Drama
Curriculum Leader: Mrs C. Windrum
We foster a love of Drama and Theatre through engaging lessons, knowledgeable teaching and a rich extra-curricular programme.
- Provide opportunities for students to engage in Drama
- Empower students to strive to produce the highest standards of performance
- Equip students with the knowledge, skills and understanding required to excel in both practical and theoretical areas.
- Develop students’ awareness of how subject links to future employment and the creative industries
- Provide links and opportunities for partnership beyond the school environment
All students at Fulford study drama in weekly, hour-long lessons by a specialist teacher of Drama.
In drama lessons at KS3, students explore a range of drama techniques and styles through improvising and working in role; devising, scripting and performing in plays, and discussing and reviewing their own and others’ performances.
The units studied in each year group are as follows:
Year 7
- Autumn Term
- Introduction to Drama Skills
- Script Work – Refugee Boy
- Spring Term
- The Tempest
- Summer Term
- Style – Trestle Masks
Year 8
- Autumn Term
- Style – Commedia Dell’ Art
- Devising – Titanic
- Spring Term
- RSC Playmaking
- Summer Term
- Script work – Noughts and Crosses
Year 9
- Autumn Term
- Building Devising and Performance Skills
- Live Review – Peter Pan
- Spring Term
- Script work – DNA
- Summer Term
- Developing Devising Skills
During Y10 and 11 students devise drama, explore a set texts practically and work on a text-based performance.
Aiming for success:
The written exam paper is designed to help all students realise their full potential.
It uses a variety of question styles and ask students to combine what they’ve learned about how drama is performed with their practical experience.
Clear progression to A-level:
This specification ensures continuity for students progressing from GCSE Drama to A-level Drama and Theatre studies. Students who go on to A-level are already familiar with studying a whole set text for the written paper. They have built solid foundations in reviewing a live theatre production and in interpreting key extracts.
Transferable skills:
Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically, problem solve and evaluate effectively- key skills for future, whatever they choose to do. They gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas, reflect and refine their efforts. Whatever the future holds, students of GCSE Drama emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills, applicable both in further studies and in the workplace.
GCSE Drama: Long Term Plan: Year 10
Unit | Focus and Outcome | Weeks |
Autumn 1/2 | ||
Unit 6 – Component 2 Devising Drama Topic TBC
| Focus: Devising, Research and Development Outcome: Polished devised performance to film Devising log Resources: Devising log book | 14 |
Spring 1/2 | ||
Unit 4 (cont.) – Live theatre performance Component 1: Section C | Focus: Analysis and review Outcome: Exam response Resources: Digital theatre – “Billy Elliot” Or production seen Year 10 Reports | On-going |
Unit 7 – Set text Component 1: Section B | Focus: Set text practical and design exploration Outcome: Exam questions Performance of set text as a mock performance Resources: Copies of “Blood Brothers” “Blood Brothers” workbook Assessed in Y 10 Exams | 14 |
Summer 1/2 | ||
Y10 Exams | ||
Unit 7 – Set text Component 1: Section B | Focus: Set text practical and design exploration Outcome: Exam questions Performance of set text as a mock performance Resources: Copies of “Blood Brothers” “Blood Brothers” workbook
| |
GCSE Drama: Long Term Plan: Year 11
| Unit | Focus and Outcome | Weeks |
| Autumn 1/2 | ||
Component 3 – Text in Practice
| Focus: Scripted performance Outcome: Scripted performance for assessment Visiting examiner Resources: Student’s choice – Text studying for Lit? 39 steps NOT Blood Brothers Examined by AQA End of Jan | 14 |
| Preparation for Mock – November | ||
| Spring 1/Spring 2 REVISION Exam mid May | ||
Component 1: Section A
| Focus: Skills for multi-choice Outcome: Exam style Questions Resources: Exam Sheets | 14 |
Component 1: Section B
| Focus: Set Text Outcome: Exam style Questions Resources: Blood Brothers | |
Component 1: Section C
| Focus: Analysis and review Outcome: Exam response Resources: Digital theatre Final Exam May | |
| Link to Specification | ||
AQA Drama and Theatre Studies Specification
We want students to have an inspiring experience of A-level Drama and Theatre; this qualification emphasises practical creativity alongside research and theoretical understanding.
Students learn through experience, seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves. Students are introduced to a wide range of theatrical styles and contexts as they explore plays practically, devise and work on performances.
