Drama

Drama encourages students to continually question, explore and tease out new ideas and ways of living and thinking. The subject supports students to improve their negotiation and communication skills.

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Drama encourages students to continually question, explore and tease out new ideas and ways of living and thinking. The subject supports students to improve their negotiation and communication skills.

Students have the opportunity to experience empathy, identification and expand their cultural awareness. They will explore stories that will spark their imagination and creativity. Across the year groups we organise trips to watch live performances.

The Drama Department at St Bart’s offers many co-curricular opportunities. Students can get involved in our weekly Drama Club and Technical Theatre Club. House Drama is an exciting annual competition every year, with Year 12 students writing and directing our Year 10 and Year 8 actors. Each year, the Drama Department prepares for a whole school production, ranging from musicals to straight plays. In 2023, students across all year groups collaborated on Oliver! The Musical. Students not only act, sing and dance as part of the main cast and chorus but also make costumes, take on the role of stage hands, oversee sound and lighting and play or conduct in the orchestra.

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Year 7-9

In Years 7 and 8, students are on a rotation with Dance therefore experience 3 units of Drama with 1 hour lesson a week. Students then choose whether to follow Drama as a Year 9 option.

Year 7 Curriculum

Introduction to Drama: Students learn about the fundamental skills of creating drama, working in groups and exploring a stimulus. Students will learn how to work safely and how to use the following drama skills: Freeze Frames, Stimulus, Ensemble Work, Co-operation, Communication, Concentration and Audience.

Superheroes: Students build upon their new drama knowledge and begin to create characters in performance. They will also explore the importance of genre in making drama and learn how to use the following drama skills: Genre, Character, Narration, Thought Tracking and Split Scene.

Greek Theatre: Students develop the skill of choral speaking and choral movement, exploring a range of Greek mythology and developing their understanding of the origins of theatre. They will develop scripted and improvised performances based on the tragic and comedy genres whilst experimenting with working in an amphitheatre staging layout. Students will learn how to use the following drama skills: choral speaking, choral movement, tragedy and comedy genre conventions and amphitheatre staging configurations.

Year 8 Curriculum

Shakespeare: Students explore how to hook and engage an audience during the opening scenes of a variety of Shakespearean texts. Students will become confident with the use of semiotics in performance. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Semiotic, Movement, Atmosphere, Ensemble Work, Interaction, Tension, Soundscape and Audience.

The Wardrobe: Using short text extracts, students study the characters and the language used in the play The Wardrobe written by Sam Holcroft. The play looks back at various historical periods, acknowledging social and political issues of the era. Students develop a variety of demanding characterisation skills and explore ways to navigate their use of space as all scenes are performed within the wardrobe itself. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Character, Body Language, Posture, Voice, Context, Dialogue and Movement.

Physical Theatre: Students explore the power of movement and non-verbal communication to express character relationships through use of space and contact. Lessons will develop physical skills inspired by a range of theatre companies. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Movement, Body Props, Body Language, Space, Seven Levels of Tension and Mime.

Year 9 Curriculum

In Year 9, students may select Drama as a subject option with 2 lessons a week throughout the year.

Theatre in Education: Tackling difficult matters such as drink driving, students will develop Theatre in Education skills and create their own performance for a younger audience. Students will use verbatim theatre and will explore the power of theatre as an educational tool, to explore morals in a 21st century society. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Conventions, Style, Audience, Messages, Mood and Atmosphere.

Woman in Black: Students will explore the Woman in Black from the perspective of Director, Actor and Designer. They will use the live theatre staging to inspire their ideas and will use parts of the script to develop performances which show tension. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Tension, Mood, Atmosphere, Viewpoint, Director and Staging.

Devising: Students explore a variety of stimuli to encourage interesting and creative plot development. By selecting different dramatic techniques, they will develop ideas into a polished performance. They will consider how to structure performance so that an audience is able to relate to the piece. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Style, Dialogue, Ensemble Work, Stimulus, Director and Staging.

Blood Brothers: Students study the play Blood Brothers, looking in particular at status, comedy and tension. They will be encouraged to multi-role and use skills to show character development. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Multi-Role, Character, Dialogue, Voice, Accent, Tone and Director.

World Theatre: Students explore a variety of contrasting theatrical styles/genres from across the world to explore the purpose of theatre in different continents. Starting with Yoruban theatre, students explore African folktales using instruments and rhythm to communicate a story. Moving onto Bunraklu theatre, students explore Japanese folktales whilst learning the key principles of puppetry, underscored by the shamisen. Finally, exploring Boal’s South American Forum Theatre, students delve into theatre as a political tool for positive change and understanding of consequences to actions. Students will learn how to use, and develop use of the following drama skills: Ensemble Work, Puppetry Skills, Movement Skills, Rhythm and Pace, Narration and Direct Address.

