All students devise drama. All students explore texts practically and work on two text-based performances and develop as performers with a comprehensive appreciation for design in other technical aspects such as sound, lighting, set, costume and properties. Through training in the course, students can be sure to gather many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons. As well as working to practically participate in performance, learners work to write from their skills with knowledge and understanding in a written exam paper designed to help all students realise their full potential. 

A variety of question styles ask students to combine what they’ve learnt about how drama is performed with their practical experience and imagination. The curriculum and AQA specification ensures continuity for students progressing from GCSE Drama to A-level Drama and Theatre. Students who go on to A-level are already familiar with studying a whole set text for the written paper. They have built solid foundations in reviewing a live theatre production and in interpreting key extracts. 

All of these aspects feature in the A-level as well as the GCSE. Students learn to collaborate with others, think analytically and evaluate effectively. They gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas, reflect and refine their efforts. Whatever the future holds, students of GCSE Drama emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills, applicable both in further studies and in the workplace. 

The Drama curriculum from Year 7 through to GCSE, offers students the opportunity to explore drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention. 

Students create, perform and respond to drama, informed by their theoretical knowledge of drama and theatre. The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to develop throughout their drama training. 

The subject content is divided into three components: Understanding Drama, Devising Drama and Texts in Practice.

KS3 Curriculum

The Drama curriculum at KS3 is structured for learners at this stage in their Drama education; to build belief in themselves and their individual skills as a person and actor so they can confidently collaborate and communicate in wide ranging contexts.

The sequenced schemes and activities are rich with practical active knowledge / skills-based workshops, where learners embed their understanding through rehearsal and practice, in cooperative groupings.

This all promotes learners to be self-operable; possess excellent interpersonal skills; work reciprocally; and be observant, creative and open to new thinking. Learners become confident, practiced and masterful in their collaboration and communication skills.

Year	Autumn	Spring	Summer
7	Introduction to Character ‘Awkward Customer’	Propless Theatre  Telling a Story	Stage Fighting & Musical Theatre
8	Isolation of Skill Areas	Mime & Focus Points	Monologues & Duologues
9	Gothic Horror	Theatre in Education	Bouncers

KS4 Curriculum

The KS4 Drama curriculum, covers wide ranging forms of stimuli, for learners to engage with, explore, deconstruct, debate, form opinions and take ownership to artistically construct their own presentations and performances.

The schemes of learning are constructed to meet and work beyond components of work set by the exam board AQA. Outcomes include a devised drama in the form of a T.I.E, Theatre-in-Education piece with stimuli from the Personal Development curriculum.

Secondly, learners work to produce performance outcomes from script, giving rich understanding of performance constructs which support written demands for communication in their written exam. All experiences and stimuli material used, is to grow social, cultural, political, moral and historical understanding and knowledge.

This includes various texts, imagery and live art which enables learners to skilfully create unique outcomes, communicated using appropriately applied practitioners, techniques, and performance skills, defining performance style and genre. Learners know how to communicate their desired meaning and intent to inform and educate their audiences.

Year	Autumn	Spring	Summer
10	Character Workshops   Component 2: Devising Drama	Component 2: Devising Drama  Assessment of Component 2	Coursework for Component 2  Component 1: Understanding Drama. ‘Blood Brothers.’  Component 3: Texts in Practice
11	Component 3: Texts in Practice Component 1: Understanding Drama	Component 3: Texts in Practice.  Component 1: Understanding Drama	Assessment of Component 3 Exam: Component 1

Homework

Homework in KS3 is set when appropriate. This may be to research a topic or practitioner, but it may also be to learn lines or bring in appropriate props for performance.

Homework in KS4 revolves around research in Year 10, for the Devising topic. Students are asked to research their topic and use this to develop their performance. Following this, students are asked to complete coursework as part of their homework and are then given past papers to begin work on the written exam.

Extra-curricular

Wolfreton has a wide variety of Performing Arts opportunities. These include the School Production, students here can choose to work in a specialism of their choice; actor, dancer, performer, costume, lighting, tech, set design. And work collaboratively, as part of a group to help bring the show to life. We have our Choir, which allows students to develop the confidence to sing and improve their singing. We also have a Contemporary Dance Group, led by talented KS4/KS5 students and this is an exciting opportunity to develop dance and musicality. All students are given the opportunity to perform in the Christmas and Summer Concert and GCSE students are given the option to perform in ‘Showcase’ nights.