Drama

Drama at St Joseph’s Catholic College

The teaching of Drama, Expressive Arts and BTEC Performing Arts takes place in the main Drama Studio, equipped with outstanding lighting equipment and sound system.

Drama is taught on timetable throughout the school and extra-curricular Drama is thriving.

Drama at KS3

All pupils study Drama in years 7 to 9. In Year 7 and 8 Drama is taught once fortnightly, and the Schemes of Work range from Greek Theatre, to Script writing, an introduction to Physical theatre and script writing. The Schemes of Work are built on the making and performing of drama (both text-based and devised) and the subsequent analysis and evaluation. Assessment is regular and is based on levels outlined in the Arts Council of England’s ‘Drama in Schools’ document. The course content is practical and progressive, allowing for the gradual development of skills needed for the start of the GCSE Drama Course, should pupils take this option.

GCSE Drama

Pupils follow the Edexcel syllabus and complete a two-year course.

The coursework units (60%) require pupils to take part in a teacher-assessed workshop and complete a portfolio of written documentary evidence. Unit One is based around a given theme A Different State of Mind.

Pupils are required to respond to given stimuli through the use of a variety of explorative strategies and subsequently practically develop and evaluate their performances. Unit Two involves the detailed study of a published play; Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers.

The externally assessed practical examination (40%) takes place in the Spring Term of Year 11. Pupils rehearse performances based on a range of stimuli. In the past, these have been seven deadly sins and secrets and lies.

The course involves a number of theatre visits. Most recently, pupils have seen Blood Brothers in the West End and Bristol Hippodrome.

BTEC National Award in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre)

Pupils follow the Edexcel syllabus and complete a two-year course which demands practical, creative and communication skills in almost equal measure. Assessment is via written and practical work. Pupils are encouraged to extend their ability to create drama and theatre and develop powers of analysis to become an informed critic. A detailed description of course structure and content can be accessed via the Drama Department Handbook.

St Joseph’s Drama – Extra Curricular Activities

St Joseph’s Drama Department works hard to provide our students the opportunity to participate in a number of extracurricular activities. These range from weekly Drama Clubs, to participating in assemblies and performing "hard hitting" dramas as part of the Flexible Friday initiative.

St Joseph’s Drama Department Performances

St Joseph’s Drama Department works hard to provide our students the opportunity to showcase their work, which they achieve through hard work and dedication, to their peers, family and the public. This is achieved via performances, festivals, competitions and productions.

Drama Course Outlines

Year 7

Drama lessons are taught fortnightly and are structured according to DfES Drama Key Objectives guidelines. Students will continue to respond to a variety of stimuli, working co-operatively or imaginatively to select and shape the material to gain maximum dramatic effect.

By the end of the year, students should demonstrate the following skills:

• Awareness of pace, pause and projection
• Use movement with appropriate control, sense of timing and awareness of space
• Sustain roles
• Experience and understand the nature of dramatic tension

Introduction to Greek theatre and physical theatre. Students will be provided with a Drama booklet that needs to be completed throughout each term. They also have targets and levels set, based on the Arts Council criteria.

Year 8

Drama lessons are taught fortnightly and are structured according to DfES Drama Key Objectives guidelines. Students will continue to respond to a variety of stimuli, working co-operatively or imaginatively to select and shape the material to gain maximum dramatic effect.

By the end of the year, students should demonstrate the following skills:

• Awareness of non naturalistic techniques
• Developing skills in script writing
• Gaining confidence with spontaneous improvisation

The students will also continue to develop their skills on:

• Use movement with appropriate control, sense of timing and awareness of space
• Sustain roles
• Experience and understand the nature of dramatic tension

Students will be provided with a Drama booklet that needs to be completed throughout each term. They will also have targets and levels set, based on the Arts Council criteria.

Year 9

Students continue to develop the skills developed in Years 7 and 8, consolidating upon and increasing their range in each skill area.

