Drama

Intent

Our Drama curriculum is designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, enabling students to develop confidence, self-expression, and cultural awareness through theatre. From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, students build a secure foundation in acting, devising, and technical theatre while exploring the social, historical, and global contexts of performance.

By engaging with diverse theatrical styles, texts, and practitioners, students learn to analyse, evaluate, and create meaningful theatre that reflects human experience and challenges perspectives. The curriculum aims to equip students with transferable skills in communication, empathy, problem-solving, and resilience, preparing them not only for academic success in Drama but for life beyond school. 

Implementation

The Drama curriculum is sequenced progressively, ensuring students develop skills in performance, design, and analysis year on year. 

• Year 7-9 (KS3-MYP): introduces core concepts such as ensemble work, storytelling, physical and vocal expression, and devising from stimulus. Students study a wide range of genres and contexts — from Greek Theatre and silent film to Shakespeare and modern texts — with opportunities for interdisciplinary projects that link Drama with Music and Art. 
• Years 10-11 (KS4/GCSE): builds on these foundations through focused study of set texts (Noughts & Crosses), devised theatre, and scripted performance, in line with AQA GCSE specifications. Students refine their craft through practical workshops, rehearsal, live theatre visits, and performance to external examiners, supported by written reflection and devising logs. 
• Years 12-13 (KS5/IBDP): broadens and deepens students’ knowledge through study of world theatre traditions, practitioner-led approaches, and collaborative projects. Students take increasing ownership of their work through solo performances, research presentations, and production proposals, culminating in externally assessed performances and portfolios. 

Learning is enriched through live theatre experiences, professional workshops, and cross-curricular collaboration, while assessment balances practical performance with reflective and analytical writing.  

Impact

By the end of their journey, students in Drama are: 

• Confident performers and communicators, able to articulate ideas with clarity and presence. 
• Creative and critical thinkers who can devise, interpret, and evaluate theatre with originality and insight. 
• Culturally literate individuals with an appreciation of diverse theatrical traditions, global perspectives, and the role of theatre in society. 
• Resilient collaborators, skilled in teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving, with the ability to take risks and respond constructively to feedback. 

At Key Stage 4 and 5, students achieve strong outcomes in line with national expectations, with many progressing to study Drama, Performing Arts, or related disciplines at higher education. Beyond examination results, the impact of Drama is seen in the confidence, empathy, and transferable skills students carry into their future studies, careers, and personal lives.