Our DRAMA CURRICULUM

Drama at Coopers is the expression and exploration of personal, cultural and social worlds through role and situation that engages, entertains and challenges. Drama is for ALL pupils and forms part of the Key Stage 3 Curriculum. Pupils create meaning as drama makers, performers and audiences as they enjoy and analyse their own and others’ stories and points of view. Drama at Coopers engages, inspires and enriches all pupils, exciting the imagination and encourage pupils to reach their creative and expressive potential. 

Throughout their study of drama pupils will be encourages to be involved and enjoy the subject as either performers or designers. Pupils will also attend live theatre performance allowing them to become informed and thoughtful audience members.

By taking part in all these activities, pupils will develop a range of essential life skills which will help them succeed in any career they choose.

 Coopers Values: Trust, RESPECT, AND RESILIENCE

In Drama we develop trust by: 

• Rehearsing and practising sensibly  
• Performing in events such as the annual school performance
• Learning to trust in our own abilities as writers, performers, designers and technicians

In Drama we develop respect by: 

• Listening to each other’s opinions 
• Working as a team learning to work with the ideas of others with as much enthusiasm as we would with our own 
• Valuing and taking care of the expensive lighting and sound equipment provided by the school 

In Drama we develop resilience by: 

• Working to and achieving deadlines 
• Being brave enough to present our performance work to others 
• Delivering the ‘show must go on’ value of performance 
• Being able to receive and act on productive criticism 

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: INCLUSIVE

In Drama we ensure our curriculum is inclusive by: 

• Studying a broad range of texts that are drawn from diverse writers
• Scaffolding by personalising the learning based on individual pupil need 
• Being responsive to pupils' performance ability and interests, and having an ability to draw that out to help a pupil find their own performance strengths 
• Drama Clubs are open to all pupils 
• All pupils are given opportunities whatever their age, ethnicity, attainment and background to engage in Drama activities. Clubs are free. 

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: FOCUSED

In Drama we identify powerful knowledge that were having a good understanding of it is a prerequisite for understanding other related content. 

By clearly identifying the powerful knowledge in each unit, teachers can ensure that their teaching and assessment is focused on the content that makes the biggest difference. 

We share this with pupils and their families using Knowledge Organisers. These are valuable tools for revision and retrieval practice

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: SEQUENCED

In Drama we sequence our curriculum using spaced practice. This means large areas of knowledge are broken into smaller chunks, with intervals of time between them, to improve pupil learning and recall.

WHOLE SCHOOL INTENT: COHERENT

In Drama we ensure our curriculum is coherent by the use of 5 Big Ideas that underpin all the learning in our subject. Each lesson is linked to a Big Idea, shared with the pupils at the start of the lesson, so they can call on prior learning and understand where each lesson fits within our curriculum. 

Our Big Ideas are: 

• Controlled Voices are Powerful - The development of confidence, concentration and vocal expression to engage an audience. To be able to control one’s voice in groupwork allowing others the space to express their ideas.
• Precise Movements are Convincing - The development of non-verbal communication to accurately communicate emotion and meaning. The development of physical expression to create and communicate characters. The development of special awareness to be able to engage an audience.
• Characters with Status and Emotion are Engaging - The development of naturalistic acting techniques to be able to accurately portray characters in the actin space that are believable and engaging in their humanity.
• The Audience must be Remembered - The development of an understanding of the role of the audience in performance. What the audience needs from a performance to be educated and entertained whilst vicariously living through the character’s plight, be it on stage or in front of the camera.
• Influences can Inspire - Develop a knowledge of key practitioners that have influenced the methods used to create Drama and a strong performance.

KS4 QUALIFICATIONS

WJEC GCSE Drama