Drama
Subject Leader: Miss L Jones
Subject Leader Email Address: lyn.jones@swale.at
All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women are merely players.
William Shakespere
Subject Overview
Studying drama gives students skills beyond that of just becoming a performer or working in the entertainment industry, although this is a large part of what we aim to do. Transferable skills such as working as a team, leadership training, communicating effectively and understanding emotions and social issues are equally present and valid for any future career. The drama department is a space where students develop an understanding of the wider world and creative force within themselves. Confidence, determination, resilience and becoming more open minded is as important as the knowledge base. At TSS we take our training seriously with the aim of creating performers, directors, producers and writers of the future. A clear link between the work we are undertaking and industry professionals allows us to make sure that our training and education is of the highest quality.
Year 7
Term 1:
Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will look at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques. Students will have a greater understanding of basic physical and vocal acting techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
What does good acting look like?
Term 2:
Students will be developing storytelling skills including decision making and editing. We will be looking at numerous ways in which stories can start and creative ideas can be developed. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will be looking at the qualities of explore, describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and developments of knowledge and skills will need to be noted relating to applying key skills and techniques, Students will have a greater understanding of creating character, layering story, exploring mood and atmosphere and continuing with acting skills developments.
Enquiry Questions:
How can we create well planned plays?
Term 3:
Students will be exploring textual analysis in relation to collating information and contextualising character and storyline. Class assessments will be developed through tasks set towards the end of each lesson and in a final assessment in week 6. Assessment will focus on the two elements of technique and creativity. Understanding and communicating text will be a focus. Students will have a greater understanding of how to understand the work of others and how to bring text to life.
Students will be developing communication skills, including decision making and application of skills. We will be looking at numerous ways in which writers can create story and characterization, including the development of atmosphere and mood and character relationships. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats and students will be looking at the qualities of explore, describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and developments of knowledge and skills will need to be noted relating to applying key skills and techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
What information do we get from scripts and how can we use it?
Term 4:
Students will explore creation work based on understanding text and character and the needs of costumes over clothing. They will look towards what you can create and what this may communicate. Assessment will focus on drawn tasks, planning tasks and discussion-based oracy tasks. Understanding the role of designer additionally to that of performer will be a key development in students’ understanding of the performing arts business.
Students will be developing drawing skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present both autonomously and in group work to plan, design and make key costume pieces to achieve an aim, as well as understanding the stylistic choices of directors to create a visual world on stage.
Enquiry Questions:
What process would a costume designer need to consider when creating a new costume?
Term 5:
Students will develop cross curricular understanding of key historical context in line with the content taught in TSS history. They will focus on the individual and human stories attached to these historical events, in this case the witch trials and how women predominantly where treated. Students will use research techniques, planning documentation and discussions based on human response. Students will be developing acting skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present mostly in group work to plan, rehearse and perform while respecting historical accuracy and creative voice.
Enquiry Questions:
How can you effectively plan and deliver a performance to show historical context?
Term 6:
Students will focus on understanding aspects of different styles of performance work, namely kitchen sink drama present in soap operas. We will focus on the needs for the actors in that type of work and what techniques they may make use of when creating this highly naturalistic and everyday style. The challenge is to break down the style as it is one that the students are so used to seeing. Understanding the needs of naturalism and how different this is to other styles will be key in their knowledge building. Challenges will be presented for the individual actor and for the group developing the body of the material.
Enquiry Questions:
What is the style of a soap opera and what acting skills do we need to use?
Year 8
Term 1:
This unit is focused on developing naturalistic acting techniques. Skills will focus on physical communication (levels, breath control, and posture), vocal communication (pitch, tone, vocal colour) and different acting techniques (interview, telephone conversation, Stanislavski). Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
What does good naturalistic acting look like and what techniques can be used for it?
Term 2:
This unit is focused on devising and developing techniques in creating new theatre. Skills focussed on include stimulus response, developing work from initial ideas including the theory of Bertolt Brecht and political theatre ideas, considering structural elements and target audiences. Specific areas to focus on include teamwork, collaboration of ideas and starting from scratch. Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
What is T.I.E. and why can it be seen as important in education?
Term 3:
This unit is focused on developing all techniques studied this academic year in creating new theatre using script as a stimulus. Skills will focus on stimulus response, developing work from initial ideas and understanding script and character through the eyes of an actor. Specific areas to focus on include teamwork, collaboration of ideas and acting skills through character. Students in this year have also studied or will be studying the original text in English lessons, so should have a good understanding of the characters, plot and themes. This work will further enhance this understanding for them. Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques, particularly through collaboration and vocal, physical and emotional acting skills. This is aimed to impact in such a way that students understand the many layers of a character and how an actor could develop this for performance.
Enquiry Questions:
How can a script develop your performance skills in a different way to devising plays performance?
