WAH ACAP
Drama
Contact Head of Faculty: mike.adams@jhanson.hants.sch.uk / jane.michel@jhanson.hants.sch.uk
Key Stage 3
Students have one lesson of Drama per fortnight at KS3. The aim of the subject is for students to learn performance and self-presentation skills, to develop their confidence in presenting work to others and practise and perfect their group work, communication and co-operation skills. In Drama students will usually learn, practise & perform a technique, and evaluate a performance. In Year 7, topics covered include: Introduction to drama through ‘Gloom Manor’, ‘Mime,’ and ‘The Tempest’. In Year 8 topics covered include the study of the script: ‘Dan Nolan, ‘Physical Theatre ‘& ‘Status. ‘In Year 9, topics include: ‘Tension,’ the script ‘DNA’ & ‘Comedy.’
Key Stage 4
Students can choose to study Drama for GCSE. They will have 5 lessons over a 2 week period. The syllabus comprises of three sections, the first is Devising Drama where the students devise their own group performance from a stimulus & create a portfolio of written work to support it, and this exam is worth 30 %. The second exam is called Performing And Presenting, this is a scripted performance worth 30 % where the students study two extracts from a published play, explore the playwrights intentions, genre, style & conventions of the text & work towards a polished performance of the extracts. The final section of the syllabus is a written exam worth 40 % which is the study of a set play text in performance & a review of a live play seen at the theatre. Students are also expected to learn & answer questions on all the production elements of a performance of their set text & make justifications for their choices. In the written exam, the students also write a review of a play they have seen by exploring the following roles in the theatre: actor, designer & director. Some examples of previous plays seen & evaluated are ‘The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time’, ‘War Horse ‘and ‘Blood Brothers.
Extra-curricular drama is popular and well attended, this can comprise of a KS3 drama club for years seven, eight & nine as well as showcases of work from the Drama GCSE students.