What will students study in Drama at KS3?

Throughout Key Stage 3, students will be exploring different drama techniques, styles, genres and forms, working in both improvised and scripted drama.

In Year 7, schemes of work include: Mime & Silent Movie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (in which students will explore design elements including lighting and sound) Melodrama, Greek Theatre and Devising as a Response to Stimuli.

In Year 8, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of how to perform, direct and design for the stage, looking at units that include: Gothic Thriller (with an emphasis on design elements, building on the L,W&W unit in Year 7), Shakespeare, An Introduction to Frantic Assembly (exploring physical theatre), and Naturalistic Acting.

What are the major assessments this year?

Each half term, students will complete a practical or written assessment that will test them on their ability to perform, direct or design drama.

What do assessments test?

The assessments will be based on the ‘big ideas’ (assessment objectives) that are being explored within each unit. In addition to this, students will be routinely tested on their ability to recall subject-specific knowledge from previous units of work in order to commit this knowledge to long-term memory.

What are the expectations of my daughter in Drama?

In Drama, your daughter will regularly be expected to work in groups and as such she will be expected to engage with others’ ideas and contribute her own suggestions. She will be expected to be an attentive and responsive audience member. Your daughter will also be expected to perform in different roles and to present her ideas to the rest of the class.

What should my daughter do if she feels she is struggling in Drama?

I would encourage her to speak to her teacher, as we are here to help and support. It is important that students feel comfortable and relaxed in drama lessons so that they can work creatively and confidently.

How can I best support my daughter in Drama?

Encourage her, if she demonstrates an interest, to get involved with extra-curricular drama activities. Taking your daughter to see live performances is another effective way to foster a passion for the subject. Reading a range of plays can also obviously help to extend a student’s subject knowledge. If your daughter is someone who initially feels unconfident in Drama, try and encourage her to take part and be brave - this can often be a difficult hurdle, but practice can help and, to a certain extent, acting is about pretence – about becoming someone else. Performing or presenting ideas can really help to build confidence and self-esteem and the readiness to speak in front of groups of people is a quality that goes well beyond the context of theatrical performance.

Whom should I contact for further advice or information?