KS4
At Key Stage 4 students have 3 lessons a week in Year 10 and 11.
Students in Year 10 will study AQA GCSE Drama.
Students in Year 11 study BTEC Technical Award Level 2 in Performing Arts.
As part of studying Component 1 students will be given the opportunity to see live theatre and evaluate the skills and techniques used.
Below is information about our KS4 curriculum. Each drop down box contains the topics we cover. For more detail on the knowledge we teach, please click on each medium term plan. Our curriculum map shows the learning journey that our students embark upon.
In Year 10, students study GCSE Drama which covers the following:
Component 1 - Understanding Drama
- Characteristics of performance text(s) and dramatic work(s)
- Social, cultural and historical contexts
- How meaning is interpreted and communicated
- Drama and theatre terminology and how to use it appropriately
- The roles and responsibilities of theatre makers in contemporary professional practice
Area of study 1 - Set play - Blood Brothers
Area of study 2 - Live Theatre Production
Component 2 - Devising Drama
This subject content is assessed practically.
Each student must choose to be assessed as a:
- performer or
- lighting designer or
- sound designer or
- set designer or
- costume designer or
- puppet designer.
Each student must choose one specialism only for all the Devising drama content.
Creating devised drama
- create and develop ideas to communicate meaning in a devised theatrical performance.
- draw on and demonstrate a practical understanding of the subject content listed in Knowledge and understanding.
Students must develop their ability to:
- carry out research
- develop their own ideas
- collaborate with others
- rehearse, refine and amend their work in progress
- analyse and evaluate their own process of creating devised drama.
Performing devised drama
- how to contribute to devised drama in a live theatre context for an audience. They must contribute as either a performer or designer.
- draw on and demonstrate a practical understanding of the subject content listed in Knowledge and understanding.
They must develop their ability to:
- create and communicate meaning
- realise artistic intention in devised drama.
Component 3 - Texts in practice
This subject content is assessed practically.
Each student must choose to be assessed as a:
- performer or
- lighting designer or
- sound designer or
- set designer or
- costume designer or
- puppet designer.
Each student must choose one specialism only for all the Texts in practice content.
They must develop their ability to:
- interpret texts
- create and communicate meaning
- realise artistic intention in text-based drama.
In Year 11, students study BTEC Performing Arts. The following topics are included:
Component 1 Exploring the Performing Arts
- Professional performance material, influences, creative outcomes and purpose
- Roles, responsibilities and skills
- Application of skills and techniques during rehearsal
- Application of skills and techniques in performance
- Review own development of skills and techniques for performance
Component 2 Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts
- Rehearsal/design process
- Application of skills and techniques in/for performance
- Review rehearsal/design processes
- Review performance/outcomes
Component 3 Responding to a brief
- Understand how to respond to a brief through discussion and practical exploration activities
- Demonstrate how to select and develop skills and techniques that are needed to realise the creative ideas in response to a brief
- Skills and techniques
- Working effectively with others
- Communicating ideas through performance
- Reflect on the process
- Reflect on the outcome