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Inspiring Young People

Year 9

 

Drama

Pupils in Year 9 have 2 drama lessons every week. Year 9 pupils have chosen to study Drama so we expect them to be confident, creative and committed to the subject. At the end of the Year 9 pupils will be able to:

  • Be confident and communicate and co-operate effectively with others when working as part of a team.
  • Devise drama in various forms, based on a range of creative stimuli, challenging issues and themes.
  • Interpret scripts in order to present clearly defined characters in both group and solo performances.
  • Organise themselves and present performances to a range of audiences for different purposes and styles.
  • Select, use and control appropriate acting and/or design skills with enthusiasm and develop these in rehearsals.
  • Use appropriate Drama terminology to describe and evaluate their own and others work and analyse how actors, technicians and directors communicate ideas, emotions and feelings, or have achieved special effects in performance.
  • Evaluate their own progress, strive to improve and set themselves meaningful targets for GCSE Drama.

 

Content to be studied

Method of assessment

Autumn 1

Exploring Text and Characters

Pupils initially develop their use of drama elements and skills from the drama medium in which to deepen their characterization skills and techniques.

 

Pupils practically explore extracts from a range of scripts of varying styles e.g. verbatim, realism, non-naturalism.

Pupils apply rehearsal techniques in order to interpret scenes and characters from the plays studied.

 

Formative assessment task

Pupils are assessed on their practical application of acting or design skills & their ability to interpret characters, roles & texts for performance. Pupils receive both verbal and written feedback from their teacher & peers.

Autumn 2

Scripted Performance

Pupils work as part of a group to stage and interpret a full scene from a published play, for polished performance. 

Pupils explore, develop and apply a range of acting skills including:

  • Learning Lines
  • Understanding stage directions
  • Voice and vocal expression (Pitch, Pace, Tone, Volume, Range, Accent)
  • Stylised Movement, Mime, Gesture
  • Use of space &Proxemics

 

 

Students’ performances are complimented with production elements including:

  • Set/props
  • Costume
  • Sound and lighting. 
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Pupils’ complete self & peer assessment, set targets for improvement and celebrate their achievement.

 

Pupils are assessed on their practical & performance/ design skills in formative and summative assessment tasks.

Pupils receive an effort level (1-4) and attainment grade from their teacher which is noted in whole school tracking data as either, Developing, Secure or Excellent.

 

Pupils gain valuable peer/ audience feedback.

Spring 1

Devising Theatre

Pupils participate in improvisation/ devising workshops deepening their understanding of how to devise an original drama.

Pupils explore a range of stimuli, styles and genres in order to build their devising skills.

Pupils gradually improve their confidence and performance skills through creating and sustaining characters and scenes.  Pupils explore and deepen their knowledge and approaches to spontaneous, rehearsed and polished improvisation tasks.

Pupils explore stimulus material and ideas for devising Drama, and varying approaches to structuring plots in a both realistic and non-naturalistic styles.

Pupils’ complete formative assessment tasks and receive teacher and peer feedback based on their skills’ progression in improvisation & imaginative ideas.

Pupils set targets for improvement.

Spring 2

Theatre in Education

Pupils are introduced to the genre/ style of Theatre in Education through observing live theatre and exploring TIE Scripts (E.g., The Little Mermaid) which explore contemporary themes and issues E.g. Body Image and social media. Students expand their knowledge of the varying drama conventions, the didactic form & develop skills for this performance style.

Pupils have the opportunity to explore, devise, and structure a TIE performance in order to create a piece of theatre which educates a target audience. 

 

Pupils have the opportunity to view a TIE/ Verbatim Drama in-school (by a visiting theatre company) and begin to explore important aspects of theatre production and technical skills including lighting, costume and set design.

 

Pupils complete a summative assessment.  They also complete self and peer assessment and write targets for improvement. 

Pupils receive a full report including their effort level and attainment grade.

Pupil’s progress is noted in whole school tracking data as either Developing, Secure or Excellent based on their overall skills level and progression in year 9.

Summer  1 & 2

Theatre Production

Pupils observe both live and recorded theatre productions (of varying styles/ genres) in order to analyse and evaluate the impact of performance and production elements (via a Live theatre review). 

 

 

 

Students deepen their knowledge of acting and acting styles, theatrical contexts, stage design and technical theatre and through further exploration of:

  • Staging and Set (including props/ puppetry)
  • Costume (inc. Hair and Makeup)
  • Lighting (inc. AV/ Special effects)
  • Sound (Live and Recorded)

 

Pupils work practically in role (through a vocational approach) in order to develop their design and production skills whilst also deepening their knowledge of key drama terms and technical vocabulary.

 

Pupil’s will use their experiences to choose a production role (actor/ director/ designer) in which to be assessed through a final presentation/ portfolio or performance in the summer term. 

 

Pupil’s complete formative assessment tasks.

They complete regular self and peer assessment.

They use teacher and peer feedback to set targets for improvement.

Pupils are assessed on their final performance/ presentation (or via a portfolio). 

 

They are also marked on their verbal and written use of subject specific vocabulary.

 

Pupils progress is evidenced via Whole School Tracking in the summer term.

 

           
 

How will I know if my daughter is achieving this?

  • Pupil effort (1-4) and attainment marks (Developing, Secure and Excellent) are recorded four times a year in whole school tracking and reporting documents. 
  • Verbal and written feedback will be offered to students during formative and summative assessment tasks. 
  • Written homework tasks including research, line learning, self & peer assessment will be completed in pupil assessment booklets.
  • Pupils and parents will attend one parent - teacher evening a year to discuss pupil progress and agree targets for improvement.
  • Pupils will receive a detailed Drama report.
 
 

How will work be assessed?  

  • Pupils participate in regular formative assessments and termly summative assessments.
  • Formative assessment includes activities such as; discussions with teachers about the drama work being created, observed rehearsals of group and solo work, presentations to other groups and script, booklet and creative log checking. Summative assessment is completed during polished performances of student work to the teacher and the class audience.
  • The curriculum content, of the year 9 Drama course is based on National Drama Level Descriptors and the delivery and assessment format is aimed at securing the acquisition of skills for the Eduqas GCSE Drama Course.
  • Pupils reflect on their own and others progress through self, peer and teacher assessment.
  • Summative assessments take place at the end of each unit of work.
 
 

What feedback might they get? 

Pupils receive personalized feedback in lessons in order to know and understand how to improve practical performance skills, including voice, movement and design skills.

  • Pupils are offered personalized targets in order to develop their knowledge and understand how to use Drama and Theatre vocabulary during verbal and written responses.
  • Pupils are observed and supported in group work in order to develop their confidence.
  • Pupils will record their effort and progress in their assessment booklets and will actively engage in consolidating their learning, whilst targeting areas for improvement.

 
   

Enrichment opportunities:

  • Year 9 pupils are invited to audition and participate in the whole school (Musical) production.
  • Year 9 Drama club takes place once a week in the Spring and Summer Term.
  • Year 9 pupils have been invited to audition and participate in local and national Drama festivals e.g. A Stage Full of Stars, & Shakespeare in Schools at The Floral Pavilion Theatre
  • Year 9 pupils are encouraged to watch drama performances in school e.g. GCSE and A’ Level assessed work, and the Drama Department arranges regular theatre visits in school and to local theatres e.g. The Everyman Theatre, Liverpool Empire and The Lowry, Manchester, to watch a range of full-scale touring plays and Musical Theatre productions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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