Term 4:
Students will explore creation work based on understanding text and character and the needs of properties for use and meaning. They will look towards what you can create and what this may communicate. Assessment will focus on drawn tasks, planning tasks, building tasks and discussion-based oracy tasks. Understanding the role of designer additionally to that of performer will be a key development in students’ understanding of the performing arts business.
Students will be developing drawing skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present both autonomously and in group work to plan, design and make key properties to achieve an aim, as well as understanding the stylistic choices of directors to create a visual world on stage.
Enquiry Questions:
How do designers create props suitable for stage and screen in order to communicate atmosphere and mood?
Term 5:
Students will continue to develop cross curricular understanding of key historical context in line with the content taught in TSS history for year 8. They will focus on the individual and human stories attached to these historical events, in this case segregation in America and the civil rights movement and how people of colour have moved political boundaries. Students will use research techniques, planning documentation and discussions based on human response. Students will be developing acting skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present mostly in group work to plan, rehearse and perform while respecting historical accuracy and creative voice.
Enquiry Questions:
How can history help shape new drama?
Term 6:
Students will focus on understanding aspects of different purposes of performance work, namely theme based T.I.E. work on cyber bullying. We will focus on the needs for the actors in that type of work and what techniques they may make use of when creating this educational and teaching based style. The challenge is to break down the style as it is one that the students are so used to seeing. Understanding the needs of T.I.E. and how different this is to other styles will be key in their knowledge building. Challenges will be presented for the individual actor and for the group developing the body of the material.
Enquiry Questions:
How can we use social issues to develop theatre?
Year 9
Term 1:
This unit is focused on developing acting techniques relating to communication with an audience. Skills will focus on physical communication (energy, tension, act and react), vocal communication (intonation, pace and pause) and different acting techniques (multi roling, placards, Brecht). Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
Why is Theatre In Education important in educating communities?
Term 2:
This unit is focused on further developing techniques in approaching scripted work to explore meaning and purpose in performance. The demands will be centred on how an actor approaches the scripted character. Specific areas to focus on include collaboration of ideas, textual analysis and decision making through character and setting. This will link with the breakdown and understanding of script presented in English lessons relating to characters, plot and themes. Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques, particularly through collaboration and vocal, physical and emotional acting skills. This is aimed to impact in such a way that students understand the many layers of a character and how an actor could develop this for performance.
Enquiry Questions:
How do we bring scripted scenes to life (naturalism)?
Term 3:
This unit is focused on devising and deepening the techniques used in creating new theatre. Skills focussed on include stimulus assessment, developing and improving work from initial ideas including the theory of theme based theatre, considering structural elements and target audiences. Specific areas to focus on include autonomy and collaboration of ideas and making structural choices. Students will be developing technique and creative ideas and concepts. Class assessments will be developed through practical formats at the end of each lesson and students will be looking at the qualities of describe, discuss, explain and assess. Competent, appropriate and considered selections and development of skills will need to be noted relating to applying and demonstrating key skills and techniques.
Enquiry Questions:
What are the ways we can respond to a drama brief?
Term 4:
Students will explore creation work based on understanding text and character and the needs of designing sets for use and meaning. They will look towards what you can create and what this may communicate. Assessment will focus on drawn tasks, planning tasks, building tasks and discussion-based oracy tasks. Understanding the role of designer additionally to that of performer will be a key development in students’ understanding of the performing arts business. Students will be developing drawing skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present both autonomously and in group work to plan, design and make key properties to achieve an aim, as well as understanding the stylistic choices of directors to create a visual world on stage.
Enquiry Questions:
How can you use set design to communicate meaning and storyline?
Term 5:
Students will continue to develop cross curricular understanding of key historical context in line with the content taught in TSS year 9 history. They will focus on the individual and human stories attached to these historical events, in this case the holocaust during the second world war and how Jewish, political, Roma, Gypsy and gay prisoners were treated. Students will use research techniques, planning documentation and discussions based on human response. Students will be developing acting skills alongside that of creative problem solving. Challenges will be present mostly in group work to plan, rehearse and perform while respecting historical accuracy and creative voice.
Enquiry Questions:
How can you effectively plan and deliver a performance to show historical context from a human perspective?
Term 6:
Students will focus on understanding aspects of different genres of performance work, namely horror. We will focus on the needs for the actors in that type of work and what techniques they may make use of when creating this highly specific and well known film style on stage. The challenge is to break down the style as it is one that the students are so used to seeing. Understanding the needs of naturalism and how different this is to other styles will be key in their knowledge building. Challenges will be presented for the individual actor and for the group developing the body of the material.
Enquiry Questions:
What is a convention and what rules does the horror genre follow?
Year 10
Why study this course?
