Head of Department
Mrs O McEwan (KS3/KS4/KS5)
Teaching Staff
Mrs Aine Crawford. (KS3)
Ms Julie Wilson (KS3)
Miss Amy O’Brien (KS3)
“If you tell me,
I will listen;
If you show me
I will see;
If you let me experience
I will understand”
- Lao Tzu
KS3
Drama is an art, a practical ability and an integrated discipline. It involves the creation of imagined characters and situations. A performance arts education which begins with play which may eventually include all the elements of theatre. Performance arts should enable our young people to make sense of the world. Drama is taught to all pupils in year 8, 9 and 10 for two periods every fortnight in Yr 9 and two periods per week in Yr8 and Yr10. Drama can also be used as a learning medium across the curriculum.
Drama lessons will see pupils exploring an idea in improvisation and articulating it in dramatic form. Through this process pupils will learn about the issues and dilemmas they are exploring but also how to manipulate the language of drama. We want to encourage the children to explore ideas creatively and take risks; we want to give them a freedom to learn.
Students follow a structured course and some schemes of work will deal with and address social and personal issues such as bullying, racism, drug abuse, parent/teenage relationships. We also explore theatre in a practical context including contemporary as well as historical plays.
Careers
Jobs directly related
Actor, Stage manager, Arts administrator, Drama teacher, Drama therapist, Television Production Assistant, Radio Presenter
Jobs where drama will be helpful
Sales, Youth and community worker, Personnel manager, Social worker, Journalist, Law, Marketing manager, Charities administrator, any job where you work with the public.
THERESE MULLAGHAN
FIRST IN GCSE DRAMA
DRAMA and THEATRE A2
Component 1: Devising
Non-examination assessment
40% of the qualification
Content overview
-
Devise an original performance piece.
-
Use one key extract from a performance text and a theatre practitioner as stimuli.
-
Centre choice of text and practitioner.
-
Performer or designer routes available.
Component 2: Text in Performance
Non-examination assessment
20% of the qualification
Content overview
-
A group performance/design realisation of one key extract from a performance text.
-
A monologue or duologue performance/design realisation from one key extract from a different performance text.
-
Centre choice of performance texts.
Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes
40% of the qualification
Content overview
-
Live theatre evaluation – choice of performance.
-
Practical exploration and study of a complete performance text – focusing on how this can be realised for performance.
-
Practical exploration and interpretation of another complete performance text, in light of a chosen theatre practitioner – focusing on how this text could be reimagined for a contemporary audience.
-
Centre choice of 15 performance texts from two lists on the next page.
-
Choice of eight practitioners.
Students Ready for A Level Practical Exam
Extra Curricular Activities
The Drama department will extend the curriculum beyond that offered in timetabled sessions.
1. There will be opportunities for pupils to pursue work over a longer time than usual within a lesson.
2. There will be opportunities to undertake work normally encountered in the timetable
3. There will be opportunities for visitors / specialists to work with the pupils
4. There will be opportunities to see productions
5. There will be auditions and performances
6. There will be opportunities to work with other year groups
Extra Curricular Rehearsals
The department offer rehearsals
Monday 3:15 - 4:10
Tuesday 3:15 - 4:10
Wednesday 3:15 - 4:10
Thursday 3:15 - 4:10