Drama Curriculum

Ages 9-18

To deliver a relevant and contemporary drama education which, through emphasis on performative craft, explores identity, interaction and human behaviour.

Drama Curriculum Big Ideas

Truth	The examination of the nature of truth and exploring ways of doing so in performance.
Identity	The exploration of the unique identifying characteristics of the self, others and their behaviour in the creation of character.
Morality	The interrogation of the values of right and wrong, the relationship between them & the belief systems which drive them.
Empathy	The imagining of the world through multiple perspectives and inhabiting points of view in the creation of performance.

The School 21 approach

Subject Design Principles:

Each unit or project within the Drama curriculum will be:

Designed & explicitly referred to as a Project.
Inquiry & exploration driven with a clear trajectory from Essential Question to the Outcome.
Enriched by the authentic embedding of Oracy and an incremental building of subject specific terminology.
Designed to utilise Head, Hand & Heart through the inter-dependent use of critical thinking & analysis, action & effective collaboration.
Developed to encourage continuous analysis, evaluation & reflection & provide critical opportunities for individual growth & development.
Crafted to ensure useful assessment for incremental growth, using the published assessment criteria standards.

Phase Specific Journey:

Phases 1 and 2	Developing a love of learning
Phase 1 Journey	Students develop foundational, individual and ensemble, performance skills and apply them in the process of creating work. They will engage with the process of working collaboratively and the challenges of developing and working as part of an ensemble. They will develop tools with which to create performance and understand the value of reflection.
Phase 2 Journey	Students develop foundational, individual and ensemble, performance skills and apply them in the process of creating work. They will engage with the process of working collaboratively and the challenges of developing and working as part of an ensemble. They will develop tools with which to create performance and understand the value of reflection.

Phases 3 and 4	Developing Passions & Increasing Independence
Phase 3 Journey	Students will develop a working toolbox of skills and techniques and apply them to the creation of original work. They will engage with the realisation of scripts in performance and through sustained reflection will develop an ability to evaluate and analyse their own work and the work of others. Working as performers, directors and designers, they will build a working lexicon of subject specific terminology and identify their own creative preferences.
Phase 4 Journey	Students will develop a working toolbox of skills and techniques and apply them to the creation of original work. They will engage with the realisation of scripts in performance and through sustained reflection will develop an ability to evaluate and analyse their own work and the work of others. Working as performers, directors and designers, they will build a working lexicon of subject specific terminology and identify their own creative preferences.

Phases 5 and 6	Building choice, autonomy and empowered professionalism
Phase 5 Journey	Students will connect their own evolving practice and personal context to those of established theatre practitioners and theorists in the process of making meaning in performance. They will understand a variety of rehearsal techniques and the process of creating concepts, developing ideas concepts and refining both original and scripted work. In the roles of performer, director and designer, they will explore practically and theoretically, the connections between artistic intentions and audience impact and will be able to analyse critically, performance in various contexts.
Phase 6 Journey	Students will connect their own evolving practice and personal context to those of established theatre practitioners and theorists in the process of making meaning in performance. They will understand a variety of rehearsal techniques and the process of creating concepts, developing ideas concepts and refining both original and scripted work. In the roles of performer, director and designer, they will explore practically and theoretically, the connections between artistic intentions and audience impact and will be able to analyse critically, performance in various contexts.

Progression Map

Secondary

Year 7

Autumn term 1

Introduction to Drama- Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty

Autumn term 2

Introduction to Drama- Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty

Spring term 1

Silent Comedy Drama

Spring term 2

Silent Comedy Drama

Summer term 1

Macbeth

Summer term 2

Macbeth

Year 8

Autumn term 1

Forum Theatre

Autumn term 2

Forum Theatre

Spring term 1

Verbatim Theatre

Spring term 2

Verbatim Theatre

Summer term 1

Hamlet

Summer term 2

Hamlet

Year 9

Autumn term 1

Practitioner/National Theatre

Autumn term 2

Practitioner/National Theatre

Spring term 1

Theatre in Education/National Theatre

Spring term 2

Theatre in Education/National Theatre

Summer term 1

Scene Study Showcase

Summer term 2

Scene Study Showcase

Year 10

Autumn term 1

Component 3 Set Text Performance

Autumn term 2

Component 3 Set Text Performance

Spring term 1

Component 1 and Mock Preparation

Spring term 2

Component 1 and Mock Preparation

Summer term 1

Component 1

Summer term 2

Component 1

Year 11

Autumn term 1

Component 2&3 Preparation

Autumn term 2

Component 2&3 Preparation

Spring term 1

Component 2

Spring term 2

Component 2

Summer term 1

Component 3 and Exams

Summer term 2

Component 3 and Exams

Drama Curriculum