The course is a practical and theoretical understanding of the performing arts from the basis of acting, but will also look at the nature of devising and writing, design and directing within the three units. We look at the broader context of work within the performing arts business as well as teaching general skills used in various types of business. General skills such as working as a team, speaking in public, confident presentation of self, ability to read others, creative problem solving and autonomous responsibility train students for the wider world of work. Our actor training allows students to develop effective skills in the two pillars of performance, creativity and technique, and this allows our actors to move successfully into professional performer careers.
Unit 1 enables learners to gain a holistic knowledge and understanding of the skills and techniques needed to reproduce an existing piece(s) of professional/published work.
Unit 2 enables learners to gain, develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the skills and techniques needed to create and refine original work in the performing arts.
Unit 3 introduces learners to areas of the performing arts that need to be considered when responding to an industry commission.
The mix of learning and professional training make this a good course for those wanting to go onto working within the performing arts sector.
What does this course lead on to?
This course can lead to studying sixth form performing arts courses at A level or level three. You can move directly into working professionally in the performing arts as well. Additionally students who study drama at level two learn confidence, working as a team, vocal techniques for purposeful talking and many other transferable skills.
Term 1:
This term will be a starting point in terms of developing knowledge and understanding of higher level devising skills, starting with improvisation and moving into devising and the different approaches you can undertake relating to historical knowledge of key practitioners and their approaches to the development of work. Collaborative higher level skills will also be explored with assessment being focused on discussion and decision making, sharing opinion and adding and editing of material. Some research tasks will focus on knowledge building.
Enquiry Questions:
What defines working as a group to create developed and effective performances, and what strategies are used?
Term 2:
This is a continuation of developing devising skills and will move more into the adding and editing phases of creation as well as looking towards the elements of adapting one’s ideas. Key understanding of different movements within the history of devising theatre will be a focus for written tasks alongside the development of self reflection tools. Acting skills will be explored relating to the needs of individual material selected.. Assessment will continue in the same format as term 1.
Enquiry Questions:
How do we explore different practitioner styles to create varied and dynamic performance works?
Term 3:
This term will allow students the opportunity to trial coursework unit 2 on a smaller scale. The activities listed in terms 4, 5 and 6 will be the basis of a shorter pilot of their work from discussion to rehearsals to portfolio, recorded rehearsals and recorded final performance. This will be self, peer and teacher assessed to allow students to note any issues with their approach to the coursework unit and any aspects they would need to develop prior to the completion of their actual coursework. Mock programmes of each section will run and be assessed.
Enquiry Questions:
How do we analyse and bring scenes to life in performance effectively?
Term 4, 5 and 6:
This is the full assessment period for coursework unit 2. Creating - by the end of this unit students will have completed 30% of their final grade. In this unit learners will gain, develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the skills and techniques needed to create and refine original work in the performing arts.This unit is internally assessed through controlled assessment. Students will be required to perform/present original work. The evidence collected will be a portfolio of work looking at the process of creating work, a series of logs and evaluations that will explore self reflection, a selection of filmed rehearsal evidence, and a final filmed performance. Students need to devise a ten minute long piece. Key focus areas are exploring / developing / creating original work / evaluation of original work / refining original work. The work is marked out of 60. This is a controlled assessment and therefore students have key expectations for the completion of this work over the 3 terms.
Enquiry Questions:
Term 4 Focus - Exploration - How can we create dramatic work that holds a purpose for the audience?
Term 5 Focus - Creation - What focus should adding, editing and adapting have in our process of creation?
Term 6 Focus - Improvement and performance - How can we explore meaning and communication with a target audience in mind?
Year 11
Why study this course?
The course is a practical and theoretical understanding of the performing arts from the basis of acting, but will also look at the nature of devising and writing, design and directing within the three units. We look at the broader context of work within the performing arts business as well as teaching general skills used in various types of business.The general skills such as working as a team, speaking in public, confident presentation of self, ability to read others, creative problem solving and autonomous responsibility train students for the wider world of work. Our actor training allows students to develop effective skills in the two pillars of performance, creativity and technique and this allows our actors to move successfully into professional performer careers.
What does this course lead on to?
Students could move directly into working professionally as an actor in the performing arts business or move onto a level 3 / A level course in Performing Arts.
Students will be completing their performing scripts unit with their classical theatre focus, Hamlet. At the end of this unit 50% of their final mark will be banked. We then move into the preparation for their final externally marked unit, Devising Theatre, where students will create original work based on a paper released from the exam board.
Term 1 and 2:
This is an assessment period
Students are completing coursework throughout this term in relation to completing a portfolio and developing character including a process of self reflection and target setting. Research and character based work will be part of the completion of final assessment material. Practical work will be collated in recorded filmed material for discussion, planning, rehearsal and final performance of classical theatre duet work.
