Curriculum Team Leader for Performing Arts: Miss Hunt
Email: ghunt@brakenhale.bracknell-forest.sch.uk

Aims

• To increase students confidence, clarity and expression when in public speaking
• To improve students physical awareness – in particular how their posture/body language sends out certain messages (as themselves and created/given characters)
• To enable students to work co-operatively among themselves, showing respect for others views/limitations/feelings
• To establish/develop basic theatrical skills and terminology
• To encourage students to critically evaluate their own and others work (using praise and constructive criticism) – both orally and in writing

Key Stage 3

Students cover many off the basic theatrical skills/areas of work, such as: co-operation, tableaux, voice work, trust, text work, improvisation, animal studies, devising and observation exercises. In addition they look at different forms of theatre (such as melodrama) and do more independent/group projects in the Spring and Summer terms, developing work/skills they learnt in the Autumn term. In the Autumn term students tend to spend one week on each area (which is one hour long lesson), progressing on to small projects that span several weeks in the second two terms.

Key Stage 4

We have one class studying the Edexel syllabus for GCSE Drama, which we see three times a week. In the first half term (Autumn Term) the focus is on group bonding/trust and revising the basics – or covering for those who have not studied Drama before. In addition, we get the students to work on mini projects which they are required to evaluate and prepare a short portfolio. This is in preparation for the syllabus work, which is all practical but includes written coursework/portfolios, and of which self-evaluation is an integral part. For one of the papers, students this year will be studying ‘Blood Brothers’, including looking at characterisation, improvisation, performance, character relationships, set design, costumes and basic sound/lighting designs/plans.

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Teaching and Learning

In drama lessons for all years, instruction/theory time is limited, as the theory is learnt through the students practical experimentation and performance. Games are frequently used at both KS3 and KS4, as these establish and develop theatrical skills, but do so in a format where the students feel they are having fun – rather than learning. Most work in drama is as a whole group or within small groups, with independent contribution/ preparation necessary – so students are required to think for themselves and engage in independent research (particularly at KS4) but also required to work collaboratively.

Resources

The department is well resourced, including access to digital video (and still) cameras, CD players, and TV/VCR player. The floor of the drama studio is sprung and we have a mini stage permanently up in the studio. We have an extensive collection of play texts and critical/historical books on all areas of theatre/media, and the prop and costume collection is currently being renovated.

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