Drama

At the School of Science and Technology, the Drama curriculum aims to develop confident, creative and articulate young people who are able to communicate effectively, work collaboratively and express themselves with purpose. Drama provides students with a safe and supportive environment in which they can take creative risks, learn from others and develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Our curriculum is built around four key principles: Confidence, Communication, Collaboration and Creation. These four areas underpin students' development throughout Key Stage 3 and provide a clear foundation for their progression into further study, performance opportunities and life beyond school.

Confidence

Drama plays an important role in helping students develop confidence in themselves and in their ability to express their ideas. As students transition into Year 7, they come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Our curriculum provides opportunities for them to develop trust, take risks and become comfortable working with others and performing in front of an audience.

Through practical activities, performance and regular opportunities to share and evaluate their work, students gradually become more willing to contribute ideas, make creative choices and step outside their comfort zone. We aim to develop confidence that is rooted in resilience, self-awareness and respect for others.

Communication

Drama develops students' ability to communicate through both verbal and non-verbal forms. Students learn to use their voice, physicality, facial expression, movement and space to communicate meaning effectively to an audience.

Alongside performance skills, students develop their ability to discuss, evaluate and articulate their ideas. They are encouraged to give and respond to constructive feedback, explain their creative choices and use appropriate theatrical vocabulary. These skills support students' wider development in oracy and help them to communicate confidently across the curriculum and in everyday life.

Collaboration

Drama is fundamentally collaborative. Students learn that successful performance depends on listening, compromise, trust and a willingness to contribute to a shared outcome.

Throughout Key Stage 3, students work with a variety of different peers and are regularly challenged to work outside of their usual friendship groups. They develop the ability to negotiate ideas, solve problems, support one another and take responsibility for their role within an ensemble.

Our curriculum also encourages students to recognise the connections between Drama and other areas of their education. Where appropriate, students explore historical, social, cultural and literary themes through practical work, demonstrating how creative learning can strengthen their understanding across subjects.

Creation

At the heart of our Drama curriculum is the opportunity to create. Students are not simply taught how to perform; they learn how to develop ideas, make creative decisions and turn those ideas into meaningful pieces of drama.

Across Key Stage 3, students experience a diverse range of theatrical styles, topics and approaches. They explore mime and physical theatre, pantomime, Shakespeare, Macbeth, Commedia dell'Arte, devised drama, historical events, A Midsummer Night's Dream, monologues and duologues, radio drama, improvisation and technical elements such as sound and atmosphere. This variety allows students to discover different ways of creating and communicating meaning.

Students are given regular opportunities to devise, rehearse, perform and evaluate their own work. Through this process, they learn that successful drama requires creativity, preparation, reflection and resilience. Each practical project builds upon previously developed skills, allowing students to become increasingly independent and purposeful in their creative choices.

Our Key Stage 3 Journey

The Drama curriculum is carefully sequenced so that students build their skills and confidence year on year. In Year 7, students establish the foundations of ensemble work, physical and vocal performance, trust, communication and creative exploration. They begin to understand how drama can communicate ideas and explore both scripted and devised work.

In Year 8, students develop greater independence and begin to explore a wider range of theatrical styles and conventions. They investigate Commedia dell'Arte, historical events, Shakespeare and radio drama, developing their ability to create characters, devise material and communicate meaning in increasingly sophisticated ways.

By the end of Key Stage 3, students should be confident and independent young people who can communicate ideas, collaborate effectively, respond creatively to a stimulus, perform with purpose and evaluate their own work and the work of others.

Ultimately, our intention is for every student to leave the Drama classroom with more than theatrical skills. We want them to leave with the confidence to use their voice, the ability to work with others, the creativity to solve problems and the resilience to take their ideas and turn them into something meaningful.

Confidence. Communication. Collaboration. Creation.