Students choose to develop as a:
- performer
- designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets)
- director
- combination of these.
Whichever option they choose, students will gain many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.
The exam paper is designed to allow students to demonstrate their creativity and imagination in interpreting set texts and apply independent thinking as they evaluate a live theatre production.
Clear progression to higher education:
Higher education institutions (HEIs) value and respect the skills AQA drama and theatre qualifications give students.
By incorporating the approach they take with drama and theatre undergraduates into this A-level, students are really well prepared for the demands of university and beyond.
Transferable skills:
Students of AQA Drama and Theatre develop skills that are not just essential for drama but applicable to a wide range of higher education subjects and in the workplace. This specification refines students’ collaborative skills, their analytical thinking and their approach to research. Students grow in confidence and maturity as they successfully realise their own ideas. They learn to evaluate objectively and develop a sound appreciation of the influences that cultural and social contexts can have on decision making.
Whatever the future holds, students of A-level Drama and Theatre emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills preparing them for their next steps.
Long Term Plan:
Autumn 1/2 | |||
Component 1: Interpreting Drama – AS A Servant of Two Masters Leading to Component 1:Drama and Theatre – A | Focus: Interpretation of play from a performance perspective Outcome: Exam style essays in preparation for exam Resources: A Servant of Two Masters | Live review on going | |
Component 2: Process and performance (practical) AS Leading to Component 3: Making Theatre – A Practitioner: Stanislavski Extract: A Doll’s House Whale Music | Focus: Working knowledge of practitioner Outcome: Practical performance – extract 1 and 2 Portfolio Resources: A Doll’s House | ||
Component 2: Process and performance (practical) AS Leading to Component 3: Making Theatre – A Practitioner: Artaud Extract: 4.48 Psychosis | Focus: Working knowledge of practitioner Outcome: Practical performance – extract 1 and 2 Portfolio Resources: 4.48 Psychosis | ||
Component 2: Process and performance (practical) AS Leading to Component 3: Making Theatre – A Practitioner – Berkoff/Frantic Extract: The Trial/Pool no water | Focus: Working knowledge of practitioner Outcome: Practical performance – extract 2 Portfolio – extract 1 and 2 Resources: The Trial Pool no water | ||
| Depending on interest of group they then decide which of these will become Extract 2 (performed) and which will be written about as Extract 1. | |||
Spring 1/2 | |||
Component 1: Interpreting Drama – AS A Servant of Two Masters Leading to Component 1:Drama and Theatre – A
| Focus: Interpretation of play from a performance perspective Outcome: Exam style essays in preparation for exam Resources: A Servant of Two Masters | ||
Component 2: Process and performance (practical) AS Leading to Component 3: Making Theatre – A | Focus: Choosing extract and preparing performance and portfolio EXAM DATE: Practical record in March | ||
Summer 1/2 | |||
A Level Theatre Studies –Long Term Plan Year 2
Component 3: Making Theatre 3: Key Extracts Extract 3: Choose from one taught in first year Eg: Artaud, Berkoff but must be different to the practitioner applied to original drama (2 already done but will need writing up as reflective log rather than portfolio) They can use the same practitioner as they devised with. The can re-perform Extract 2 as Extract 3 and write up a new one | Focus: Choosing extract and preparing performance and practical Outcome: Performance Reflective Report Marked by AQ Resources: |
Practical exam |
Summer 1 |
Revision: A servant of Two Masters Our Country’s Good Live Review |
There are lots of opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular Drama activities at Fulford. As well as regular theatre trips and a Year 7 and 8 Drama club, we stage a whole school production every year. Recent productions include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2023), The Wizard of Oz (2022), Peter Pan (2020), Good Night Mr Tom (2019), We Will Rock You (2018), Lady Windermere’s Fan (2017), Romeo and Juliet (2016), Grease (2014), Joseph (2012), Bugsy (2011) and Little Shop of Horrors (2010).
Lower School Drama club runs every Thursday 3.30-4.30 offering students the opportunity to explore further ideas through drama.
Students at KS4 and 5 are expected to attend the theatre as part of the course, and there are opportunities to take on a role in delivering extra-curricular sessions, supporting in lessons, back-stage, lighting and assistant directing for willing KS5 students.
We have links with local theatres, universities, professional individuals and companies working in the performance industry. We use these links to provide a varied and effective enrichment programme to support the work done within the curriculum in Drama.
The Specification can be found here:
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/drama/specifications/AQA-7262-SP-2016.PDF
