Overview

In drama at Abbey Gate College, pupils take part in lively physical action and dynamic learning. Key aims of the department are to:

• Engage pupils in lively physical action and dynamic learning.
• Aid pupils to develop skills in dramatic techniques to explore ideas, issues, texts and meanings.
• Enable pupils to appreciate how the structure and use of theatrical elements contributes to dramatic effect on an audience.
• Empower the ability to evaluate performances critically.

Curriculum

The Year 7 and 8 Drama curriculum covers the key areas of:

• Responding to dramatic material e.g. analysing and discussing potential stimuli such as scripts, music, poetry, social issues and art.
• Creating drama e.g. adapting and crafting dramatic techniques such as voice, movement, atmosphere, setting, timing, choreography and costume.
• Performing drama e.g. demonstrating the practical application of dramatic techniques in front of an audience.
• Evaluating e.g. the critical appraisal of all aspects of dramatic techniques in a fair and constructive manner.

During Year 9 pupils will:

• Devise original theatre and create an expressive portfolio logging their process of idea to performance.
• Perform challenging scripted pieces and create convincing and dynamic characters.
• Develop technical and design skills and understand their potential impact on the performance.
• View a variety of live theatre and begin to analyse semiotics and meanings within a performance.

In GCSE drama, pupils will:

• Study OCR GCSE Drama and Theatre.
• Perform a live version of an extract from a play.
• Devise and perform an original live piece of theatre from a range of stimuli.
• Complete a portfolio of evidence to support practical exploration.
• Analyse a live theatre performance.
• Direct a set text ready for discussion in an exam setting.
• Understand and analyse live performance. Assessment – Written exams comprise 40% of the GCSE. Practical exams comprise 60% of the GCSE

Educational visits and extra curricular activity

As part of their studies GCSE and GCE pupils regularly view professional theatre performances each term and attend workshops with directors and theatre companies in venues such as London and Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Rooms and resources

Drama and Theatre is taught in the school Theatre and Drama Studio with multimedia and state of the art lighting and sound facilities.