Drama

Above all else, the drama department aims to help pupils of all abilities to make the most of their potential. Everyone can gain from access to the performance arts, enriching appreciation of both the form and content of dramatic works - building empathy, understanding, teamwork and negotiation skills, as well as fostering creativity.

There are currently three drama teachers. Some lower school lessons are shared with drama trained members of the English department.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 Curriculum map

Drama Learning Journey
	Autumn Term One	Autumn Term Two	Spring Term One	Spring Term Two	Summer Term One	Summer Term Two
7	Introduction to Drama	Storytelling – Fairy Tales	Mime	Shakespeare	Introduction to Script
	-Health and Safety -Developing friendships (games, getting to know you) -Introduction to core skills: freeze frame, flashback etc.	-Development of characterisation through physical and vocals skills -Exploration of dramatic structures.	-Introduction to mime -Development of performance skills, focus on facial expression etc.	-Introduction to Shakespeare -Extracts from plays to include: The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet	-Introduction to Script including the key conventions of scripts e.g. stage directions etc. -Exploration of the transition from page to stage -Practice with line learning
8	Improvisation		Musical Theatre		Melodrama
	-Introduction to core skills of improvisation: creativity, confidence, accepting and saying ‘yes!’ -Revision of skills taught in ‘Introduction to Drama’ in Year 7		-Introduction to Musical Theatre as a genre. -Focus on development of physical skills –Movement to music -Short scripted extracts		-Introduction to Melodrama -Exploration of the conventions of Melodrama -Exploration of stock characters -Exploration of scripts.
9	Comedy		Devising and Stanislavski		T.I.E and Brecht
	-Introduction to comedy as a genre -Exploration of different types of comedy: farce, slapstick, dark humour, stand up -Development of skills taught in Year 8 ‘Improvisation’		-This unit is the culmination of KS3 curriculum and gives the students the opportunity to devise from a chosen stimulus. -The unit will include a brief introduction to Stanislavski		-Introduction to T.I.E -Opportunity to explore site specific performances -This unit will also include a brief introduction to Brecht.

Drama is provided one lesson per week in Year 7 and once a fortnight during the rest of Key Stage 3. However, our Junior Drama Club offers further opportunities – club members recently had the chance to work with professional practitioners from the Cheltenham Everyman and other groups.

GCSE

GCSE Curriculum map

Edexcel GCSE Drama Learning Journey
	Autumn Term One	Autumn Term Two	Spring Term One	Spring Term Two	Summer Term One	Summer Term Two
10	Introduction to GCSE Drama	Exploration of Scripted Extracts	Devising and Portfolio		Inspector Calls
	-Getting to know each other, bonding as a group through games and exercises. -Introduction to the course – what will we study and when. -Workshop style lessons exploring practitioners, vocal and physical performance skills.	-Exploration of short scripted extracts in small groups or pairs (duologue). -Mock performance to the class (preparation for Y11). In this term there will also be the opportunity to see a live piece of theatre. Homework tasks will be used to practice for Live Theatre Evaluation section B of written exam).	Practical devising work in small groups (3-6) based upon a stimulus of the teachers choice. Students will be given three stimuli to choose between. The stimulus could be: a picture, a piece of music, a prop etc.	In this term students will finish and perform their devising work and complete their written or recorded portfolio. This unit is worth 60 marks and 40% of the GCSE.	The first week back is mocks – this time will be used to complete any unfinished portfolios. Practical exploration of Inspector Calls in preparation for written exam in Y11.	Finish exploring Inspector Calls and complete exam style questions. Work Experience Fun and Games
11	Scripted Performance of Two Extracts		Written Paper	Revision	Study Leave and Exams
	-Exploration and performance of two extracts. Plays tbc but will be a contrast to An Inspector Call Performances will be assessed by a visiting examiner – date tbc. This unit is worth 48 marks and 20% of the GCSE. In this term there will also be the opportunity to see a live piece of theatre.		Mock week – Inspector Calls Question in the exam. Work on Theatre Evaluation – Section B of exam including writing up theatre evaluation notes in supervised conditions.	Written exam revision.	Written examination: 1 hour 45 minutes. 40% of the qualification – 60 marks. Section A: Bringing Texts to Life. 45 marks. This section consists of 1 question broken into 5 sparts based on an unseen extract from An Inspector Calls. Section B: Live Theatre Evaluation . 15 marks. This section consists of two questions requiring students to analyse and evaluate a live theatre performance. Students can bring in theatre evaluation notes of up to 500 words.

