Drama and Theatre Studies

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

Albert Einstein

Head of Department: Ms. Edwards

Our Vision

Drama at Borough Academy builds a student who becomes confident and expert in the key skills needed to become a highly effective performer and an informed, enquiring and reflective theatre maker.

Our Curriculum

The curriculum builds from Year 7, facilitating students to access deep knowledge and experience of Drama across diverse cultures. The Borough Academy student has a practical enjoyment and critical appreciation of reading text in theory and practice, applying learnt knowledge of form and structure in play texts of the work of classic, historical and current playwrights from Shakespeare to contemporary texts commissioned for National Theatre Shell Connections.

They will have the opportunity to create costume and set design portfolio work for text and devised work, using the work of well-known artists, photographers and the influence of local and wider cultures other than their own. All students can access this curriculum and find areas which challenge and develop skills that they will build and revisit across all Key Stages.

Key Stage 3

	TOPICS AND KEY IDEAS
YEAR 7	Devising Skills Building Characters Set Text: Blood Brothers; Darkwood Manor Theatre in Education: Historical Histories.
YEAR 8	Devising Process Building Characters - Stage Combat, Script Exploration. Set Texts: Frantic Assembly - Physical Theatre Theatre in Education - Social Issues
YEAR 9	Devising Revisited Character Exploration through practitioners (Brecht, Stanislavski) Text: Pen to Paper - Writing own text Theatre for Purpose: Theatre Companies

For more information, visit our learning journey below.

KEY STAGE 4

Pupils study the Edexcel GCSE course at GCSE. The course balances practical and theoretical components, with pupils writing about theatre as well as devising and performing in set works.

TOPICS AND KEY IDEAS

YEAR 10

Component 1: Devised Piece

Component 3: Live Theatre Review

Component 3: Performance using set text 'An Inspector Calls'.

YEAR 11

Component 2: Performances

Component 3: Revisiting Examination Technique

Assessment

At Key Stage 3, we formally assess pupils twice a year. These results are reported to you formally as parents, with an opportunity to discuss at the forthcoming parents evening. We also assess pupils reading skills using a standardised test twice a year. These assessments are supplemented by regular in class formative assessment. You can learn more about our approach to assessment at Key Stage 3 by visiting the link here.

At Key Stage 4 pupils are assessed twice a year in the form of a mock examination. These reflect components of the GCSE course. These assessments are supplemented by regular in class formative assessment. Together, we use this information to provide additional guided study support for pupils.

Homework

Pupils may be asked to complete a reflection or research task at KS3. These are likely to be no more than twice a half term.

At Key Stage 4, pupils get an hour of homework a week for their option subjects. This may take the form of coursework, rehearsals, extended writing practice, or using resources such as Digital Theatre to review set works.