Drama
Welcome to the Drama department – Meet the team
Mrs N Catling & Mrs L Pearson
We aim to inspire students into a passion for Drama and Performing, where students along the way build their confidence, improve their team-work skills and explore social, cultural, ethical and political issues.
We want to support and promote opportunities for elite performers to succeed and develop and reach the highest levels in Drama.
Drama Curriculum Intent
Subject Curriculum Intent: Our Drama Curriculum enables students to explore the awareness of themselves and of others in a context of the world around them. Whilst developing their own self-awareness we aim to inspire students to develop a passion and enthusiasm for Drama and Performing. The skills that they will learn and apply along the way allow the building of self-confidence and the development of the ability to interact positively with others. At KS3 students will use their Drama lessons to not only learn the basics behind acting and performance but to also improve their verbal, language, listening and communication skills, all of which will support them with accessing the rest of the National Curriculum. The 5-year plan allows students to access a wide variety of styles, skills and plays which will broaden their knowledge and understanding throughout all years of their learning.
Students in Year 7, through fortnightly lessons will focus on a ‘BASELINE ASSESSMENT AND INITIAL SKILLS’ in the Autumn Term to allow them to understand the basics of the art before moving on to an application of these Mrs N Catling (Head of Subject) Mrs L Pearson skills through their final 2 topics of ‘INTRODUCTION TO SKILLS’ and ‘STORYTELLING’. This leads nicely into Year 8 where students on a fortnightly basis will APPLY their current skill set to an advanced understanding of ‘STIMULUS EXPLORATION’, ‘PAGE TO STAGE- BLOOD BROTHERS’ and ‘PHYSICAL THEATRE’ which will enable students to enter the GCSE Drama with a broad and developed knowledge of Drama.
Students will be assessed on a termly basis where their skills in Creating, Performing and Evaluating will be graded based on the Wixams’ End Point Map for Drama. This grading of skills allows for a smooth transition into GCSE Drama where the components focus on Devising, Performing and Analysis.
During Year 9, Students explore all of their final exam components through a range of workshops and mock assessments. By the end of Year 9, they will be in the best position for completing their final exams in Year 10 and 11. The three terms include a focus on ‘AN INTRODCUTION TO DEVISING’, ‘WORKSHOPS FOR SCRIPT EXPLORATION’ and ‘CONVENTIONS, PRACTITIONERS AND STYLES’. In year 10 students will then complete their Component 1 & 2 exam which focuses on the use of devising from a stimulus and completing a written portfolio. This is then followed by Component 3 and Component 4 in Year 11 where students perform a set text and complete their written exam which focuses on their analysis skills.
The overall aim for Drama and Performing is for every lesson that students attend to either support them with life-long skills or give them the knowledge and understanding to achieve their best in GCSE Drama.
Key Features
Drama Curriculum
| YEAR 7 (INTRODUCE) | YEAR 8 (DEVELOP) | YEAR 9 (EMBED) | YEAR 10 (SECURE) | YEAR 11 (MASTER) |
| Baseline Assessment and Initial Skills | Stimulus (The Sea) | An Introduction to Devising | Component 1 & 2 (Devising from a Stimulus and Portfolio Exploration) | Component 3 Component 3 (Performing from a Script) |
| Introduction to Skills | Page to Stage (Blood Brothers) | Workshops for script exploration | Component 1 & 2 (Devising from a Stimulus and Portfolio Exploration) | Component 3 (Performing from a Script) |
| Storytelling | Physical Theatre | Conventions, Practitioners and Style | Component 4 (Written Exam technique and Live Theatre Review) | Component 4 (Written Exam technique and Live Theatre Review) |
OCR GCSE Practical Drama
| Year 9 GCSE PRACTICAL | Year 10 GCSE PRACTICAL | Year 11 GCSE PRACTICAL |
| Responding to a stimulus | Stage Types | Objectives of a script |
| Voice: Tone, Pause, Pace, Pitch | Exposition, Climax, Resolution | Line Learning |
| Narrative | Voice: Accent, Language | Creative Intentions |
| Still Images & Thought Tracks | Physical Theatre | Set, Lights, Props, Costume |
| Use of Space | Status and Tension | Atmosphere and Audience |
| Relationships | Theatre in Education | Rehearsal Techniques |
| Body Language, Gesture, Facial Expressions | Styles and Practitioners | Relationships with others and self |
OCR GCSE Theory Drama
| Year 9 GCSE THEORY | Year 10 GCSE THEORY | Year 11 GCSE THEORY |
| Portfolio Writing | Symbolism | Social, Political, Historical, Cultural Context |
| Mind Mapping | Analysis of scripts | Given Circumstances |
| Writing Technique for explanation of process | Portfolio Entries | Analysis of professional work |
| Research Technique | Advanced Research | Creative Intentions |
| Stimulus Reaction | Styles and Practitioners | Dissecting of scripts |
| Exam Technique | Exam Technique | Exam Technique |
Extra Opportunities
EXTRA-CURRICULAR DRAMA AT WIXAMS ACADEMY:
- Weekly Drama clubs for KS3 and KS4.
- Showcases and productions for students to experience a professional theatre environment.
- Trips to the Theatre
- We are inclusive of all students who want opportunities within Drama, whether this be performance, directing or design.