Drama
“Change begins with understanding and understanding begins by identifying oneself with another person: in a word, empathy. The arts enable us to put ourselves in the minds, eyes, ears and hearts of other human beings.” – Richard Eyre
The Drama curriculum is exciting and is planned around the needs and interests of the students. The teaching encourages personal growth and empathic awareness, as well as the development of presentational skills and theatrical awareness. It includes work on genre, storytelling from different countries and cultures , real-life issues, physical theatre and masks. We offer trips, which are available to all year groups which help our students build on the knowledge gained within lessons and experience the magic of theatre.
The department has produced and directed many highly creative productions over the years, using the skills of students across all year groups, both on and off-stage. In 2024 we created a brilliant and very successful production of Madness’s Our House the Musical with over 100 students involved and 40 staff. We have a varied range of extra–curricular activities across all year groups where students can learn from each other and gain a further appreciation of our amazing subject.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 & 9)
In Year 7 we aim to build basic skills in role-play and still image, as well as gain an understanding of stories, style and structure. We focus on how we personally communicate and how we impact others.
In Year 8 we continue to develop our awareness of stage design aspects and explore specific traditional theatre and film styles such as Clowning, Melodrama, Silent Film and Pantomime. We also focus on our physical communication in the Mask topic.
In Year 9 we continue to assess planning, creating, performing and evaluating but we also really focus in on the empathic elements of drama as well, covering Blood Brothers by Willy Russell, Youth Crime and a student devised topic.
Key Stage 4 GCSE (Years 10 & 11) Edexcel
Year 10 – The whole year is designed to be a mock version of Year 11 with three assessment phases taking place over the course of the year. Students are encouraged to see, as well as take part in public performances to expand their range and confidence within the subject.
Year 11 – Assessments take place over three units based on script understanding, script performance and theatre devising. All groupings are mixed in terms of gender and ability. We study DNA by Dennis Kelly for the written exam (plus a live theatre show that is reviewed as part of the exam). We make our own choices for the group and monologue performances for Component 2 and complete a student devised piece of theatre for Component 1 which is supported by a portfolio of process evidence.
Key Stage 5 A Level (Years 12 & 13) Edexcel
Component 1 – Using the style of theatre practitioners; Complicite, students create a devised performance piece using an extract from a play of our choice as stimulus. This is supported by a written portfolio.
Component 2 – Students perform a monologue and group piece of their choice to a visiting examiner.
Component 3 – The written exam is based around Woyzeck by Georg Buchner and Equus by Peter Shaffer which will have largely been studied through Year 12. Students also conduct a live theatre review as part of the exam based on a production they have seen during the course.
Extra Curricular Opportunities
We are very proud of what we offer our students and the local community, in terms of the public performance of student work.
At Roundwood Park we have established a good tradition of termly performances, whole school productions, showcases and public airings of all exam work. Clubs which focus on performance as well as stage design elements are offered to all year groups and are run by our exam year drama students as well as our staff.
We host half-termly theatre screenings for all students to attend, and we enjoy running drama trips and workshops from world renowned theatre companies such as Frantic Assembly and Complicite. We get involved in the annual National Theatre Connections festival, which focuses predominantly on Year 9 and leads to them performing in the Royal and Derngate theatre in Northampton. We also offer individual workshops for those wanting to audition for the National Youth Theatre.
