Drama
Primary
Drama is valued in Merchants’ Academy as an important tool for learning but also as a powerful way to support oracy and wellbeing. Students all participate in productions and assemblies throughout the year and strong links are made with theatre companies. We have just taken part in a two year, 'Light up Learning' arts-based enquiry with Travelling Light Theatre, funded by the Paul Hamelyn Foundation. During the project, professional artists from Travelling Light Theatre Company worked closely with teachers to expand their practice and to embed drama into the wider curriculum. The approaches developed support pupil’s confidence, learning and their ability to express feelings and aspirations. A whole-school arts day on the theme of Maya Angelou's 'Life Doesn't Frighten Me' involved performaces from children in YR-Y6. Subsequently, staff training sessions on how to embed drama into every lesson led to a wide range of drama activitivities being written into science, history and geography as well as more traditional subects like English.
https://youtu.be/cyV8tyJWmD4
Early Years Foundation Stage
In our Nursery and Reception classes at Merchants’ Academy, drama plays a vital role, through role play and creative play, as a vehicle to learn. Adults guide the students in their play to stimulate children to self-initiate role play and learning. Talk through Stories is used daily to deliver high-quality stories to Reception children and freeze-framing and other drama activties aid children's comprehension of the story.
Key Stages One and two
Children in Years 1-6 will experience drama activties in various lessons. Activities such as Readers' theatre enable children to read identified texts fluently enough to perform with great expression; conscience alley supports understanding of differing points of view in a text; freeze-framing a Spartan verus an Athenian or taking a ride over Roman Britain in a magic carpet help to consolidate and express understanding in History; acting out the digestive system as a class with different children taking on different roles supports undertanding in science.
All children will perform in productions which are mapped thoughout the year, from poetry slams to Christmas plays, Rememberance and Harvest services, to special assemblies and prodcutions. We regularly work with Unique Voice to learn through drama in themed days such as anti-bullying, online safety and children's mental health week. Visits to local theatres are mapped into our curriculum so that no child misses out on a trip to the theatre.
Secondary
Years 7, 8 and 9
Drama intent;
The aim of the drama department is to enrich students through creative learning and open them up to the power dramatic arts. We want students to understand the importance and place of drama as an art form in their lives and the wider world. Therefore, alongside the development of theatre skills, drama curriculum is intended to show students how drama reflects and shapes peoples lives. Merchant Academy school promotes abroad drama curriculum derived from cross curricular and modern, real life experiences used as a vehicle to motivate students. .While students Are encouraged to develop an interest into develop in and skills directly related to theatre, they also develop a host of soft skills that can be transferred to later learning in future Careers.
Drama implementation;
The curriculum map for key stage 3 identifies the foundations needed to enable all students to be successful at GCSE Drama. Students will learn a variety of Drama conventions in which will engage and enthuse students to continue their education within the Performing Arts sector. Students will be assessed through performance. Students will also have extra curricular opportunities to get involved in such as: A school production, Drama club with Bristol Vic and a final performance, A visiting Theatre company and more! Please see the drama KS3 Drama-Curriculum-map. and skills tracker that models the students development from y7-y9.
Drama impact;
The overall aim of drama will ultimately impact students by: building confidence and trust, developing self-awareness, cooperation, empathy and tolerance of others. We aim to encourage critical awareness through evaluation and reflection that will help adaptability and creativity and approach to a task at school and in the wider world.
Years 10 and 11
Y10 GCSE DRAMA EDEXCEL PEARSON SYLLABUS
|
Term |
Unit of Work |
Knowledge and skills |
Assessed |
|
1 |
Component 3 Introduction to the play ‘100’ by reading through the script |
Looking at: What is the Magic Realism? What is the Historical, cultural and social context of the play? |
Written tasks with teacher marking and feedback. Mid-point assessment. |
|
2 |
Component 3 Continuation from term 1 linking to exam questions |
Linking at exam questions and linking them to the script. Looking at drama skills that we could use within the piece to support students answers to the short question within the exam to then aid when answering extended questions |
Assessed through WWW and HTI feedback form teacher and MAC’s written. |
|
3 |
Component 3 Looking at the extended question form exam and relating it back to the script |
Practice exam given within class. Final casting of parts from the play made. Practitioners look at to influence creation of piece. |
Exam practice questions: Performance skills short answers. Director and designer extended question answer. |
|
4 |
Component 3 Performance |
Performance of pieces with audience. Performance is recorded and timed. |
Teachers will assess by watching back the recording to give individual grades based on drama skills used by that student. |
|
5 |
Component 1 Aberfan Creating |
Performance=15 marks Looking at th stimulus of the Aberfan disaster and the issues surrounding the incident. Students need to learn about the following things that will be questioned within their written portfolio-15000-2000 words.
