Music and Drama are all around us. They provide the soundtrack to our lives and reflect our personal experiences through live performance, theatre, film and television. They connect us through people and places in our ever-changing world.
The aim of our Performing Arts curriculum is to foster and develop skills including creativity, collaboration and confidence by performing, creating, analysing and evaluating music and drama from a range of cultures and backgrounds. We will celebrate the success of students in concerts and extra-curricular activities and challenge students’ pre-conceived ideas of culture and the world around us. We aim to enhance the whole school community through the sheer joy of creation. We develop skills of empathy and understanding through exploration of concepts and big ideas and creating a life-long love of the arts, friendships, bonds and experiences that will not easily be forgotten.

Our Curriculum Intent

At Kibworth Mead Drama remains an important part of the balanced arts curriculum and is taught extensively as a discrete arts subject in Years 7, 8 and 9. Students have the opportunity to explore and research ideas, using a variety of drama skills and techniques. They develop their creativity and knowledge of drama from different times and cultures, as well as classic and contemporary practice by preparing and performing both scripted and devised pieces. They have the opportunity to reflect on, evaluate and analyse the structure, meaning and impact of their own work and the work of others as both participant and audience. Our curriculum provides a strong basis for continuing to study drama in further and higher education, incorporating communication and performance skills.

Our Big Ideas

The major themes that run through drama:

  • Awareness of key skills and conventions, including key practitioners ( Brecht and Stanislavski).
  • Understanding of ‘off script’ performances including, improvisation.
  • Devising using a range of source material, including fiction and non-fiction (abstract Art, War poetry and newspaper articles).
  • Exploring theatre from specific times throughout history ( melodrama, Commedia Dell Arte, Frantic assembly).
  • Prepare and perform a variety of publish plays including.
  •  Explore and perform Shakespeare plays  ( Macbeth, A midsummer night’s dream).
  • Develop student’s ability to use technical aspects of theatre including; lighting, sound and set design.
  • Critical analysis of own performance, characters and other students work.

During KS3 students cover a range of areas of study: Workshop skills, Devising, Theatre History, Shakespeare, Set texts and Production.

In Year 7 the foundation skills are covered including a comprehensive knowledge of key skills and conventions. The 3 components of the AQA Drama GCSE are covered across the 3 terms.

In Year 8, the same areas of study are covered and are developed by studying them within the context of specific genres. The 3 components of the AQA Drama GCSE are covered across the 3 terms.

In Year 9, the same areas are covered, however, the curriculum is tailored to create a pathway into KS4. As a result, students look in more detail at key practitioners, set works and the 3 components of the AQA Drama GCSE.

Students have 1 hour of Drama per week.

Component 2 Component 3 Component 1
  Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 7   Communication

Confidence

Key Skills and Conventions

Workshop – Skills

Creativity

Challenge

Improvisation

Devising

Culture

Confidence

Melodrama

Theatre History

 

Culture

Challenge

Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare

Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations

Set text

Critical Thinking Communication

Lighting – Inside Out

Production

Year 8 Communication

Confidence

Genres

Workshop – Skills

 

Creativity

Challenge

Devising

Devising- fiction

Culture

Confidence

Commedia Dell Arte

Theatre History

Culture

Challenge

Macbeth

Shakespeare

Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Social Drama

Set text

Critical Thinking Communication

Technical Theatre

Production

Year 9   Communication

Confidence

Key Practitioners

Workshop – Skills

Creativity

Challenge

Devising

Devising

 

Culture

Confidence

Physical Theatre

Theatre History (contemporary)

Culture

Challenge

Romeo & Juliet – Gangs

Shakespeare

Critical Thinking

Collaboration

Blood Brothers

Set Text

 

Critical Thinking Communication

Total Theatre

AQA GCSE Drama

At Orchard Mead, students may choose to take Drama as an option at KS4, receiving 5 lessons per fortnight.

The AQA GCSE contains 3 components, each of which focuses on different elements of drama. Throughout the course,  students build on the skills they have developed throughout KS3 to explore both script and devised performance work. Students will explore ideas through practical work, developing more detailed character work and advance on a multitude of soft skills such as confidence, collaboration and communication skills. Students will also have regular theory lessons preparing them for the written element of the course, which includes a 1 hour and 45 minute exam that is completed near the end of year 11.

Component 1: Understanding Drama

What’s assessed

Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre

Study of one set play from a choice of six

Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers

How it’s assessed

Written exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Open book

80 marks / 40% of GCSE

 

Component 2: Devising Drama

What’s assessed

Process of creating devised drama

Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer or designer)

Analysis and evaluation of own work

How it’s assessed

Devising log (60 marks)

Devised performance (20 marks)

80 marks in total / 40% of GCSE

 

Component 3: Texts in Practice

What’s assessed

Performance of two extracts from one play (students may contribute as performer or designer)

Free choice of play but it must contrast with the set play chosen for Component 1

How it’s assessed

Performance of Extract 1 (20 marks) and Extract 2 (20 marks)

40 marks in total / 20% of GCSE

Students have 5 hours of Drama split across the 2 week timetable.

Component 2 Component 3 Component 1
  Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 10   Introduction to GCSE

 

Component 2:Devising skills

Performing

 

Devising,  research and development

Trinity external exam

 

Component 3: Performance skills (monologues + Dialogues.)

Mock performance.

 

Component 1 – Section C: Live theatre performance

Performance and design skills

 

Component 1, Set Play

Section A

Section B

 

Component 2: Devising  research and development ( in preparation for year 11)

 

Year 11 Component 2: Devising skills

Performing

Logbook completion

 

Rehearsals and work-in progress performance

Component 1: Set Play

Rehearsals and work-in progress performance

Component 1: Live theatre performance

 

Component 3: Visiting examiner performance Component 1: Revision of Sections A, B and C

Component 1: Mock examination

Component 1: Summer examination

Written examination

 

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/schools/secondary-and-fe/on-demand-in-schools

https://www.franticassembly.co.uk/resources

https://getintotheatre.org/

https://www.rsc.org.uk/education/teacher-resources/

Co-curricular opportunities

  • Drama Club (cross curricular focus)
  • Tech Club
  • School musical productions
  • Performing Arts Celebration Evening
  • Trinity Drama and Speech exams

Stretch and challenge opportunities

  • Performance opportunities include: School productions, Hamilton’s Got Talent, Performing Arts Showcase
  • Additional learning: Booster sessions for HA
  • Further qualifications offered: Trinity Drama and Speech exams (annual)

Revision advice

Students will be given knowledge organiser that include information on which key words should be learned each week to support in class learning.

Students should learn the 2-3 key words each week, gradually adding to their understanding throughout each term.

Suggested YouTube watch lists are also advised to develop students’ understanding of the wider genre.

GCSE students should be completing:

  • Key words and knowledge required
  • Suggested wider watching to support the topic

Attending rehearsal and instrumental lessons weekly Extra rehearsal for Components 2 + 3

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