Conflict and Resolution: As a final end of KS3 unit of work, students will explore the concept of conflict, both for entertainment in theatre but also how to deal with conflict in real life scenarios, and positive ways of resolving conflict when it arises. As part of conflict for entertainment, students will explore stage combat techniques to ensure safe working practice. In this term, students that have consistently shown commitment and development in Drama will receive half Drama colours! Students will learn how to use and develop use of the following drama skills: Language and its purpose, register, health and safety on stage, stage combat techniques, directorial strategies and staging.

GCSE (Year 10-11)

Examination Board: EDUQAS

Course Description

GCSE Drama aims to provide experience of Drama in its widest sense, ranging from practical exploration to theoretical analysis and evaluation. Through creation and performance, students will acquire specialised theatrical skills in acting, design and direction.

Students are given a variety of different stimuli and have the opportunity to create their own pieces of theatre. They will work with themes, characters, plot and add technical elements to create fully polished performances.

Students will also watch a variety of live theatre to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of these performances, looking in detail at the acting and technical aspects of these performances.

The course offers two different routes, acting or technical. Students choosing the acting route will be expected to perform in two group performances, whilst students choosing the technical route will be expected to create the technical elements for two performances. Technical can be one of the following: set design, lighting design, costume and hair design or sound design.

Assessment

The course is divided into three components:

Component 1: 40% (Performance: 15 marks, Log: 30 marks, Evaluation: 15 marks)

A group performance which is created based on a stimulus. Students create all the content including the themes, dialogue, characters, costumes, set and lighting requirements. As well as this performance, students will be required to complete a written log of 900 words, which is a diary entry of the process of creating your performance. After completing the performance, students will then complete a written evaluation on the success of their performance in the play. This is assessed by Drama teachers and is performed and written in Year 10.

Component 2: 20% (Performance: 60 marks)

A group performance which is based on a professional published script. Students will learn the dialogue in the script and perform in character for a 10 minute section of the play. Students create the costumes, set design and lighting. This will be assessed by an external examiner who will visit our school. (Performed in Year 11)

Component 3: 40% (Written exam: Set Text: The It: 45 marks, Live Theatre Review: 15 marks)

This will be a written exam for 1.5 hours in which students will be assessed on the theory side of the course. Based on the play The It by Vivienne Franzmann, students analyse the characters, plot, mood and atmosphere, themes and ways of performing the text – from the viewpoint of actor, director and designer.

Sixth Form (Year 12-13)

Examination Board: EDEXCEL

Course Description

In Year 12 of A Level Drama & Theatre Studies students will work towards creating their first performance assessment. They will study a performance text and will use this as a stimulus to devise and create a new performance in the style of a chosen practitioner. Alongside this performance they will create a performance log, detailing the decisions and rehearsal strategies used along the journey from page to stage.

In Year 13 students will work towards a second and final performance assessment. They will create two performances, a group performance from a published play and a monologue or duologue, also taken from a contrasting published play.

During the course lessons cover two very different scripts from the viewpoint of actor, director and designer – considering social, cultural and historical contexts, creativity and skills. Students will study these plays practically in class and demonstrate knowledge and understanding in essay responses. These plays are Machinal by Sophie Treadwell and Antigone by Sophocles. As part of the final component, students will also go to see a variety of live performances and will compose a theatre review as part of the written exam.

This course helps left and right brain to work together in harmony!

Assessment

GCSE Drama is not a requirement, but where students have completed the GCSE course, a Grade 5 or higher is required.

Entry Requirements

Students opting for an A Level in this subject will be committing to a two year course, with one practical unit examined in the first year and two units, one practical and one written, examined in the final year.

Where might it lead?

A Level Drama & Theatre Studies can help open doors to careers as:

Actor
Arts Administration
Broadcast Presenter
Choreographer
Communications
Community Arts
Costume Designer
Dramatherapist
Make-up Artist
Marketer
Producer
Runner – broadcasting/film/video
Set Designer
Sound & Light Technician
Special Effects Technician
Teacher
Theatre Director
Theatre Stage Manager

Student Destinations

Izzy Tucker
Laine Theatre Arts – Musical Theatre

Lauren Woodley
Rose Bruford College – American Theatre Arts

Josh Wright
London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA)

St Bartholomew’s School Andover Road, Newbury, Berkshire. RG14 6JP

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