All students study drama for one hour a week in Year 7 and 8, with the option to have two lessons a week in Year 9.
The aims of the course of study are:
- to give students a life-long love of the subject
- to develop their creativity, confidence and discipline
- to acquire the skills to write about the subject with accuracy and insight
- to develop skills transferable to the wider world
- to equip students with the skills needed to be successful in the subject at Key Stage 4.
Year 7
Curriculum
The Arrival
An introduction to some of the most fundamental drama techniques through the theme of arrival.
School Production – ‘A Christmas Carol’
A study of some of the key characters, themes and scenes from ‘A Christmas Carol’ in expectation of the Year 7 performance.
Oliver Twist
Using the playtext of Charles Dickens’ classic novel to examine character and circumstances and the Victorian era.
Greek Theatre
A practical exploration of the style and techniques in Greek theatre, many of which are the foundation of modern drama.
The Investigation
A development and application of the drama techniques explored over the year.
Assessment
The Arrival
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
End of term test
School Production – ‘A Christmas Carol’
Performance assessment of a piece related to the themes of A ‘Christmas Carol’
End of term test
Oliver Twist
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
Performance of a scripted scene between Fagin, Bill Sykes and Nancy
End of term test
Greek Theatre
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
End of term test
The Investigation
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
Hot seat performance of a self-created character
Progress & Preparation Activities (PPA)
PPA sheets will be uploaded in due course.
Further Resources
The school has a subscription to The Day, an online news service for schools. Click the button to the right, in order to view activities and discussion points for drama. You can log in with the following details:
User: isleworthtw75lj
Pass: theday
Please see below for a number of resources to maximise students’ progress during their Year 8 curriculum.
Year 8
Curriculum
Darkwood Manor
Exploration and application of the acting skills and techniques used in the horror genre.
School Production – ‘A Christmas Carol’
A study of some of the key characters, themes and scenes from A Christmas Carol in preparation for the whole school production at the end of November.
Developing Stagecraft
Using Off Balance theatre company’s version of ‘Robin Hood’. The students will develop their skills to devise their own original work in a new theatrical style.
The Holocaust
Exploring a sensitive historical topic through the medium of drama to gain a greater empathetic understanding of the appalling treatment of Jewish people.
Film
Students will extend their knowledge and understanding of the way that films are constructed for an audience.
Film
Students will extend their knowledge and understanding of the way that films are constructed for an audience.
Assessment
Darkwood Manor
Practical – On going assessment of the students’ ability to create drama using a classic drama structure.
Written – An evaluation of the use of physical skills by an actor in The Others
School Production – ‘A Christmas Carol’
Practical – An audition scene
Developing stagecraft
Practical – Assessment in original performance piece.
Written – An evaluation of the use of voice by an actor in Robin Hood
The Holocaust
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
Film
Continuous assessment of in class rehearsal, performance and evaluation
Written – A test on subject matter covered over the half term
Progress & Preparation Activities (PPA)
PPA sheets will be uploaded in due course.
Further Resources
The school has a subscription to The Day, an online news service for schools. Click the button to the right, in order to view activities and discussion points for drama. You can log in with the following details:
User: isleworthtw75lj
Pass: theday
Please see below for a number of resources to maximise students’ progress during their Year 8 curriculum.
- Off Balance: ‘Robin Hood’ (Part 1 and Part 2 ) – Off Balance’s version of ‘Robin Hood’, used in Developing Stagecraft.
- BBC News – an interesting BBC article about an upcoming multimedia production of the life of Anne Frank
- Film-making – film seen in class that details the shots used in film making.
Year 9
Curriculum
An Actor Prepares
An exploration and development of naturalism in the twentieth century; using the work of Constantin Stanislavski and Katie Mitchell.
Scripted project
GCSE-style performance project using a section from ‘Lord of the Flies’.
Modern Practitioners
An exploration of the style and techniques of physical theatre practitioners Bertholt Brecht and Frantic Assembly.
Devised project
GCSE-style devised thematic performance project based on a GCSE stimulus.
Live theatre evaluation
Analysis and application of the skills required to write about performance at GCSE.
Lizzie Borden
Students make use of the skills they have learnt over the course of Key Stage 3 to reconstruct a famous unsolved case.
Assessment
An Actor Prepares
Practical – Use of landmark rehearsals to assess students’ ability to apply the style and techniques of two key practitioners using extracts of text from well-known pieces of theatre.
Written – An evaluation on a performance from Blood Brothers. Test on subject matter covered over the half term.
Scripted Project
Practical – Assessed final performance of script.
Written – An evaluation of the student’s success in their final performance as a character from ‘Lord of the Flies’.
Modern Practitioners
Practical – Use of landmark rehearsals to assess students’ ability to work within groups to produce better collaborative work.
Written – A test on subject matter covered over the half term.
Devised project
Practical – Assessed final performance of script.
Written – A development log of the initial and middle stages of the creation of the piece.
Live theatre evaluation
Written – Examination in which students write extended answers in response to the National Theatre’s production of ‘Antigone’.
Lizzie Borden
Practical – Ongoing assessment of rehearsal and performance process.
Written – A test on subject matter covered over the half term.
Progress & Preparation Activities (PPA)
PPA sheets will be uploaded in due course.
Further Resources
The school has a subscription to The Day, an online news service for schools. Click the button to the right, in order to view activities and discussion points for drama. You can log in with the following details:
User: isleworthtw75lj
Pass: theday
Please see below for a number of resources to maximise students’ progress during their Year 9 curriculum.
