Drama in Middle School

In Key Stage 3 drama lessons, students are taught a wide variety of Drama and Media skills that are developed through the three years towards the skills needed for GCSE Drama. There is of course a mixture of abilities in all classes through Key Stages 3 up to 5 and therefore clear strategies are given to students to allow all levels of learning and differentiation to take place within the lessons. Allowing for all learning types, lessons incorporate different learning styles of visual, listening and kinetic exercises, with extension exercises available for the more able. For example, when creating 60 second horror movies on their mobile phones, more able Key Stage 3 students were asked to use more sophisticated shots and encouraged to clarify their narrative to a higher level. For less able students clear objectives were given in both note form and from visual examples from previous years on the Drama blog. In Key Stage 3, there is no formal writing given, however, writing is used in creating scripts, storyboarding and peer assessments and half termly evaluations which are also placed on the blog. An end of Key Stage 3 assessment project takes place in the summer term of Year 9. The assessment is similar to GCSE paper 2 in that it involves students using their knowledge and understanding of Drama skills and techniques to devise a short play in a set group. This supports Year 9 pupils who are wishing to continue onto GCSE Drama. It also reinforces the skills taught in Key Stage 3. During year 9, all pupils will have been introduced to a piece of live theatre. This is another way of reinforcing the techniques and skills taught in Key Stage 3.

There are plenty of opportunities for performance in Key Stage 3 through extra-curricular productions directed by the drama teachers. Previous productions include Wind in the Willows, Macbeth, Hating Alison Ashley, Bugsy Malone, and Manderley. There is also a Drama Club run by the Year 12 Drama students which results in a small performance to parents in February each year.