Drama

Intent

Lighting Fires The Performing Arts intention is to ignite the flame of curiosity and passion within in the hearts and minds of the students at park. We thrive to deliver and develop key live skills and to nurture passionate, imaginative, and creative individuals, preparing them for further education and future careers. The performing arts curriculum prepares students to become independent and creative through the delivery of a diverse range of schemes of work which allows students to develop an understanding of different styles and practitioners. Furthermore, the performing arts curriculum promotes a sense of self-worth and encourages a growth in confidence, resilience, and autonomy.

The skills that are learnt by studying Drama are invaluable in later life. For example, being able to speak and present confidently in front of people, and the skill of planning that is required in any production, are useful in many careers. Drama can be a good basis for a career not only in the theatre, but in advertising, the film industry and even in events planning, among many others.

    What we aim to provide for our students:
  • Skills in creativity, physical competence, self-confidence, concentration, self-discipline, and communication.
  • An appreciation of empathy and sensitivity.
  • An understanding of the benefits of participation in the arts, performance and creativity whilst at Park Community School and throughout their life.
  • An understanding of a range of plays, texts and theatre styles.
  • An appreciation of skillful and creative performances through improvisation, rehearsal, performance, evaluation, appreciation and assessment.
  • An understanding of communication through voice and movement.
  • An appreciation of the ways in which playwrights achieve their effects and communicate their intentions to an audience.
  • An awareness of social, historical and cultural contexts and influences within plays and other style of dramatic presentation.
  • Self and group awareness, personal responsibility, negotiation and teamwork skills.
  • Evaluation of their own and other’s work.
    Drama will also contribute towards the development of:
  • The development of problem solving skills (e.g. by giving pupils the opportunity to devise, refine and create their own work).
  • The development of self-esteem through the development of confidence in performance.
  • The development of inter-personal skills (e.g. by helping students to be aware of their roles as members of groups, and through taking into account other pupil’s thoughts and ideas).
  • The development of functional skills, which will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and work.

Implementation

Releasing Potential In Year 7 students are introduced to the basic conventions of theatre and storytelling, exploring skill of characterisation, using physical and vocal skills. Students will also learn the basics of staging plays they have devised themselves. Students will also begin to explore physical theatre through a horror scheme of work. This unit also includes how to create atmosphere and tension and how to use the lighting desk to create this feeling. In these lessons, students will develop group work and problem-solving abilities alongside dramatic techniques. The emphasis is on mastering the skills required to perform in character, with confidence to a small audience of their peers.

Once in Year 8, all students explore ways that movement can be used within performance to communicate meaning to an audience. Students learn about genres in theatre and start off with Comedy including Melodrama, Slapstick Comedy and Physical theatre. This scheme aims to develop student’s self confidence in moving with control in a range of scenes. This topic also covers the basics of technical directing for stage, learning lines and recreating characters an important part of study at Key Stage 4 whilst looking at script work.

In year 9 students begin to develop the skills autonomously in readiness for RSL Acting. These topics look at different genres in Drama, devising from a set stimulus and learning lines to recreate a well-known script. Students will also take part in performance within school as well as to parents to help prepare them for the performance aspect that is essential when studying RSL Acting.

Once in KS4 students then begin studying for the RSL Level 2 Certificate in Creative and Performing Arts (Acting) which consists of two units; Performing Text and Live Performance.

Homework is set every 2 weeks via Multiple Choice Questioning (MCQ).

Impact

Building Dreams


Performing Arts Department handbook

Please click the Performing Arts handbook to view department guidance:

Handbook