In Key Stage 3 students will develop a range of skills which are based in performance and devising. They will also complete appreciation tasks which help develop their understanding of performance skills and communicative skills such as use of space and body and also costume, props and set and what an actor wants to communicate to an audience using these elements.

At KS3 the students take part in a ‘drama basics’ unit which looks at developing their basic skills and their ability to work independently and in a group. They then move on to exploring stories such as Roald Dahl’s ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ and ‘Matilda’. The students also cover other literary texts such as ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. They also look at genres such as Silent movies and Silent comedy, Shakespeare, films such as Harry Potter and themes such as Social Media.

At KS4 students can choose Drama as an option and will build on their basic knowledge and gain more depth of understanding of the subject. They look at monologues, a range of texts and also focus on enhancing their performance skills.

The students complete a VCERT certificate in Performance Skills where they develop their understanding of working in the Performing Arts. They will sit an exam at the start of Year 11 (unit 1) which is worth 40% of their overall grade. Then they begin work on Unit 2, ‘Preparing to Perform’. In this unit they will prepare an ensemble performance and a solo performance (monologue) for an audience. They will do this in response to an assignment brief (set by the exam board). They will then plan and prepare all aspects of their performance from costume needs to administration planning such as risk assessments and finding a suitable venue. The course offers a very hands-on approach to experiencing working in the performing arts. It requires the students to be able to work well in a group, be reliable and committed and imaginative.

Currently students have 1 lesson per fortnight and in this time will study:

• Drama Basics
• Roald Dahl
• Shakespeare
• Harry Potter

Drama Basics (recap)

• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Silent Movies and Silent Comedy
• Social Media
• An Inspector Calls

Drama Basics (developed from KS3)

• Baseline monologues
• Mugged by Andrew Payne
• Monologues
• Devising from a stimulus

DNA by Dennis Kelly

• Understanding roles and responsibilities of the performance industry
• Understanding National Organisations
• Understand how performance are promoted
• Understanding production planning
• Understanding rehearsal process
• Mock Exam

Unit 1 exam – Working in the Performing Arts Industry

Unit 2 – Planning and Performing

• Understanding how to respond to a live performance brief
• Understanding pre-production and production roles
• Understanding rehearsal and development of material
• Understanding how to present to an audience
• Understand how to review a live performance