St Catherine's Catholic School

Drama

 

Drama

Head of Department (HOD): Ms L Williams

Teacher names: Miss S Okoh

Drama and theatre are a universal and vital part of the human experience. The aim of Drama at KS3 is for all students to develop the skills and knowledge which enable them to create and perform meaningful drama. In Drama we learn to use our body, brain, emotions and imagination to create and appreciate drama that explores the world and our place in it.

KS3:

KS3 Drama provides a three-year grounding in the physical, emotional and intellectual challenges and experiences offered by creating and performing drama.

There are three key components to the KS3 curriculum:

  • Devising Drama
  • Performing Scripted Plays
  • Theatre Scholars (where students study a seminal theatrical style, practitioner or genre)

Each Year will contain one unit for each of these three components, for example:

Year 7: Devising: Mime, Performing Scripted Plays: The Tempest, Theatre Scholars: Storytelling theatre

Year 8: Devising: Symbolism Performing Scripted Plays: Blood Brothers, Theatre Scholars: Greek Theatre

Year 9: Devising: The age of technology, Performing Scripted Plays: DNA, Theatre Scholars: Brecht

Main skills developed in Years 7, 8 and 9:

Physical and vocal control and precision

Characterisation

Confidence in speaking in public and performing on stage

Developing empathy and exploring challenging themes with maturity

Analysing and evaluating drama

Knowledge of a range of theatre styles and practitioners

Creativity and devising skills

KS4:

Exam board and full GCSE course name: Edexcel GCSE Drama

Brief breakdown of the course:

The course has 3 components:

  1. Devised theatre – students devise their own play from a stimulus and write a portfolio about the process (40%)
  2. Scripted performance – students perform a scripted play for an external examiner (20%)
  3. Theatre Makers – students study a play in depth and develop their own ideas for acting, directing and designing (40%)

Careers Information:

Drama GCSE can prepare you for a wide range of careers, not just acting. Drama offers excellent preparation for careers such as law, TV and Media, and any career which involves creativity and communicating effectively. Top universities and businesses are looking for young people who are creative and collaborative: key skills which Drama GCSE develops.

How to Support your daughter in this Subject:

Encourage your daughter to watch a wide range of drama and theatre, and to discuss and analyse what she has seen. Be aware that Drama GCSE will involve staying after school for rehearsals in the lead up to practical exams. Support your daughter by ensuring she keeps up with her homework in order to reach her full potential.

Useful Weblinks:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zk6pyrd

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning

https://www.rsc.org.uk/learn

https://tamasha.org.uk/

Matilda (2022 School Production)

It has been an absolute pleasure to direct this wonderful cast in our production of Matilda Jr. It has been 4 years since we were last able to put on a full-scale production here at St Catherine’s, and I am so happy to finally be able to give the current students the opportunity to experience the joy (and hard, hard work!) of putting on a show.  Miss Williams - Head of Drama

 Drama Gallery

 

 

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