Our Drama curriculum is designed to develop confident, creative, and collaborative learners who can express themselves with clarity and imagination. We aim to foster a love of performance, an appreciation of theatre, and the ability to explore complex ideas through dramatic form.

We provide an inclusive and dynamic curriculum that encourages all students to take creative risks, reflect on human experience, and work effectively as part of a team. Through practical exploration and critical engagement, students build communication skills, empathy, and resilience.

By the end of Key Stage 4, students will be able to:

• Use voice, movement, and space effectively to create and perform original and scripted work
• Analyse and evaluate live and recorded performances
• Understand key theatrical styles, practitioners, and conventions
• Collaborate creatively with others to devise and refine performance pieces
• Reflect on the social, cultural, and historical contexts of drama

Our intent is to empower students with the confidence, creativity, and communication skills to thrive in further education, employment, and life.

Curriculum overview

Key Stage 3

Students are introduced to three performance disciplines which promote creative thinking, self-awareness, self-confidence, and teamwork, as well as clear, fluent, expressive speech. These combine to support the creative, intellectual, and social development of the individual.

Year 7 topics:

• Introduction to drama
• Social media
• Scriptwriting
• Naturalism
• Comedy
• Ensemble

Year 8 topics:

• Theatre history
• Comedy goes wrong
• Brecht – Epic Theatre
• Physical theatre
• Devising
• Stage fighting

Key Stage 4

Students follow either the AQA GCSE Drama specification or the WJEC Performing Arts specification, developing performance, analytical, and evaluative skills.

AQA GCSE Drama:

• Devising drama: Create and perform original devised work
• Understanding drama: Written exam covering drama theory, a set text, and a live theatre review
• Text in practice: Performance of two extracts from a published play, externally examined

Assessment includes a combination of practical performance, coursework, and a written exam.

WJEC Performing Arts:

• Performing – 30%
• Creating – 30%
• Performing arts in practice – 40% (externally assessed)

Courses offered

• GCSE Drama
• WJEC Performing Arts

Enrichment opportunities

We offer a rich programme of enrichment to inspire creativity and deepen students’ engagement with the performing arts. These include:

• School productions: Annual plays or musicals involving acting, backstage, and technical roles
• Drama Club: Open to all year groups for creative exploration and performance opportunities
• Theatre trips: Visits to local and national theatres to experience live performance
• Workshops with industry professionals: Sessions with actors, directors, and theatre companies
• Drama festivals and competitions: Opportunities to perform and showcase work beyond the classroom

These experiences help students build confidence, develop their craft, and appreciate the power of performance.