Why do we learn drama?
Drama at BDA helps to develop our students to be well rounded individuals, giving them the opportunity to express themselves as well as fostering a creative appreciation for life. The subject is more than just nurturing the next generation of creative professionals. It is providing every student with the interpersonal skills required for their next steps, whatever direction they may take. Through a demanding and diverse curriculum, we aim to help students develop an appreciation of character, culture, confidence and creativity. We want students to be equipped with the confidence and strength to tackle life beyond BDA and Drama provides a space for this, through active and enjoyable lessons.
The development of students skill and approach will build throughout key stage three, beginning with the four fundamental skills of Drama. This provides students with a solid foundation, meaning they are equipped with the tools to succeed at GCSE and beyond.
We learn Drama at BDA to help ensure that our students are the ones ‘to make our world a better place’.
Our approach
At BDA, we are committed to sustaining the place of Drama in the school curriculum. Therefore, students will have one lesson per week in key stage three and three lessons a week in key stage four. Each year in key stage three is a progression and build of the previous, providing students with the opportunity for retrieval and continuous rehearsal of skill.
In Drama, students cover the skills needed to succeed on the GCSE course; appreciation, devising and acting skills. Students are introduced to a wide range of live theatre which we analyse to explore how lighting, sound, costume and set all help to convey the director’s intention. Students study a range of plays and explore how these can be realised from page to stage.
We believe it is important that Drama remains as dynamic as possible for students and they will be formatively assessed practically each half term, with two summative assessments that involve written practice. This is to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skill set to be successful in the GCSE exam.
Students can be expected to be practicing retrieval and rehearsal of key information at the beginning of each lesson, before warming up their bodies and voices. Students will then work collaboratively with peers to either devise or rehearse around the topic. Sharing and performing each lesson is actively encouraged for the development of students’ confidence and self-esteem.
Year 7 - Drama
| Autumn |
|---|
|
Introduction to explorative strategies Physical theatre Mime and Silent Movies Scriptwork - 'The Twits' / page to stage realisation / how to rehearse for examined performance |
| Does a performance need words to communicate meaning? |
| Spring |
|---|
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Live theatre - The National Theatre's 'Peter Pan' Understanding how lighting, sound, set and costume convey mood. Analysing key moments from performance in preparation for GCSE paper section B Analysing how features all work together to convey the directors intention Own designs for performance Appreciating live professional work. |
| How do the design features of a performance convey the mood of the scene? |
| Summer |
|---|
|
Time travel - exploring key parts of history using explorative drama strategies The Archbishop of Canterbury - freeze frame and though tracks Great fire of London - flashback and hot seating Guy Fawkes - role play, freeze frame and thought tracking Evacuees - role play, freeze frame, slow motion Selecting and editing work for performance. |
| How can we use explorative drama strategies to understand and empathise with key moments in history? |
Year 8 - Drama
| Autumn |
|---|
|
Using a stimulus (news paper article) to create drama Using explorative strategies (thought track, role play, slow motion) to explore a scene Empathising with characters in a a particular situation, understanding how to create and build tension in a scene. Introduction to Brecht and epic theatre; how to apply key startegies to drama work |
| Spring |
|---|
|
Live theatre - analysing the National Theatre's 'Wonder.land' Understanding how lighting, set, sound, costume convey mood Analysing key moments in performance in preparation for GCSE paper section B Analysing how features all work together to convey the directors intention Own designs for performance Practically exploring key themes and moments from production |
| How do the design features of a performance all work together to convey the key themes? |
| Summer |
|---|
|
West Side Story - physical theatre Set, lighting, sound, costume Off text improvisations The Wiz - analysing movement and design in key scenes Preparing own work for performance Designing own features of performance. |
| How can we apply the features of professional performance to our own work? |
Year 9 - Drama
| Autumn |
|---|
|
'Let Him Have It!' - exploring the real life court case of Craig and Bentley Using a topic and issue to create original drama Applying explorative drama strategies including flashback and brechtian strategies Understanding the contentious issues around capital punishment Refining and rehearsing work for performance |
| How can you create work that questions an audience about a moral debate? |
| Spring |
|---|
|
Live theatre - analysing 'Billy Elliot' Understanding how lighting, set, sound, costume convey mood Analysing key moments in performance in preparation for GCSE paper section B Analysing how features all work together to convey the directors intention Own designs for performance Practically exploring key themes and moments from production |
| How do the design features work together to present the director intention, era and convey mood? |
| Summer |
|---|
|
Preparing for GCSE unit 3 devised performance; revising explorative strategies and potential applications to devised work Exploring a current theme, topic or issue in the news Preparing original performance to question and challenge an audience. Applying Beachtian strategies to work. Selecting, editing, refining and rehearsing work for performance. Considering how design elements might support the performance intentions. |
| How can we prepare and original performance in direct response to a current issue in our world? |
Year 10 - Drama
| Autumn |
|---|
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My famous self - an introduction to GCSE drama Interpreting theatre - exploring the text Noughts and Crosses Live theatre - analysing existing performances from acting and design perspectives Introduction to component 1 of the GCSE - devising theatre |
| How are drama and theatre developed and performed? |
| Spring |
|---|
| Interpreting theatre - analysing Noughts and Crosses. Script work - exploring a range of styles |
| How do components come together to make an effective performance? |
| Summer |
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Introduction to component 1 of GCSE Drama - devising theatre Creating original theatre based on a given stimulus |
| What influences the creation of drama and theatre in today's world? |
Year 11 - Drama
| Autumn |
|---|
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Component 1: Devising Theatre. creation, rehearsal, performance and evaluation of an original piece of drama in response to a given stimulus Exam preparation - continuation of exploring and analysing set text |
| What makes an effective piece of original theatre in response to a given stimulus? |
| Spring |
|---|
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Component 2: Performing from a text. Interpreting and realising artistic intentions Exam preparation - how to effectively answer exam style questions |
| How should a script be interpreted for performance? |
| Summer |
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Exam preparation - revision for component 3 and addressing misconceptions. Component 3 exam |
| How should exam questions be structured in order to be answered effectively? |