Teachers of Drama
- Miss S Findlay
- Mrs M Harper (Head of Department)
- Mrs K S Phillips
Our Vision for Drama
Students at SJB study Drama to provide them with the ultimate opportunity to be creative. Through group work, students are encouraged out of their comfort zone and through creating and performing they are empowered to assert themselves, build confidence and gain life-long social skills.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Year 7 is a skills based year where students are introduced to the basic performance skills required in the subject. These skills will be formally assessed through practical assessments that take place every half-term. Students explore scripts; including ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’ and develop devising skills through topics like ‘Space Quest’. Our Shakespeare unit explores the play ‘The Tempest’ and students have so much fun getting used to Shakespearean language through insults, re-enacting shipwrecks and playing monsters!
Year 7 Drama Assessment Framework
Year 8
Year 8 Drama gives the students the opportunity to further develop the skills they were introduced to in Year 7 while introducing new units including Titanic, Monologues and Duologues, Silent Movies and the ghostly devising unit, Darkwood Manor! We also learn Stage Fighting skills through our Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. As with year 7, students will take a range of practical assessments every half-term.
Year 8 Drama Assessment Framework
Year 9
Year 9 aims to build on the skills learned in Year 7 and 8 and prepare students for the Drama GCSE. Through the Page to Stage unit, students have the opportunity to prepare an extract from a diverse range of scripts. Students develop their drama skills and experience through engaging units including; Cluedo, WW1 and Macbeth. We also introduce some key Drama practitioners for example; Brecht and Stanislavski. Assessments continue every half term.
Year 9 Drama Assessment Framework
Key Stage 4
Exam Board: AQA
Coursework/Practical exam: 60%
Exam: 40%
Exam Structure: 1 written exam in the summer of Year 11. 1 hour 45 minutes.
Link to specification: GCSE Drama Specification Specification for first teaching in 2016
Course Overview:
Our GCSE Drama offers students the opportunity to explore drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention. Students will create, perform and respond to drama informed by their theoretical knowledge of drama and theatre. Students will be given the opportunity to explore drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention. Students will create, perform and respond to drama informed by their theoretical knowledge of drama and theatre (see unit breakdown below). For the practical units students choose to work as performers or designers (design students may choose lighting, sound, set, costume or puppets). Students will be given numerous opportunities to go on theatre trips and work with actors and theatre professionals in school.
Component 1 worth 40%:
- Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre
- Study of one set play from a choice of six – we are doing Blood Brothers.
- Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers (including a trip to the theatre!)
Component 2 worth 40%:
- Process of creating devised drama
- Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer or designer) 20 marks
- Analysis and evaluation of own work (written coursework) 60 marks
Component 3 worth 20%:
- Performance of 2 extracts from a published play for an audience. No written coursework.
Key Stage 5
Exam Board: AQA
Coursework/Practical Work: 60%
Written Exam: 40%
Exam Structure: 1 x 3hr exam papers sat in the summer of Year 13
Link to specification: AQA | A-level | Drama and Theatre | Specification at a glance
Course Overview:
A Level Drama is a highly practical course that emphasises practical creativity alongside developing a deeper understanding of the theory of Drama. Students learn through experience, watching live theatre and creating theatre themselves. Students are introduced to a wide range of different drama genres and practitioners as they explore plays practically, and devise their own performances. Our students are very dedicated and are often rehearsing outside lessons.
As well as studying plays and practitioners, students will study the elements of theatre production (including performance and design) in order to learn how plays are brought to the stage. We have several theatre trips/workshops throughout the year, introducing the students to a range of different plays and styles.
Component 1: Written Exam 40% of A Level
Students are assessed on two set texts from a performance and design perspective. We study Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen and Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff. Students also write a Live Theatre Review analysing and evaluating a live theatre production.
Component 2: Practical with Coursework 30% of A Level
Students create a devised piece in the style of a chosen Drama practitioner. In recent years our students have chosen Frantic Assembly, The Paperbirds, John Godber and Brecht. A written Working Notebook accompanies the practical work. Internally assessed and moderated by the exam board.
Component 3: Practical with Coursework 30% of A Level
Students explore three extracts from three different scripts through teacher-led practical workshops and student-led research. Extract 3 is performed and assessed by a visiting examiner. Students also submit a Reflective Report documenting their exploration.