Drama was first introduced at Key Stage 3 back in September 2004, and since then the department has gone from strength to strength!

Throughout Years 7 – 9, students take part in a variety of activities as part of their curriculum, designed to develop their communication and co-operation skills, as well as their self-confidence. In Year 7, students are taught in their form groups so as to help quicken the friendship-making process. Here they receive an hour of Drama each week. In Years 8 & 9, Drama becomes part of the ‘Technology Carousel’, with students receiving one lesson a week for six months of the year. At the end of this, should they wish to, students can then opt to study Drama at GCSE level during Years 10 & 11, receiving two hours a week. The course is enhanced by regular trips to the theatre, both local and to the West End, and includes a variety of experiences which involve taking work produced in class out into the local environment, i.e. Street Theatre projects and Primary School performances.
Each year, the Drama department stages at least one major whole-school production, with last year’s being our very own musical re-write of Bugsy Malone. Auditions are open to absolutely anyone at the school, regardless of previous experience, and involvement is a great way to get to know people in other year groups.

Names of staff including Head of Department and contact emails:

Mr A Watts, Head of Faculty of Expressive Arts, awatts@stbedes.cambs.sch.uk

Mrs E Young, Teacher of ICT and Drama, eyoung@stbedes.cambs.sch.uk

Specialised pupil equipment required:
None at all! We pride ourselves that ‘Drama’ should be able to be created in any space, without the need for specialist equipment. All we ask of students is that they come prepared to use their imaginations, and to get stuck in!

Course descriptors for KS3 and KS4:

AUTUMN TERM:
KS3 (Years 7 – 9)
Year 7 :
~ Getting to Know You & Team & Confidence building exercises.
~ Introduction to Drama Skills
Year 8 :
~ A unit looking at Vocal expression, including taking Poetry from the page to the stage
Year 9 :
The Study of a Domestic Abuse storyline, looking at exploring these themes in an abstract manner

KS4 (GCSE)
Edexcel 1699 Syllabus
Year 10 :
Improvisation & Character Creation
Year 11 :
Assessed Coursework : Unit I  - The Study of ‘Outsiders’ through the Ages    

WINTER TERM:
~ Developing Simple Scenarios using Drama techniques
~ A Unit looking at the portrayal of Status & Power in Drama
Rights & Resonsibilities : The Story of Antigone
Unit : I Don’t Like Mondays – exploring a Sociopathic psychology
Assessed Coursework : Unit II – Alfie & The 1960s
    
SPRING TERM:
~ The Story of the Wizard King : Devising a presentation for a live audience
~ A Unit examining exploring Media devices & advertising through Drama
~ Looking at Scripts & the external conscience
Unit exploring devising Movement-based Theatre pieces
Unit on involving the audience within performances
Devising Final Performances for the GCSE Drama Exam

SUMMER TERM:
~ Empathy Skills & the Study of wartime Evacuees
~ Shipwrecked & Cliffhangers !
Community Theatre & Devising performances for a specific audience :
Primary School Plays
Practice for assessed GCSE Coursework Unit

Trips planned for this academic year: