Drama
Ash Manor School has a thriving Drama department that aims to challenge and stretch our students’ as performers as well as individuals. Drama is a powerful tool that helps students understand the world they live in whilst nurturing their self-confidence, creativity and communication skills. With the Ash Manor Core Values of Community, Excellence, Integrity, Respect and Resilience embedded within the teaching and learning of Performing Arts, and our students are given the opportunity to develop their own aspirations as performers through an engaging and varied curriculum.
Please click here for the Drama Curriculum Overview
Key Stage 3 Curriculum information
At KS3 we aim to introduce students to a wide range of acting styles and genres, exploring both script and devising work that aims to stimulate, educate and inspire. Drama is compulsory at Ash Manor with students participating in 100 minutes of learning a fortnight, exploring topics such as Greek Theatre, Improvisation, Physical Theatre, Naturalism and Devising, as well as scripts from Shakespeare. Within each scheme of work, students are introduced to a full range of rehearsal and performance techniques such as characterisation, mime and stagecraft.
In Year 9, students can opt to specialise in Drama with 100 minutes of learning a week, where they begin to build the foundations for GCSE Drama. In this year, students start to develop acting and interpretive skills, examining influential Theatre Practitioners when exploring different acting styles and genres. Students explore a wide range of styles of theatre including Physical Theatre, Naturalism, Multi-media performance and Epic theatre through the study of devising from a variety of stimuli and plays including Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman and Macbeth by Shakespeare.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum information
At KS4, Drama is a popular subject with our Year 11 students following the Edexcel BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts this year and our Year 10 students following GCSE Drama through the Eduqas exam board. Students have 300 minutes of learning per fortnight as well as the opportunity to attend live theatre events in local theatres and the West End as part of their studies.
The BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts focuses on the practical aspects of theatre, with students analysing a wide variety of rehearsal and performance techniques to reflect and improve their skills as actor, as well as developing their understanding of the purpose and intentions of theatre. Students will study different theatre practitioners through practical workshops, analysing live theatre and the rehearsal and performance of scripts. Students will devise a piece of theatre to a brief, set by the exam board.
Our Year 11 students have already completed Component 1 and 2 and, in this year, will complete:
Component 3: Performing to a Brief (40%)
The course is taught in three components:
Component 1: Devising Theatre
Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated 40% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners 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
Non-exam assessment: externally assessed by a visiting examiner 20% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners study two extracts from the same performance text chosen by the centre. Learners participate in one performance using sections of text from both extracts.
Component 3: Interpreting Theatre
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 40% of qualification
Section A: Set Text A series of questions on one set text from a choice of five.
Section B: Live Theatre Review One question, from a choice of two, requiring analysis and evaluation of a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course.
Essential trips, visits and costs
Theatre trips to see live Theatre Productions for Component 1 and workshops to experience the world of work in theatre with lighting, sound and costume specialists. There will also be trips available in Year 11 to watch devised productions to help with exam preparation. Practitioners will also visit Ash Manor School and lead practical workshops that will encourage devising and the exploration of different theatre styles. All KS4 students are encouraged to wear the Ash Manor School Performing Arts uniform.
Skills and qualities - from studying drama and the performing arts
Apprenticeships that link to Drama
There are a range of apprenticeships that link to an interest in performing arts, including:
Careers in and using Drama
Actor, Director, Playwright, Producer, TV/Radio Presenter, Arts administrator, Barrister,
Broadcast journalist, Choreographer, Cinematographer, Copywriter, Store manager,
Costume designer,Newspaper journalist, Interior designer, Customer services manager, Nurse, Doctor, Primary school teacher, Drama Teacher, Set designer, Youth and community worker, Stage manager, Television presenter, Television/film producer, Writer, Theatrical producer.
Please click here for the Drama Curriculum Overview
Key Stage 3 Curriculum information
At KS3 we aim to introduce students to a wide range of acting styles and genres, exploring both script and devising work that aims to stimulate, educate and inspire. Drama is compulsory at Ash Manor with students participating in 100 minutes of learning a fortnight, exploring topics such as Greek Theatre, Improvisation, Physical Theatre, Naturalism and Devising, as well as scripts from Shakespeare. Within each scheme of work, students are introduced to a full range of rehearsal and performance techniques such as characterisation, mime and stagecraft.
In Year 9, students can opt to specialise in Drama with 100 minutes of learning a week, where they begin to build the foundations for GCSE Drama. In this year, students start to develop acting and interpretive skills, examining influential Theatre Practitioners when exploring different acting styles and genres. Students explore a wide range of styles of theatre including Physical Theatre, Naturalism, Multi-media performance and Epic theatre through the study of devising from a variety of stimuli and plays including Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman and Macbeth by Shakespeare.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum information
At KS4, Drama is a popular subject with our Year 11 students following the Edexcel BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts this year and our Year 10 students following GCSE Drama through the Eduqas exam board. Students have 300 minutes of learning per fortnight as well as the opportunity to attend live theatre events in local theatres and the West End as part of their studies.
The BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts focuses on the practical aspects of theatre, with students analysing a wide variety of rehearsal and performance techniques to reflect and improve their skills as actor, as well as developing their understanding of the purpose and intentions of theatre. Students will study different theatre practitioners through practical workshops, analysing live theatre and the rehearsal and performance of scripts. Students will devise a piece of theatre to a brief, set by the exam board.
Our Year 11 students have already completed Component 1 and 2 and, in this year, will complete:
Component 3: Performing to a Brief (40%)
- Create and develop a performance from a stimulus
The course is taught in three components:
Component 1: Devising Theatre
Non-exam assessment: internally assessed, externally moderated 40% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners 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
Non-exam assessment: externally assessed by a visiting examiner 20% of qualification
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners study two extracts from the same performance text chosen by the centre. Learners participate in one performance using sections of text from both extracts.
Component 3: Interpreting Theatre
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes 40% of qualification
Section A: Set Text A series of questions on one set text from a choice of five.
Section B: Live Theatre Review One question, from a choice of two, requiring analysis and evaluation of a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course.
Essential trips, visits and costs
Theatre trips to see live Theatre Productions for Component 1 and workshops to experience the world of work in theatre with lighting, sound and costume specialists. There will also be trips available in Year 11 to watch devised productions to help with exam preparation. Practitioners will also visit Ash Manor School and lead practical workshops that will encourage devising and the exploration of different theatre styles. All KS4 students are encouraged to wear the Ash Manor School Performing Arts uniform.
Skills and qualities - from studying drama and the performing arts
- Teamwork, technical ability, physical fitness, time management, organisation, communication, creativity, attention to detail, customer service, discipline.
Apprenticeships that link to Drama
There are a range of apprenticeships that link to an interest in performing arts, including:
- recording engineer
- community arts administrator
- music publishing assistant
- theatre technician
- exercise instructor
- playworker
- radio broadcast assistant
Careers in and using Drama
Actor, Director, Playwright, Producer, TV/Radio Presenter, Arts administrator, Barrister,
Broadcast journalist, Choreographer, Cinematographer, Copywriter, Store manager,
Costume designer,Newspaper journalist, Interior designer, Customer services manager, Nurse, Doctor, Primary school teacher, Drama Teacher, Set designer, Youth and community worker, Stage manager, Television presenter, Television/film producer, Writer, Theatrical producer.
