are then repeated and further developed across the 2 years at KS4, thus reinforcing and embedding essential skills in order to achieve in the GCSE course.
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/drama-2016.html
Monitoring and Assessing Curriculum Impact:
Year 10 - Monitoring student’s progress takes place within 6 assessments across the year, inclusive of school calendar mock examinations and one internally assessed component in the GCSE course.
Year 11 – Monitoring student’s progress takes place both on internal assessment points and in the school calendar. The nature of the GCSE course is such that students are internally and externally assessed across various points in Year 11, not just in the public examinations at the end of the school year. Regular opportunities within lessons and homework tasks are given for students to mock-practise elements of each exam component, as well as regular use of past exam papers in order for students to have a chance to monitor their own progress.
KS5
Curriculum Implementation:
Our curriculum is organised in line with the specification requirements for the Edexcel Drama A-Level course, focusing on developing a deeper knowledge, understanding and skill set needed to access to fundamental elements of the subject – creating, performing and evaluating. Teachers in the department deliver schemes in their specialisms that encourage creativity, subjectivity and a strong sense of reflection and evaluation. Having worked in the professional theatre industry as actors, designers and practitioners, our department's specialist teachers utilise their industry insight to also support those wanting to study Drama in a place of Higher Education.
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/drama-and-theatre-2016.html
Monitoring and Assessing Curriculum Impact:
Year 12 - Monitoring students' progress takes place within 6 assessments across the year, inclusive of school calendar mock examinations and one internally assessed component in the A-Level course.
Year 13 – Monitoring students' progress takes place both on internal assessment points and in the school calendar. The nature of the A-Level course is such that students are internally and externally assessed across various points in Year 11, not solely within the public examinations at the end of the school year. Regular opportunities within lessons and homework tasks are given for students to mock-practise elements of each exam component, as well as regular use of past exam papers in order for students to have a chance to monitor their own progress.
