Drama Key Stage 4
Vision
Inspiring students to be authentically themselves. To be creative through the realms of embodying characters, communicating ideas through expression and language. To be fully ALIVE.
Curriculum Overview
Sequencing, Setting and Support
As some students will not have had the opportunity to explore any part of performing during their time at SMRT it is crucial that during in the first term, we focus on key performance skills. Once we have covered the basics of this and each student feels confident, we then go on to work on theatre practitioners which link to the C2 exam. Students devise a piece of theatre based on a stimulus and will write coursework alongside this. This is 40% of the GCSE and is completed in year 10. As well as this, students will begin to study the set text of Noughts and Crosses. This is a diverse play and opens healthy discussions and debates. We teach the students how to answer exam-based questions on this play over the course of both year 10 and 11. This allows them to go into the C1 written exam at the end of the course feeling confident.
In year 11 students will be focussing on the theatre practitioner Stanislavski. This is to prepare them for their scripted C3 exam where an examiner from AQA will come into school and mark their work. Students will rehearse and perform two scenes from a play. They will research the play and character in great depth in order to achieve a realistic and naturalistic performance.
There is no setting in GCSE Drama.
As Drama is an extremely creative support, we fully believe every student has access to achieve their full potential. Students will be supported throughout the course and will be listened to and valued, always. LSA’s will be on hand for high needs students who we work very closely with to ensure their needs are met, and they are fulfilling the most out of the course.
Alive Themes in Drama
Assessment in Drama
Homework and how Parents/Carers Support Learning
All homework is set on Bromcom which is an app and website available to students and parents/carers. Further information is available on our Homework page.
These are the principles which underpin our homework.
In GCSE Drama, homework in the first two terms are based on research of Theatre Practitioners and skill - this is to aid the first 40% of the GCSE exam (component 2, creating live theatre). Students will receive teacher and peer feedback daily and then be asked to blog their feedback and then bring this back the following lesson to review and improve. Students will be asked to research and present their findings to the group, this will also receive feedback both from peers and teachers.
Students will be set mock questions based on their learning of the C1 set text (Noughts and Crosses) and will be asked to do practise questions for homework which are then marked and given feedback. This happens throughout the course.
Rehearsals take place after school and during some lunchtimes for upcoming performances where students will receive 1:1 time with a teacher in-order to improve their pieces. This can also happen outside of school hours leading up to exam performance.
Homework is set verbally and via Bromcom.