Year 7

• Drama Skills & Ensemble – confidence, communication, trust, teamwork, mime and freeze frames
• Pantomime – characterisation, physical comedy, audience interaction and theatrical conventions
• Macbeth – Shakespeare, characterisation, atmosphere, language and performance
• Devising from Stimuli – creating original drama, developing ideas and working as an ensemble
• Inside Out – exploring emotions, character, storytelling and adapting film material for the stage
• Creating Mood – using drama, movement, sound and other theatrical elements to create atmosphere and meaning

Year 8

• Commedia dell'Arte – stock characters, physical comedy, improvisation, lazzi and theatrical conventions
• Devising from Historical Events – researching, exploring and communicating historical and social themes through drama
• A Midsummer Night's Dream – Shakespeare, character, relationships, physical theatre and modernising a classic text
• Monologues & Duologues – character development, vocal and physical skills, relationships and individual performance
• Radio Drama – vocal characterisation, storytelling, sound effects, Foley and creating atmosphere without visual performance
• Improvisation – spontaneity, listening, character creation, communication and responding creatively to others

GCSE Drama

We study AQA GCSE Drama at SST which is broken down into the following components:

Component 1 - Written Exam 40%

 We study Blood Brothers and a piece of live theatre for this section. Students will answer questions on Blood Brothers from the extract they are given and they will also be expected to answer and essay based question on a piece of live theatre that has been studied.

Component 2 - Devising Drama 40%

This unit allows students to use their creativity to develop their own performance. Students are given a variety of stimuli and through development and research they create their own performance. Alongside this, they must write a devising log which details the process of development and analysis the effectiveness of their intention.

Component 3 - Texts in Practice 20%

Students will be given two extracts from a play and they will learn the lines and stage the two performances. A visiting examiner will live assess the performances. This can be a monologue, duologue or group piece.

 

Drama at SST Maidstone is designed to support students as they progress from Key Stage 2 through Key Stage 3 and into GCSE. We recognise that students arrive in Year 7 with a wide range of previous experiences of Drama and performance, so our curriculum provides a supportive starting point while gradually increasing challenge and independence.

Transition into Key Stage 3

When students join us in Year 7, the focus is on building confidence, developing positive relationships and establishing the core skills needed to work successfully in Drama.

Students are introduced to the fundamental principles of performance, including communication, teamwork, trust, physical and vocal skills, creativity and evaluation. Through practical and accessible topics, students are encouraged to take risks, work with a range of peers and become comfortable expressing their ideas.

The Year 7 curriculum provides a strong foundation for the more sophisticated theatrical styles, texts and creative processes explored throughout Key Stage 3.

Progression through Key Stage 3

Throughout Years 7 and 8, students develop increasing independence and begin to apply their skills across a broad range of theatrical styles and contexts.

Students explore Shakespeare, Commedia dell'Arte, devised drama, historical and social issues, monologues, duologues, improvisation and radio drama, alongside developing their understanding of characterisation, dramatic structure, physical and vocal performance and theatrical conventions.

The curriculum is designed to continually revisit and develop the four key principles of Confidence, Communication, Collaboration and Creation, ensuring that students build on previous learning rather than experiencing each topic in isolation.

Transition into Key Stage 4

Students who choose GCSE Drama build upon the practical and creative foundations established during Key Stage 3. The GCSE course provides greater depth and challenge, requiring students to become increasingly independent in their creative decisions, performance skills and evaluation.

Students develop their understanding of devising, scripted performance and live theatre, while studying dramatic texts and exploring how performers and theatre makers communicate meaning to an audience.

By the beginning of Key Stage 4, students should be confident in working collaboratively, able to communicate their creative intentions clearly and willing to experiment with different performance approaches. The skills developed throughout Key Stage 3 provide the foundation for students to approach GCSE Drama with confidence, creativity and increasing independence.

Our aim is that every student completing Key Stage 3 has developed skills that will support them whether or not they continue with GCSE Drama. For those who do choose the subject, the transition into Key Stage 4 is a natural progression from the practical, collaborative and creative experiences they have developed throughout Years 7 and 8.