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Drama and Design

Drama/Production Arts (Design)

The Drama department encourages students to engage in creative and practical work, exploring real life situations, masks, play texts and storytelling.

The Design aspect of the course enables the students to gain an understanding of lighting, sound, set and costume.

Key Stage 3 Drama Curriculum

Drama is taught weekly to Year 7 and Year 8 and one period a fortnight to Year 9 in a fully equipped Drama studio.  Students explore a variety of themes, skills and devices with a focus on their creating, performing and evaluating skills. Schemes of work are taught in themed units and there is one focused performance project. In some of these units, students have the opportunity to explore technical theatre and directing.

Key Stage 4 Drama and Production Arts Curriculum

In Years 10 and 11 the BTEC Level 1/2 Technical Award in Performing Arts, Acting or Design begins and three components are completed for this course:

  • Component one: Exploring the Performing Arts - assessed internally
  • Component two: Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts - assessed internally
  • Component three: Performing to a Brief - assessed externally

Extra-Curricular Activities

The Drama department offers a Key Stage 3 Drama Club that meets once a week. The club aims to build student confidence and a passion for drama.

The Drama department offers a Key Stage 3 Drama Club that meets once a week. The club aims to build student confidence and a passion for drama.

The Astley Cooper Drama Company was formed in 2010 and is aimed at more able Drama students. The group perform in both school and external events. They have performed at the Welwyn Youth Drama Festival and as part of the National Theatre Connections Project. The company work with both script and devising material and produce performances of a high standard.

Regular theatre trips and workshops by outside theatre practitioners form part of our program of study. Recent visits include Metamorphosis and School of Rock and we have a backstage tour of the National Theatre.

Workshops have been run by Gecko, Frantic Assembly and Tangled Feet, exploring physical theatre and workshops by visiting professional actors. 

The department offers a whole school Technical Club that meet once a week. The club aims to build student confidence and a passion for back stage theatre aspects, for those interested on Production Arts.

The Technical Club is a group of young enthusiasts who meet to learn more about technical theatre, lighting, sound and set design, getting to support in productions.

Citizenship

  • Students work in groups and are accepting of other people's beliefs and values
  • Students learn about key British figures from the theatre industry
  • Students are introduced to a variety of cultures and learn about their theatrical heritage

Subject Leader, Mrs C Keane