Coordinators: Mrs A Cutler (KS5); Mr C Kelly (KS4)

Welcome to the Drama department here at Poynton High School! We thrive as an exciting, highly creative and enjoyable subject within the School. The outstanding level of achievement accomplished by our students is the result of inspirational teaching and the wide range of opportunities made available to them. Extensive extracurricular activities help to support our students in the classroom and enrich their learning and life-experience, improving discipline, creativity and self-motivation. This empowers them and helps to develop confidence.

The department is staffed by highly creative and enthusiastic specialists. At the core of our teaching there is a strong emphasis on building strong, positive working relationships with the students. We are passionate about the subject we teach and take great pride in our work. The students are assisted in developing skills in performance, communication, presentation, technical aspects, direction, design and analysis. We aim to encourage students to fulfil their potential by working hard in lessons and rehearsals, leading to student autonomy and responsibility.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)

At Key Stage 3, there is always a strong emphasis on working as part of a group, developing team-working and communication skills.  We develop the use of a range of learning and thinking skills and encourage a friendly, supportive, hard-working and fun environment. The curriculum also emphasises the essential skills needed for self-expression and confidence in public presentation.

All students study Drama in Years 7-9 and our students experience a range of drama skills and explore a variety of topics.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11)

At GCSE, we follow the Eduqas specification. Students are encouraged to be physically active, creative, imaginative and express their own opinion. The Drama GCSE course combines practical work with theory to enable students to fully understand the subject. The vast majority of lessons are practical workshops teaching students skills such as; performing, devising, improvisation, interpretation of texts, exploration of topics and the technical knowledge required in order to transform play texts and their own work into pieces of performance. Students get the opportunity to work with a range of professional practitioners and go on theatre visits.

The course is structured as below:

Component 1: Devising Theatre

Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. They will participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of devised theatre using either the techniques of an influential theatre practitioner or a genre, in response to a stimulus set by Eduqas.
Learners must produce:
• a realisation of their piece of devised theatre
• a portfolio of supporting evidence
• an evaluation of the final performance or design.

Component 2: Performing from a Text

Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. They will study two extracts from a published script chosen by the centre. They will then participate in one performance using sections of text from both extracts. 26

Component 3: Interpreting Theatre

Set Text and Live Theatre analysis/ evaluation
Learners will complete a written examination in two parts based on their practical exploration of the set text and also on a theatre trip (or online theatre production)
                 
                Section A: A series of questions on a set text :
                Dennis Kelly’s DNA: (schools edition)

“Amongst the darkness of an unnamed wood, a lawless gang are trying to bury a dark secret. The group need someone to take charge, but who can they trust? Who do they follow? While lies spiral and tension mounts, everyday adolescence twists and turns into an anarchic game of survival.”

                Section B: Theatre analysis
                One question, from a choice of two, requiring analysis and evaluation of a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course.

Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form)

At A level, we follow the Eduqas specification. This course is taught through experiential and practical lessons. These often take the form of workshops where students use their own time to reflect upon their learning. There is a large emphasis on group work and students committing to rehearsals in their own time outside of lessons. Theatre visits are regularly organised and students are encouraged to attend as much live performance work as possible to support their studies. Students have opportunities to work with a range of professional practitioners; exploring, staging and performing extracts from the set texts being studied. They also are exposed to an ambitious range of work from new practitioners. This practical approach forms a strong basis for the continued class work. All of our Performance Examinations take place in the evening which allows students to share their achievements with friends and family.