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Meadowhead School

Meadowhead SchoolAcademy Trust

Drama

Drama in schools allows learners to become confident, creative and insightful. The subject is an exploration of culture and will always be organic and evolving. Drama encourages learners to have empathy, contextual understanding and awareness of audience, both as an actor and as an audience member. Drama promotes the art of theatre and the skills needed within this discipline.

At Meadowhead, all pupils study Drama at KS3 once a week in Y7 and Y8, and on rotation with Music in Y9. At KS4, students have the opportunity to opt for Drama GCSE and then further continue into BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts at KS5 should they choose.  The drama curriculum at KS3 works on a 5 topic model and covers drama assessment areas in performing texts, devising and performance response. The KS4 and KS5 curriculums are built around OCR GCSE and Level 3 BTEC Performing Arts. The Drama curriculum covers all aspects of creating, rehearsing, performing, evaluation and knowledge, drawing on a wide range of drama forms, styles, conventions, texts and genres.

The KS3 curriculum directly feeds into the demands of GCSE Drama at KS4 and beyond.  For the Knowledge Organisers, please go to the foot of this page.

The study of Drama can allow a person to. . . 

Become culturally rich

Develop empathy and understanding

Develop skills in performance and performance appreciation

Explore the processes of creating and refining theatre

Gain knowledge that underpins theatre forms

Reflect on our own performances and the work of others.

Key Stage 3 (7-9)

Table Heading Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Term 1

Physical Theatre

Mime and Masks

Noughts and Crosses-play text by Dominic Cook/RSC

Practitioners-Brecht and Brechtian Theatre and Augusto Boal and Theatre of the Oppressed

Assessment

Performance Assessments

Performance assessment

Evaluation and Knowledge Assessment

Performance Assessment

‘Exam style’ question

Term 2

‘The Terrible Fate of Humpty Dumpty’ – play text David Calcutt

 

The Haunted School

Rights

Off the Rails-script work

Assessment

Performance assessment

Evaluation and Knowledge Assessment

Performance Assessments

Performance Assessments

Term 3

Slapstick

Greek Theatre

Dr Faustus-Christopher Marlowe

African Theatre

Devising Performance

Assessment

Performance Assessments

Evaluation and Knowledge Assessment

Performance Assessment (joint across Drama and Music)

Exam style question

Performance Assessment

Key Stage 4 (Y10-11) GCSE Drama - GCSE Drama (23/24 onwards, BTEC L1/2 Tech Award Y11 23/24)

  Year 10 Year 11
Term 1

Sheffield Theatre Project and Drama Performance and Response 

BTEC: C2 Developing Skills and Techniques

GCSE: Devising Drama-exam performance

Assessment N/A

BTEC: C2 Performance Assessment (externally moderated)

GCSE: Process and Performance Assessment- (NEA) externally moderated

Term 2 Drama Performance and Response: study of live performance and the exam set text: Blood Brothers

BTEC: C3 Responding to a brief

GCSE: Performing Texts- exam performance

Assessment GCSE Mock exam paper

BTEC Performance Assessment: Externally marked

GCSE Performance Assessment-visiting examiner

Term 3 Devising Drama

BTEC: C3 Responding to a brief

GCSE: Drama Performance and Response-written exam: Blood Brothers and live theatre analysis

Assessment GCSE Process and Performance assessment (NEA)-on-going

BTEC Performance Assessment: Externally marked

GCSE Exam paper 1hr 30mins-externally marked

Key Stage 5 (12-13) BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts

The course is taught in vertical groupings and the order of the units will vary from year to year.

  Year 12 Year 13
Term 1

Unit 1 - Investigating Practitioners' Work

Unit 3 - Group Performance Workshop

Assessment External assessment – 3 hour written examination External assessment –Performance and three written controlled assessments
Term 2

Unit 2 - Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance

Unit 21 – Improvisation
Assessment

Performance Assessment

Reflective Journal / Process Journal

Externally moderated

Performance Assessment

Reflective Journal / Process Journal

Externally moderated

Term 3 Unit 2 - Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance (continued) Unit 21 – Improvisation (continued)
Assessment    

 

Useful websites

Performing Arts (2022) | BTEC Tech Awards | Pearson qualifications

GCSE - Drama (9-1) - J316 - OCR

BTEC Nationals | Performing Arts (2016) | Pearson qualifications

Extra-curricular / enrichment

  • Y9 Drama and Music Club
  • School Production/performance opportunities throughout the year
  • KS4 and KS5 after school rehearsal and coursework support

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast whole school production