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Arts for All

The Performing Arts Faculty aims to encourage and develop creativity, sensitivity and confidence in all students. We actively seek to promote an understanding of personal and social values, culture and the world around us. Together, with our students, we explore the ways in which ideas can be communicated and shared through performance mediums.

The faculty provides a wide variety of learning opportunities that enable all students to establish a knowledge and understanding of Dramatic and Performance Art forms. As well as academic and practical study we promote expression and performance as a learning tool through which students are encouraged to explore ideas, wider cultures and the world around them.

In providing students with many performance experiences we value and celebrate their talent and hard work as they grow and develop into skilled, creative and confident students, who enjoy learning and value their culture and the Arts.

Learning Journeys: Drama

Click/ tap on the years below to see the relevant learning journeys diagrams.

Clicking on the buttons below will download a PDF including a further breakdown of topics covered in the subject:

Curriculum Aims

• Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically and evaluate effectively.
• Students gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas, reflect and refine their work.
• Students develop a wide range of theatrical skills through devising and exploring scripted plays.
• Students’ knowledge of roles and processes within a contemporary theatre are secure.
• Students have the understanding to direct performances using theatrical conventions and vocabulary.
• Students can perform a range of characters, movement and physical theatre with accuracy confidence and understanding.

Within the arts faculty we have continuously been awarded the highest accreditation of Arts Mark Gold. Recognising the range of extra-curricular opportunities and professional experiences we offer our students. Our department have a partnership with Liverpool’s Everyman and Playhouse Theatre, who regularly offer workshops and shows for our students to engage with. We ran a collaborative project with the award winning theatre company 20 Stories High, who commended our students on their standard of performance and level of professionalism. Students have showcased their work at many venues throughout the country from Leicester Curve Theatre to Liverpool’s Playhouse. GCSE students recently had the opportunity to perform on stage in a workshop at The Lowry Theatre with some of the cast from the highly acclaimed Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Students often continue to study performing arts with many carving out a career in this area. Our teaching staff create a spark in students that once ignited never goes out.

Within our department we have two Drama specialists. Mrs Lipton our Head of Drama is an accredited Advanced Skills Teacher in Performing Arts. Mrs Lipton is also head of the Expressive Arts Faculty and is responsible for all our outreach work and annual performances. Mrs Lipton specialises in musical theatre, theatre practitioners, devising and playwrights. Miss Teresczczenko is a Drama specialist with over 9 years’ teaching experience. She specialises in physical theatre, performing scripted plays, devising and theatre practitioners. Drama is taught for 1 hour per week in years 7 and 8. Once students have opted for the subject students study for 2 hours per week until they take their examination in their final year. We have two drama studios.

Enrichment

Drama Club – This is run by a team of highly gifted and talented students, under close staff supervision. Students produce a range of performances annually for various purposes. The drama club often perform at the carol service and our annual garden party. This is a fun club with a clear purpose and outcome where students make many new friends and gain confidence. There is never ending laughter and smiles at the Drama club.

Musical Theatre Club – Our annual musical takes place within the first half term. Students work tirelessly to produce performances that are highly professional and entertaining. All students enjoy the sense of team work and family that comes with working so closely with their peers and teachers. Many new friendships are formed and they get a huge sense of achievement at the end of each show.

Reading Beyond the Classroom

• Years 7 -9
• Years 10-11

Students have two timetabled homework’s for Drama each week. This predominantly takes the form of extended pieces of work, drafted and executed over time to prepare for written exams, portfolios or in some cases controlled tests. The students are under close supervision from teaching staff who support drafts in their preliminary stages, monitor progress and provide targets for improvement re: curricular target criteria.

Possible homework/coursework tasks:

• Script writing
• Character charts and research
• Writing (extensively) in role
• Practical coursework and performance evaluation
• Theatre visits
• The learning of set scripts
• Written response to character
• Theatre review
• Learning log entry

External Links (click on the picture to be taken to the relevant Website)

AQA: This is the exam board for our new GCSE Drama course. On the website you can download the specification for further information on the course.

BBC BITESIZE: BBC Bitesize gives guidance on specific drama vocabulary and techniques.

EVERYMAN & PLAYHOUSE THEATRES: A link to our theatre partners to see local performance news and upcoming shows.