Drama & Theatre Studies
Curriculum, vision and aims.
Drama and Theatre Studies provides students the opportunity to explore contemporary and historical issues in a creative, practical and critical way. Across three key-stages, the Drama department builds on prior knowledge from across other curriculum areas, developing a breadth and depth of transferrable life skills.
In Year 9, students are introduced to the fundamental building blocks of drama and theatre, from the origins of story-telling and performance, to modern-day practitioners who are pioneering exciting and innovative ways to explore and understand the world.
Teaching and learning is a combination of practical, independent work and theoretical approaches to creating drama, interpreting meaning, and making evaluation and judgement. Students build up a comprehensive repertoire of acting skills through live performance, along with improving self-confidence, collaborative working, self-reflection and teamwork. Using higher order thinking encourages students to actively engage with and take responsibility for their own learning and progress.
Into Key Stages 4 and 5, dramatists study three distinct, complementary components which further develop their fundamental knowledge and understanding. We follow the AQA exam specification for both, studying set texts, creating original drama, analysing and evaluating the work of others, and performing scripted work for a live audience.
Despite being considered a practical performance subject, drama and theatre is also highly academic; theory and practice is deeply embedded into the curriculum design, allowing students to understand what, how and why theatre makers communicate meaning. The subject is highly desired by Russell Group universities as it evidences a broad, balanced programme of study, providing students with the range of skills that are transferrable to further and higher education, as well as the world of work.
Outside of the classroom, we offer a broad range of extra-curricular activities, from: drama club, theatre visits, residential experiences, competition opportunities, practitioner workshops and industry visits.
Course Introduction Video
Subject Contacts for Support
In the first instance please contact your child’s class teacher using their school email address. The class teacher is in the best position to answer general questions as they will know your child better than anyone.
For more specific questions please contact the following staff by email:
Miss M Adams (Head Of Department)
[email protected]
We will endeavour to reply to any correspondence as soon as possible. If you would like to contact us by telephone please contact school on 01909 771291. They will inform us of your call and we will answer if available or arrange to phone you back.
