Drama

For an overview of the pathways through the curriculum, please see our information page here.

 

Welcome to the Drama Department

Our Vision

In Drama we strive to develop independent, confident learners who develop the skills, strategies and understanding for life-long learning and develop a love of the Performing Arts.

The Drama department at ALNS is a busy place.

Students have a number of opportunities to be involved in extra-curricular drama including drama club, school productions and theatre visits. There is always something going on.

Check the noticeboard and the news feed below for the most up to date information about what’s going on.

Past Productions

Curriculum

Click below to learn about how the Curriculum is planned, delivered and assessed in Performance.

Drama Curriculum

 

KS3

Welcome to Year 7 Drama!

In Year 7 Drama lessons you will learn all about the basics. You will work in groups and learn about how to structure your own performances based on all sorts of different themes. You might be using a poem or a song or even a picture to give you an idea for a performance. You will also be learning lots of new skills.

What new skills will I be learning?
Understand and demonstrate the basic social and group skills necessary for meaningful drama to take place (listening, observation, concentration, co-operation.)

  • Work in mixed groups of varying sizes developing the ability to make decisions as part of a group.
  • Understand how use of space, movement and voice communicate meaning and evaluate that use.
  • Show a developing ability to devise, improvise and create credible characters.
  • Structure a presentation with a clear beginning and end.
  • Understand that the process of drama has its own worth and that performance is not always part of the activity.
  • Reflect and respond to their own work and that of others, with an awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses.
In Year 7, you will study…

Autumn Term 1
Basic intro to Drama

You will learn about the basics of Drama covering a range of techniques. You will start to work in groups and create performances to show to your class. You will discover new talents and develop your teamwork skills.

Baseline testing
It is important to discover the skills that you have in order to get even better so you will undertake some practical tasks to identify what you are really good at and what you need to do to become even better.

 

Autumn Term 2

Darkwood Manor
This unit of work takes you a journey through an old haunted manor house. You will discover a range of weird and strange characters and begin to explore more techniques to create pieces of Drama that can scare your audience!

 

Spring Term 1

Silent Movies
During this unit of work you will explore the wonderful world of silent movies and even get the chance to make your own silent film.

Developing a polished performance
You are ready to have a go at creating a performance. You will work as part of a team to create a performance that uses all the things you have learnt so far. Your performance will be based on a stimulus and you will write it and perform it.

 

Spring Term 2

Key Skills Development
The 3 Key Skills

You will focus on the development of key skills during this time. You will continue to develop your skills as an actor and your understanding of the theatre.

 

Summer Term 1

Matilda
You will explore the characters from the wonderful world of Matilda and perform sections of this great story.

Terminal Exam
Your exam in Drama will be a practical exam in which you will demonstrate everything you have learnt throughout the year so far.

 

Summer Term 2

Gambia Project
In this unit you will explore African stories and performing as animals. You will have the opportunity to prepare work to perform at the Gambia celebration evening.

Playing with Script
In this unit you explore playing with different scripts and how to create characters that have been written for you. You will have some lines to learn and do a number of different performances.

In Drama in Year 7 ALNS students will use and understand the following keywords:

  • Monologue
  • Spoken thought
  • Mime
  • Body language
  • Key image
  • Facial expressions
  • Eye contact
  • Role
  • Empathy
  • Suspension of disbelief
  • Narrator
  • Spontaneous improvisation
  • Theatrical convention
  • Still picture

 

Welcome to Year 8 Drama!

In Year 8 you will build upon the skills you have developed in Year 7. You will continue to work in groups and explore more drama techniques. There will be lots of opportunities to perform both in front of your tutor group and to larger audiences.

What new skills will I be learning?

  • Deepen their understanding of how space, movement and voice communicate meaning and evaluate that use.
  • Work constructively and creatively alone and with all other members of the class.
  • Understand and apply the skills required for effective spontaneous improvisation.
  • Use a range of approaches to create credible characterisations, varying vocabulary and body language as appropriate.
  • Develop the ability to use a range of skills and techniques to structure an effective performance.
  • Recognise and use the conventions and form of script.
  • Discuss and analyse the issues and themes involved in their work, showing an awareness of their own experience and that of others.

 

In Year 8, you will study…

Autumn Term 1

Stereotypes
In this unit you will explore the basics of developing a character and understanding what a “stereotype” is and how this can help you develop comedy.

Creating Characters
You will start to develop more three dimensional characters in this unit of work. You will explore hot-seating and various techniques that can help you to develop more believable characters within a performance.

Character Development
Now you will extend your knowledge and understanding in order to really explore characters in depth and learn how a professional actor can play a role so realistically.

 

Autumn Term 2

Pantomime
This term is all about PANTOMIME. You will look at where it came from and have a go at working with some scripts to perform your very own 10 minute pantomime. This unit of work leads up to your PD Day at the end of term when you will see a live performance!

 

Spring Term 1

Status and Bullying
This unit of work beings to explore more challenging issues within in Drama and looks at how we can use Drama to challenge what people think. You will look at some scripts and devise your own work about bullying.

 

Spring Term 2

Physical Theatre
This unit is great fun! You will learn how you really don’t need anything other than your body to create a performance. Physical theatre makes everything come to life as you will learn how to play everything on stage….even the furniture.

 

Summer Term 1 & 2

Soap Opera
This is the biggest unit in Year 8 when you will explore the genre of the great British soap and ultimately create your very own Soap Opera based around the characters in your class.

Terminal Exam
Your exam in Drama will be a practical exam in which you will demonstrate everything you have learnt throughout the year so far.