Assessment throughout the term relating to discussion, directing, self reflection and target setting, peer reflection and target setting, peer reflection should happen in written format at least once during the term based on practical or written work; verbal feedback should be happening regularly across the term. The same should be said for self reflection and each teacher assessment should have a student response to it. Teacher assessment should happen every three weeks in written format and in every lesson in verbal format. Written feedback should be 25% written work and 75% practical application, with one being performance work and one being rehearsal work. Assessment will be of continuous development over this term rather than a final assessment piece.
Enquiry Questions:
Term 1 - How can we transfer our performance skills gained through contemporary performance to classical work?
Term 2 - How do we use technique and analytical knowledge to go from “Page to Stage”
Term 3:
This term will focus on the final assessment of this course. A controlled assessment paper from the exam board will be released exploring a basis for the work they will create as devised theatre. This work will be undertaken in groups and will serve to achieve a set aim. Students will focus on planning to achieve this aim, discussion, self reflection, and a final performance. They will sit two written components exploring their ideas for the work and an assessment of their final work in relation to the expectations from the exam board.
This is an externally set unit and we are unable to offer any feedback once the controlled assessment period has started. Peer and self reflection can occur as normal. The assessment criteria has not been released at this stage. This will complete all of their work for the RSL course.
Enquiry Questions:
How can you plan for and demonstrate and reflect on purposeful drama? (external assessment period) & First part of Term 4 - How can you plan for and demonstrate and reflect on purposeful drama? (external assessment period)
Sixth Form
Term 1 and 2
Summary
Year 12 will study 2 different units - Performing Arts in the community and Individual performance commission. The first unit is an internally marked unit and Individual performance is an externally marked unit. Skills and techniques will involve acting training and technique work, creative input and ownership, and following briefs and purposes. Students will complete rehearsal, discussion, workshop, assessment and performance activities. Historical and knowledge based files will also be included.
Year 13 will study 2 different units - Musical theatre techniques and Improvisation. These units are two internally marked coursework units that focus on developing specified skill bases linked to different styles of working. Students will complete rehearsal, discussion, workshop, assessment and performance activities. Historical and knowledge based files will also be included.
Enquiry Questions:
Year 12 - Performing Arts in the Community - What is political theatre and how does this relate to community performance? What skills and techniques can be applied to effectively approach dynamic creation?
Year 12 - Individual Performance Commission - What is a commission and how do you apply this to a singular performance? How can we delve into the needs of a brief set by organisations?
Year 13 - Musical Theatre Techniques - What defines the musical theatre style and what techniques are used? How can you improve technique and skills based performance in the style of musical theatre?
Year 13 - Improvisation - What defines the improvisational theatre style and what techniques are used?
Term 3 and 4:
Year 12 - Units studied are Individual performance commission, Group performance workshop and Investigating practitioners. Students will continue throughout each unit to explore acting, devising, design and directing skills. Additionally the practitioners unit is a full written unit where students delve into the historical and social understanding of key practitioners in the performing arts. The units we study in this portion of the year are all externally assessed and set work. For year 12 this is the first shot and they may be able to re sit next year to improve grades. Each unit has set tasks to complete from Edexcel and often links to achieving a specific aim in specific styles.
Year 13 will be re sitting two out of the three units to try and improve their previous grade. This year students will be re sitting Investigating practitioners and Individual performance commission.
Enquiry Questions:
Year 12 - Performing Arts in the Community - How important is recognising your target audience in creating and developing effective performance material designed to educate?
Year 12 - Investigating Practitioners - How do practitioners set their own styles and techniques in order to communicate moral, cultural, social and historical factors? How can you argue for one practitioner over another in terms of suitability?
Year 12 - Group Performance workshop - How can you plan to achieve a given outcome for a target audience with devised work? How can you make clear arguments within your creative choice for structure, content and performance?
Year 13 - Individual performance commission resit - How can you delve into your previous work to make clear and effective improvements to your understanding, process and outcomes?
Year 13 - Investigating practitioners resit - How can you delve into your previous work to make clear and effective improvements to your understanding, process and outcomes?
Term 5 and 6:
This term is all about professional working practice. Both year 12 and year 13 form a theatre company completing a larger scale performance to a public audience. Students have to use research and explorative strategies to explore and develop key material related to the choice of play or musical for that year. Technique, research, acting classes, rehearsals, written character development and an exploration and improvement of skills is all evident throughout this work. Professional actor expectations are placed on the students and we use personal as well as director feedback to explore development and improvement phases.
Enquiry Questions:
Year 12 - Develop techniques for live performance - How can research and workshop activities aid the improvement of your acting skills through character communication? What responsibilities do you hold as a performer within professional work?
Year 13 - Final live performance - How can this final unit complete your learning at sixth form? What skills do you still need to explore? What is your continued journey into the performing arts business?