Drama 

“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.”

William Shakespeare

Welcome to the Drama subject page. Below you will find a breakdown of each year group, including what is taught, how we assess, what enrichment opportunities there are and what can be expected in terms of homework. If you need any further information please contact the Head of Department, Mrs Cody, at mcody@cromwell.cambs.sch.uk.

Click here to see a visual representation of our Drama curriculum from Year 7 - Year 13

Homework

Homework is set on a regular basis by the class teacher and can be accessed by logging into your Go4Schools account. 

Here is a link to the BBC Bitesize website to enhance your learning: 

Enrichment

Ability Grouping

Drama is taught in mixed ability groups. 

Teaching Staff

Curriculum 

Primary Phase

All pupils should be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama. Pupils should be able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They should have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances. Drama is explicitly taught in its own right and can also be used as a tool for understanding in subjects across the curriculum. Drama provides many opportunities for children to use heritage languages and knowledge of a range of cultures to experiment with styles of speaking, gesture and mime. 

Drama is to be taught through all subjects, in order for the children to gain an understanding of the world and others. Additionally, the children will gain understanding through social interaction with each other in the playground, creating games and communicating with each other and finding ways to problem solve. 

Aims of drama in the curriculum: 

• To enable children to become drama-literate 
• For them to build the bridge between make-believe and the art form of theatre 
• To develop a child’s ability to enter into the drama world physically, emotionally and intellectually 
• To develop the social skills needed to interact openly, honestly and playfully with others 
• To allow children to co-operate, communicate and problem solve 
• To understand the structures and modes of drama 
• For children to gain a knowledge of drama through exploration of themes drawn from life, whether that be in subject areas or a child’s life 
• To begin the process of using children’s knowledge of drama when exploring life themes from drama literature 
• To form the criteria in which to evaluate drama texts, either written or performed  

Key Stage 4

OCR GCSE Drama J316

What will I study?

Drama provides a fantastic curriculum to ignite and engage your creativity, passion and interests. The course allows you to explore your own interests and develop skills in either performance or design. It also provides freedom to experiment and take risks with your work while developing your own style.

The aims of this specification enable you to apply your knowledge and understanding of the subject when making, performing and responding to drama. You will explore performance texts, understanding their social, cultural and historical context, including the theatrical conventions of the period in which they were created. At the same time, you will develop a range of theatrical skills and apply them to create performances and work collaboratively to generate, develop and communicate ideas

How will I learn?

OCR drama has been designed to be a practical, engaging and creative specification to study. It will provide opportunities to understand and create drama as a practical art form in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through informed artistic choices.

You will study drama in an academic setting, interrogating this art form and applying your knowledge and understanding to the process of creating and developing drama and to your own performance work.

How will I be assessed?   

Click here to view the GCSE Drama exam specification   

Will there be any independent study?

Yes.  As with all GSCE’s, drama is challenging and you will need to study and research in your own time, plan presentations of your findings and learn lines in preparation for performances. You will need to create and commit to rehearsal schedules at lunch and after school as deadlines approach.

What do I need for drama?

A love of drama is essential!  You need to be enthusiastic, motivated and prepared to perform in front of audiences of all ages.  Team work and the ability to co-operate with a range of people: listening to, sharing creative ideas and decision making are very important in drama.  You will need to meet deadlines and work under pressure.

Where can the course take me?

Students who study drama develop their skills in creativity, team work, independent learning and communication.  Employers, colleges and universities are looking for this skillset. The ability to ‘perform’ confidently in an interview situation is very important and those students who have studied drama become confident communicators in a variety of situations.

For students who want to take drama further this course can provide progression routes to a Level 3 BTEC in performing arts, A level theatre studies (alongside other A levels) then onto university or apprenticeships in the ‘cultural industries’.

Key Stage 5

OCR A Level in Drama and Theatre H459

A level Drama and Theatre allows students to experiment and develop their own style. Students will study this art form and apply their knowledge and understanding of the process to creating and developing amazing theatre. Students will examine the work of others, from a practical and analytical perspective, studying a range of plays, and will work independently, and with others, to create their own productions.

Students will complete four components, one from each component group: -

• Practitioners in Practice
• Exploring Texts for Performance
• Analysing Performance
• Deconstructing Texts for Performance
• Students participate in two performance components as either a performer or

designer (lighting, sound, set or costume)

Examination Board:  OCR

Click here to view the A Level Drama exam specification