Drama lessons are always taught in mixed ability groups, including the five lessons a fortnight to deliver the GCSE Drama curriculum. Presently about a hundred students follow the GCSE course with approximately 20 pupils in each class. We currently offer both Cambridge IGCSE specification.

IGCSE Curriculum map

Edexcel GCSE Drama Learning Journey
	Autumn Term One	Autumn Term Two	Spring Term One	Spring Term Two	Summer Term One	Summer Term Two
10	Introduction to GCSE Drama	Exploration of Scripted Extracts	Devising and Portfolio		Inspector Calls
	-Getting to know each other, bonding as a group through games and exercises. -Introduction to the course – what will we study and when. -Workshop style lessons exploring practitioners, vocal and physical performance skills.	-Exploration of short scripted extracts in small groups or pairs (duologue). -Mock performance to the class (preparation for Y11). In this term there will also be the opportunity to see a live piece of theatre. Homework tasks will be used to practice for Live Theatre Evaluation section B of written exam).	Practical devising work in small groups (3-6) based upon a stimulus of the teachers choice. Students will be given three stimuli to choose between. The stimulus could be: a picture, a piece of music, a prop etc.	In this term students will finish and perform their devising work and complete their written or recorded portfolio. This unit is worth 60 marks and 40% of the GCSE.	The first week back is mocks – this time will be used to complete any unfinished portfolios. Practical exploration of Inspector Calls in preparation for written exam in Y11.	Finish exploring Inspector Calls and complete exam style questions. Work Experience Fun and Games
11	Scripted Performance of Two Extracts		Written Paper	Revision	Study Leave and Exams
	-Exploration and performance of two extracts. Plays tbc but will be a contrast to An Inspector Call Performances will be assessed by a visiting examiner – date tbc. This unit is worth 48 marks and 20% of the GCSE. In this term there will also be the opportunity to see a live piece of theatre.		Mock week – Inspector Calls Question in the exam. Work on Theatre Evaluation – Section B of exam including writing up theatre evaluation notes in supervised conditions.	Written exam revision.	Written examination: 1 hour 45 minutes. 40% of the qualification – 60 marks. Section A: Bringing Texts to Life. 45 marks. This section consists of 1 question broken into 5 sparts based on an unseen extract from An Inspector Calls. Section B: Live Theatre Evaluation . 15 marks. This section consists of two questions requiring students to analyse and evaluate a live theatre performance. Students can bring in theatre evaluation notes of up to 500 words.

A Level

Year 12 Curriculum map

Edexcel A Level Drama Learning Journey Year 12
	Autumn Term One	Autumn Term Two	Spring Term One	Spring Term Two	Summer Term One	Summer Term Two
	Introduction to A Level Drama	Exploration of Set Texts			Devising and Portfolio
	Teacher One: Welcome to A Level Drama. -Course Outline and discussion of overall learning journey. -Development of core skills – vocal and physical. -Group bonding/team exercises.	The Tempest This module prepares students for Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text. Lessons will include: Study of the play including: plot/themes/character Exploration of the original performance conditions. Study of a chosen practitioner Development of a performance concept.	Component 2: Text in Performance monologue or duologue performance/design realisation from one key extract from a different performance text.	The Tempest This module prepares students for Section C: Interpreting a Performance Text. Lessons will include: Study of the play including: plot/themes/character Exploration of the original performance conditions. Study of a chosen practitioner Development of a performance concept	Students will devise an original performance piece using one key extract from a performance text and a theatre practitioner as stimuli. (Performer or designer routes are available) This will act as a mock but will be recorded so students have the opportunity to submit this performance as their assessed piece if necessary. During the devising process, we will embed discussion of the NEA portfolio.
	Teacher Two: Introduction to Practitioners. Through workshop and practical lessons students will explore the following practitioners: Stanislavski Brecht Artaud Kneehigh Frantic Assembly During this term students will also attend a theatre trip to be used for their live performance evaluation.	Accidental Death of an Anarchist OR Equus. This module prepares students for Section B: Page to Stage: Realising a Performance Text. Lessons will include: Study of the play – reading and watching. Practical exploration of characters/themes/context. Performance of key extracts. Explicit teaching of key vocabulary and subject specific terminology. Study of lighting and design techniques.	Study of set text continues (see Autumn Term Two) and students will complete a mock examination with feedback given and used to develop students understanding/exam technique.	Live Theatre Evaluation – this module prepares students for Section A of their written exam.