In Drama in Year 8 ALNS students will use and understand the following keywords:

  • Status
  • Accepting
  • Blocking
  • Building
  • Teacher-in-role
  • Forum theatre
  • Flashback
  • Hot-seating
  • Characterisation
  • Staging terms
  • Non-naturalistic
  • Duologue
  • Genre
  • Motivation
  • Script

KS4

Welcome to Year 9 – The beginning of the new RSL Acting Award

Students will have the opportunity to develop their Drama skills in preparation for the new RSL Award in Acting. use the skills which they have used in their Dance and Drama lessons to understand what makes a good performance. Students will have workbooks which allows students to track their progress and it can be used in preparation for Year 10 when they will complete the course.

What new skills will I be learning?
Students will become more confident to perform in front of others.

  • They will be able to use performance related vocabulary during their group work and also to evaluate others.
  • They will work to develop their group working skills by sharing ideas with others, listening to others and working cooperatively within a group.
  • They will become independent learners looking to develop their time management skills ensuring that rehearsal time is used to make their performance better.
  • They will develop their ability to evaluate others and will be able to provide others with good quality verbal feedback.
  • They will use scripts and will work to interpret characters for a performance.

In Year 9, you will study….

  • A range of different performance styles.
  • Different playwrights.
  • Practical skills development.
  • A performance project.

 

Welcome to Year 10 Drama!

RSL Award in Acting

What new skills will I be learning?
Exploring the world of acting and performance

  • Contributing creatively to group work and developing communication skills
    Problem solving
    Development of practical skills

In Years 10, you will study two units…
Component 1 of the new RSL Tech Award introduces students to a range of performance styles and professional practice. Students explore 2 professional works through practical work, written projects and performances.

Component 2 is an externally assessed unit in which  students work as a group to create a performance to a given brief which is set by the exam board in Year 10.

All units are practical and a portfolio is kept throughout.

How will I learn?
You will learn from practical work and interaction with professionals who work in the performing arts.

  • You will perform on a large number of occasions to different audiences.
  • You will view live theatre.
  • You will learn how to create a well rounded performance.
  • There will be the opportunity to devise your own performances, direct a play and write scripts or work backstage.

How am I assessed?
The entire course is practical. You will keep a portfolio to support your practical work and be awarded a mark for each unit. You will be videoed in class performing and rehearsing.

You can learn more about the course here: Creative and Performing Arts – RSL Awards

In Key Stage 4 students follow the Edexcel BTEC Tech Award Acting course.

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/btec-tech-awards/performing-arts.html

Students in Key Stage 3 Drama are assessed through their practical performance work. Students complete a practical project at the end of each Scheme of Learning, this could be a workshop or a polished performance. They are marked using the criteria on the Drama Progress ladder which they then use to set targets to develop their skills further. Students are assessed on their use of a range of Drama techniques, how they work as part of a group, how well they can devise work and perform back to an audience, how well they can stay in role and the quality of written work. These criteria all link directly to BTEC Acting.

In Key Stage 4 students can follow the Edexcel BTEC Acting course. This course is continually assessed through practical work, workshops, performances and a log book that students must keep. There is one externally assessed element of the course which is still performance based.

All students are entitled to:

  • a positive, safe learning environment that encourages the development of performance skills and the sharing of work within a culture of mutual respect and shared responsibility.
  • be actively engaged in their own learning whilst being challenged and motivated to take responsibility for their own development and take risks!
  • experience well planned lessons which challenge them, provide clear assessment and regular performance opportunities whilst reflecting upon their own learning and development.
  • regular opportunities to perform both within lessons and at public performances such as Performing Arts evenings, Music events, Dance events and the School Productions.

Teaching within PERFORMANCE lessons should have:

  • a positive ethos which promotes an atmosphere for learning in which all students feel safe and confident to perform and feedback honestly about others work and their own development.
  • clear levels of challenge to enable students to develop their performance and group work skills, practise higher order thinking skills, creativity, problem solving and independence.
  • well planned lessons in which learning aims are clear and shared with all students enabling them to understand the purpose of their learning and how to make progress. Methods and purpose of assessments are shared with students at every opportunity.
  • a culture of mutual respect in which students effort and achievement is celebrated.

HOW we achieve high quality Teaching and Learning within PERFORMANCE:

ASSESSMENT : Promotes learning within Performance. All students are actively engaged within their own assessment and development at KS3 within their logbooks using the PROGRESS LADDERS, targets are shared and reviewed regularly, usually at the beginning and end of each Scheme of Learning. Students assess their own work and the work of others throughout Performance lessons using regular peer and teacher feedback.

At KS4 students follow the BTEC courses. Their assessment is on-going, rigorous and forms the basis of each lesson. Students work through assignments and always know what their targets are and how to make progress.

TEACHING : Teachers create positive, safe learning environments with clear ground rules and expectations. Learning aims are shared with students at every opportunity and success is celebrated every lesson through the sharing of work and feedback.

The culture of success, praise and reward enables lessons within Performance to be positive, dynamic and engaging. Students want to perform and share their work within a supportive environment and without judgement. This is common practise throughout the faculty.

Each area within Performance (Music, Movement and Drama) has detailed handbooks, Schemes of Work which contain more details about lessons and structure.

Effective lessons within Performance have the following features:

  • All objectives and intended outcomes are shared with the pupils.
  • Expectations are always high for the quality of work, concentration and behaviour.
  • Lessons are well-structured.
  • Clear vocabulary is used and is always explained.
  • Classes and groups are well organised.
  • There is clear explanation of learning.
  • A variety of activities are used i.e an effective balance between whole class work, group work and teacher led activities.
  • Good pace and timing.
  • Effective use of resources.
  • Strong and effective assessment that is shared with pupils.