Portfolio=45 marks 1) What was your initial response to the stimuli? What issues do you think would be explored?
2) What work did your group do in order to explore the stimuli and start to create ideas for performance?
3)What were some of the significant moments during the development process and when rehearsing and refining your work?
4) How did you consider genre, structure, form, character, style and language throughout the process? Here you need to write about Health and safety issues. Did you use physical Theatre if so how did you make this safe? Trip hazard (fabric)
5)How effective was your contribution to the process?
6)Were you successful in what you set out to achieve?
|
Internally assessed Externally marked |
|
6 |
Component 1 Aberfan Preparing for controlled assessed performance |
During the rehearsal process feedback is given to the students on their work in progress building towards their final recorded pieces |
Internally assessed Externally moderated |
Y11 GCSE DRAMA EDEXCEL PEARSON SYLLABUS
|
Term |
Unit of Work |
Knowledge and skills |
Assessed |
|
1 |
Component 1 Portfolio write up Controlled assessment |
Component 1: devising (internally assessed, externally moderated. 40% of the qualification 60marks) |
Internally marked ready for external moderation in the summer. 40% of final grade. |
|
2 |
Component 2 Group pieces Monologues/Duologues |
Students will Eva performed in and/All design for two key extracts from foreman stacks;
Performers must develop skills in;
Bullet point how meaning is communicated an interpreted through the use of voice, disc or a non verbal techniques (such as facial expressions and gestures) use of space and spatial relationships, the presentations of characters in roles , relationships between performer and audience, production elements such as sets (including props), costume, and lighting and sound. |
teacher feedback given on ongoing basis for students performances. |
|
3 |
Component 2 Group pieces Monologues/Duologues |
Final preparation for externally marked exam. Right up character description. Students integrate character, costume and set for performance will stop it dress rehearsal is set up a student to perform to a live audience before practical exam. |
Assessed by visiting examiner 20% or final grade |
|
4 |
Component 3 Exam practice Visit theatre to see a professional production for part B of exam paper |
Exam practise will stop short answer questions, directions question, designer question. The theatre visit is integral to section B of the component three example stop the students will make notes up to 500 words which they can take into the exam. |
Practise papers on 1st draft marked and returned to students 500 words based on live theatre performance |
|
5 |
Component 3 |
Component three exam. Summer exam 1hour 45 minutes. |
Externally marked paper 40% of total mark |
Course title: GCSE (9-1) DRAMA
Exam board: Edexcel
Qualification: GCSE Drama
Course structure:
Component 1: Devising
- Non-examination assessment 40% of the qualification – 60 marks Content overview
- Create and develop a devised piece from a stimulus (free choice for centre).
- Performance of this devised piece or design realisation for this performance.
- Analyse and evaluate the devising process and performance.
- Performer or designer routes available.
Component 2: Performance from Text
- Non-examination assessment 20% of the qualification – 48 marks Content overview
- Students will either perform in and/or design for two key extracts from a performance text.
- Centre choice of performance text.
- Performer or designer routes available.
Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice
- Written examination: 1 hour 45 minutes 40% of the qualification – 60 marks Content overview
- Practical exploration and study of one complete performance text.
- Choice of 12 performance texts.
- Live theatre evaluation – free choice of production
Intent:
Through key stage 3 knowledge and skills learnt Students now have the foundations for the GCSE (9 to 1) Drama syllabus by Edexcel. The intent of the syllabus is for students to learn about a variety of practitioners to inform Component 1 Devising; to be able to read and build a character effectively from a script that is either pre or post 2000 (depending on choice) for Component 2 And the Component 3 students are expected to perform in front of a live audience after receiving rehearsals and viewing a live theatre production, to aid their practical exam. It is also the intent of this syllabus to create a clear and coherent structure for the students as well as best to develop transferable skills for progression into further education.
Implementation:
The implementation of the 3 components will be done over each term through out the two years spent over year 10 and 11. Component three will be first, this is due to the fact students will gain a foundation to build upon for their exam piece throughout all three components, where we will later on come back to the exam to do practise questions. Please see the curriculum map for GCSE see for year 10 and 11 for further detail.
Impact:
Students will be able to understand what is required of them if they take Drama at a further education level. If students take A-level Drama, this is the same structure as the GCSE course they study at Merchants Academy. The way in which this course has been developed for our students, supports them in the wider world, as they will be able to develop their soft skills within lessons such as Team work and the confidence to speak in front of an audience