Year 13 Curriculum map

Edexcel A Level Drama Learning Journey Year 13
	Autumn Term One	Autumn Term Two	Spring Term One	Spring Term Two	Summer Term One	Summer Term Two
	Devising	Devising and Exploration of Set Texts	Scripted and monologues
	Students will devise an original performance piece using one key extract from a performance text and a theatre practitioner as stimuli. (Performer or designer routes are available) During the devising process, we will embed discussion of the NEA portfolio and students will begin preparations for writing their portfolio. During this term students will also attend a theatre trip to be used for their live performance evaluation.	After half term, students will have one week for final dress rehearsals etc. and will then perform their assessed devising piece. This will be recorded and marked internally (20 marks available). Teacher 1 will then lead the NEA portfolios – students will work on these in lessons and complete for homework. All portfolios will be due in the last week of term. Teacher 2 will revise The Tempest and begin preparations for monologue/scripted.	Students will spend this term working on their monologue or duologue and their scripted performance. These will be performed to a visiting examiner in March (date to be booked in January) and are worth 20% of the qualification (60 marks).	Revision for exam: Section A – Live Theatre Evaluation Section B – Realising A Performance Text (Equus or Accidental Death of an Anarchist). Section C- Interpreting a Performance Text (The Tempest).

A level Drama and Theatre is taught over nine lessons a fortnight with two teaching groups in each year. We follow the Edexcel A level specification.

Drama examination results consistently exceed the national average. Our recent grades were again excellent and we are currently one of the highest achieving subjects in the school both in terms of headline figures and for 'value added'.

School Production

The main school production is an annual event. Be it on stage, backstage or front of house, pupils gain much from taking part, with many leavers describing their participation in shows as being a highlight of their experience at Balcarras

Recent productions have included: Grease, Beauty and the Beast. We also have a very busy repertory of examination presentations including the Year 11 GCSE scripted and devised plays, the AS and A level productions, plus summer term Lower School shows. We have also introduced a Drama-Modern Languages House Play competition. In any year we may stage up to about fifty small to medium scale performances. To see what productions have been put on at school see here

Trips

Beyond school, we encourage students’ interest through a range of theatre visits for various year groups. These are popular and make a major contribution to pupils' understanding and enjoyment of the subject. We have been proud to host regular visits from touring theatre companies such as Ed Hall’s Propeller Theatre Company, Vamos Theatre, Scene Productions, Roughhouse Company and others. We also arrange regular tie-in events with Cheltenham Everyman and the RSC. We were a pioneering school for the RSC schools broadcast.

Future Possibilities

The drama department also trains and runs the school TechTeam. Led by our resident full time technician and apprentice, they provide lighting, sound, stage management, projections and a range of other technical solutions for all school events (productions, variety shows, music concerts, assemblies, open evenings, et al). The students form a strong crew and really enjoy what they do - indeed, like our actors, many go on to a career in the industry.

Facilitated by an enlightened senior management approach, Balcarras continues to invest heavily in drama and there is a genuine desire to keep the 'buzz' going. If you love this subject then you should enjoy drama at Balcarras!

Anthony Bennett, Head of Drama