Drama

Subject leader

Curriculum Intent

At The Turing School, the Drama curriculum aims to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where students can develop their personal and interpersonal skills. Through exploring themes and scenarios, students have access to appropriate opportunities to support the development of dramatic skills and to express their ideas and feelings.

Our curriculum promotes respect, empathy, and cultural understanding through a range of cultural opportunities. Moreover, it enables students to develop transferable skills, creativity, and the ability to articulate and express their ideas confidently and respectfully; all key skills that improve the employability of our students. Our curriculum nurtures students' individual character, including their confidence, resilience, and independence, contributing positively to the school community and beyond. The Drama curriculum is crucial for students' personal growth, as well as their future careers, where communication, collaboration, creativity, and empathy are essential skills.

Learning Journey

Curriculum implementation

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.

KS3

Year 7

In year 7 students focus on the three dynamics: acting skills, devising skills and developing scripted performances. We aim to introduce key techniques and explore knowledge alongside growth in personal confidence and communication skills. Students have the opportunity to find their personal creative voice, beginning to consider how to communicate character and meaning and the best ways to plan and produce work with a key purpose. We look at the work of theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavki.

Year 8

In year 8 students continue to develop the three dynamics. We deepen the understanding of how to explore meaning and purpose when developing performance work, and explore how to present yourself well in numerous settings. Further techniques linked to communicating ideas and concepts through a broader understanding of professional practice are included. Developing personal creativity is a focus for moving forward and understanding the world in a broader context, while looking at the theatrical beliefs of Bertolt Brecht.

Year 9

In year 9 students continue to build on their skills and prepare to potentially continue their studies in Drama. We have a bigger focus, not just on the acting and creative side, but look further at students' ability to analyse and evaluate live performance. We explore the world of physical theatre, including the work of Steven Berkoff and Frantic Assembly.

KS4

Year 10 and Year 11

Drama is studied as an option choice at KS4

The students study the Edexcel GCSE Drama syllabus.

The course covers 3 components of study covered over the two-year period.

Component 1: Devising

40% of the qualification – 60 marks

Content overview

● Create and develop a devised piece from a stimulus.

● Performance of this devised piece or design realisation for this performance.

● Analyse and evaluate the devising process and performance.

Assessed via live performance and written coursework

Component 2: Performance from Text

Non-examination assessment - 20% of the qualification – 48 marks

Content overview

● Students will either perform in and/or design for two key extracts from a performance text.

Assessed via live performance by an external examiner.

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice

Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes - 40% of the qualification – 60 marks Content overview

● Practical exploration and study of one complete performance text.

● Live theatre evaluation

Extra Curricular

The chance to be involved in Drama outside of timetabled lessons is widely offered through a range of activities: The annual School production, KS3 Drama club and Eastbourne Youth Radio to name a few.

Additional websites and resources

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/drama-2016.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zkvm2sg

Curriculum