The drama curriculum aims to engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of drama and theatre and their talent as actors, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. We aim to provide a solid understanding of the principles of drama including performance, devising and analysis. Development of these key skills will allow students to produce a range of outcomes according to the abilities, needs and aspirations of students. These include success in formal qualifications, if chosen, at the end of KS4 and KS5 but also supports the development of transferable skills such as resilience, teamwork and confidence.

The curriculum is broad to cover a range of devising, performance and analytical skills allowing students to develop the necessary skills to become an actor in their own right but also succeed in the academic aspects of drama.  We ensure that all students perform, review and evaluate drama across a range of historical periods and genres. Students learn to use their skills to devise pieces on their own and with others. Students will also understand, explore and perform a variety of scripts from differing genres and historical periods and explore how these are created, produced and performed.

Drama Curriculum KS3 – Year Group Topics include:

YEAR 7

• Drama strategies/ performance development
• Devising: ‘The Witch’
• Performing: ‘The Plane’

YEAR 8

• Blood Brothers
• Physical theatre
• Shakespeare (Stage combat)
• ‘Missing’

KS4 Drama – Course studied: RSL Creative and Performing Arts: Level 2 Certificate: Acting

Areas of study include:

• Exploration of text: Classic and modern
• Live performance

KS5 Drama – Course studied: RSL Creative and Performing Arts: Level 3

Areas of study include:

• Internal Unit- Planning for a career in the Performing Arts Industry
• External Unit- Performance preparation

Optional units include;

• Drama in the community (performance work)
• Approaches to acting (performance work)
• Elizabethan/Jacobean Theatre
• Audition techniques unit
• Vocal techniques unit

Dance is taught as part of the PE curriculum in both Year 7 and Year 8 to allow students the opportunity to explore and develop movement skills and basic dance technique.

The dance curriculum aims to engage and inspire pupils to develop a love and proficiency in dance through students engaging practically in numerous styles and genres of dance across KS4. In turn, the curriculum aims to increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. We aim to provide a solid understanding of the principles of dance including performance, choreography and analysis of dance. Development of these key skills will allow students to produce a range of outcomes according to the abilities, needs and aspirations of students. These include success in formal qualifications, if chosen, at the end of KS4, which also supports the development of transferable skills such as resilience, teamwork, time-management and confidence.

The curriculum is broad to cover a range of devising, performance and analytical skills allowing students to develop the necessary skills to become a dancer in their own right but also succeed in the academic aspects of dance. There is also the opportunity for students to look at other career pathways within Dance such as being a choreographer or in Arts Management.

We ensure that all students perform, review and evaluate dance across a range of styles and genres from contemporary, Latin and hip-hop. Students learn to use their skills to choreograph pieces on their own and with others as part of an ensemble.

KS4 Dance – Course studied: RSL Creative and Performing Arts: Level 2 Certificate: Dance

Areas of study include:

Y9

• Skills Development
• Lyrical Dance
• Contemporary Dance
• Jazz
• Latin
• Hip-hop

Y10/ Y11

• Unit 222: Choreography
• Live performance