By the end of the year, students should demonstrate the following skills:

• Use an increasingly technical drama vocabulary
• Demonstrate the ability to reflect on the themes and issues explored in their work

There will be an introduction to script writing and begin to understand non-naturalistic theatre and techniques.

Students will be focusing on Popular Modern Culture, starting from the 1960's until the present day. A drama diary is given to each student to record their written and practical work.

Drama Homework

This list of homework must be completed by the deadline set by your teacher.

Homework will be submitted on the due date. If you have completed all homework you will be rewarded by a phone call/letter or commendation. If you do not complete homework, your name will be recorded and parents will be informed by a letter or phone call home.

Your parents/guardians must sign and date to acknowledge that they have checked your homework and read this information.

Year 7

Term 1: An Introduction to Drama

• Design a cover for your Drama Diary that reflects your personality and your interests.
• Design a Drama Game that can help you learn other student's names.
• Design a three frame Drama, and then rehearse each scene with your chosen group.

Terms 2 & 3: Scrapbook

• Revise the term "Still Image" and consider when it is appropriate to incorporate it within your improvisation.
• Revise the term "Thought Track" and write down three different thoughts appropriate to each character you portray with in your practical scenes.
• Draw a "wedding picture" and add "thought tracks" to each character, reflecting their personalities.
• Revise the term "Hotseating" and write three questions that you would use to gain information, when hotseating a character.
• Write a diary entry in role.
• Write a postcard in role.

Term 4: Greek Theatre

• Revise notes on the "Ancient Greek Theatre" studied in class.
• Draw a mythical legend of your own choice.
• Design a three frame Drama based on an Ancient Greek Legend and then rehearse each scene with your chosen group.
• Revise the main points of Antigone and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Terms 5 & 6: Physical Theatre

• Revise the term "Body Prop" and consider when it is appropriate to incorporate it within your improvisation.
• Choose a piece of music to incorporate in your mimed scene, based on a "surprise" birthday party.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, including Body Props and mine and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Year 8

Terms 1 & 2: The Family

• Write a diary entry "in role" about a teenager who always seems to get in to trouble with their family. Use ideas from this Diary entry as a stimulus to an improvisation performed in class.
• Use a tableau taken in class, as your stimulus and add thought tracks to each character to reflect each characters personality.
• Draw a three scene frame based on "The Car trip" by Michael Rosen.
• Improvise a three scene play, based on "The Identification" by Roger McGough.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on "The Identification" by Roger McGough and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Terms 3 & 4: Script into Performance

• Devise three short scripts, as a continuation from the four opening lines, given in class. Each script has to have different characters and a different plot. Basis of the opening of the script; "Hello, Hello, You’re late, I know".
• Create a "roll on the wall" based on a picture as a stimulus.
• Devise a script, with two characters, using a picture as a stimulus and the information gained from the Role on the Wall activity.
• Rehearse independently in preparation for assessment to take place during lesson time.
• Rehearse an extract from "Chicken" by Mark Wheeler, in preparation for assessment.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on "Chicken" by Mark Wheeler and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Terms 5 & 6: Non Naturalism

• Revise scenes from "Chicken" by Mark Wheeler and highlight all Non-naturalistic techniques used.
• List different types of mediums that incorporate Non–naturalistic techniques.
• Create a Glossary of non-naturalistic techniques in the back of the Drama Diary.
• Write a script "the surprise birthday party" and clearly list all non naturalistic techniques used.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on "The Shop keeper" and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on "The Old Man and His Grandson" and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Year 9

• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on Segregation and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.
• Write a monologue based on Robbie Williams "Poem", rehearse and learn lines to memory.
• Revise the main points of your monologue, based on Robbie Williams "Poem" and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on Karen Carpenter and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.
• Write an acrostic scene, based on the millennium and New Years Eve and perform it with a partner during lesson time.
• Revise the main points of your final scene, based on the Millennium and New Years Eve and evaluate your performance, by self assessing and adding a level based on the Arts Council Criteria.

Drama Staff