Curriculum Intent
At Walton-le-Dale High School, our Drama curriculum is a deliberate journey that transforms students from ‘novices’ into ‘experts’ by providing a knowledge-rich environment where they can belong, explore, and excel. We foster a sense of belonging through collaborative ensemble work, where every student finds their voice and learns the value of empathy and broad-mindedness. Students explore a diverse range of theatrical styles, historical contexts, and practitioners, moving from the foundational building blocks of stagecraft in Year 7 to sophisticated devising and script analysis by Year 9. This scaffolded approach empowers students to excel both creatively and academically, developing a rigorous technical vocabulary and the critical thinking skills required to analyse the work of playwrights and directors. Our curriculum inspires a lifelong passion for the arts, ensuring every student leaves as an articulate, resilient, and self-assured individual, fully prepared for GCSE study and beyond.
Programme of Study
KS3
Year 7: Foundational Knowledge (Novice Practitioners)
SOW 1: Skills and Techniques (Vocal & Physical Skills): An introduction to key performance skills and techniques applied in short performances to communicate character and situation. Students explore what conflict is and how it can be communicated on stage.
SOW 2: Scripted Performance (Pantomime): An introduction to scripted work where students study and perform pantomimes, focusing on key conventions, stock characters, and how to perform from a script.
SOW 3: Live Theatre Review (Peter Pan): An introduction to production elements and live theatre. Students watch a professional performance to analyse performance skills and how actors create characters.
SOW 4: Devising (Friendships/Simon’s Story): An introduction to the process of creating a performance from a stimulus. Students use rehearsal techniques like improvisation and hot-seating to explore social issues such as bullying and friendship.
Year 8: Further Exploration (Developing Practitioners)
SOW 1: Skills and Techniques (Status and Power): A further development of performance skills, focusing on how status is communicated through characters and narratives using symbolizations, proxemics, and levels.
SOW 2: Scripted Performance (Our Day Out): Continued development of scripted work by exploring key moments and themes from the play Our Day Out using performance skills and script work.
SOW 3: Live Theatre Review (Treasure Island): Further study of production elements in live theatre. Students analyse how lighting, sound, and costume are used as symbolization in a professional production.
SOW 4: Devising (Theatre in Education): A development of devising with a “Theatre in Education” (TIE) focus. Students learn TIE topics, including gang culture, to create performances aimed at educating a secondary school audience.
Year 9: Advanced Exploration (Emerging Practitioners)
SOW 1: Skills and Techniques (Physical Theatre): An advanced exploration of physical theatre through Frantic Assembly’s work on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Students critically analyse and apply techniques like chair duets and ensemble movement.
SOW 2: Scripted Performance (Page to Stage): An exploration of complex and contrasting play extracts. Students apply refined skills and make independent creative choices to transform a script into a performance.
SOW 3: Live Theatre Review (Macbeth/Romeo & Juliet): An advanced analysis of live theatre where students evaluate how technical and design choices, including staging, create symbolism and influence audience perception.
SOW 4: Devising (Practitioners): An advanced exploration where students independently apply refined skills to create original performances influenced by a specific drama practitioner.
KS4
At Key Stage 4, students transition into proficient and expert practitioners. The curriculum focuses on the rigorous application of skills to meet GCSE standards, fostering independence in both performance and critical analysis.
Year 10: Proficient Practitioners
HT1 – Introduction to GCSE & Foundation Skills: Students revisit key KS3 concepts to build a solid foundation. They complete a mock devised performance and a scripted piece from Blood Brothers to simulate the assessment process for Components 2 and 3.
HT2 – Component 1 (Blood Brothers) & Component 3 (Devising): Students begin a deep study of the set text, Blood Brothers, exploring themes and structure. Simultaneously, they start their official Devising project, applying advanced performance techniques to create original work.
HT3 & 4 – Practitioners & Portfolio Development: A focus on drama practitioners and styles. Students continue to refine their devised pieces while documenting their creative process and reflections in their typed portfolios.
HT5 & 6 – Component 3 Completion: Rehearsals reach their final stages for the Component 3 performance (40% of the GCSE). Students finish their portfolios and evaluations while deepening their understanding of the set text in preparation for Year 11.
Year 11: Expert Practitioners
HT1 – Blood Brothers & Component 2 Prep: Students explore the set text practically to deepen their understanding for the written exam. In tandem, they begin selecting and refining their scripted pieces for Component 2.
HT2 – Mock Examinations & Refinement: A focus on exam readiness. Students complete a formal mock for Component 1 (Written) and a mock performance for Component 2 to ensure their work is of a professional, “expert” standard.
HT3 – Component 2 (Scripted Performance): The finalization of the scripted exam. Students refine their practical application and character analysis, culminating in a performance to a visiting external examiner.
HT4 – Component 1 (Written Exam Mastery): Final preparations for the written paper. Students consolidate their learning on Blood Brothers and live theatre analysis, ensuring they are fully prepared to excel in their final GCSE Drama examination.
Marking and Assessment
At Walton-le-Dale, assessment in Drama is designed to track the transition from novice to expert. We use a combination of practical observation, written coursework, and formal examinations to ensure students are making progress in the three pillars of the subject: Creating, Performing, and Responding.
Key Stage 3
In KS3, assessment is continuous and focuses on the mastery of foundational skills and technical vocabulary.
Practical Assessment: At the end of every scheme of work, students perform a final piece (either devised or scripted). They are assessed on their ability to use vocal and physical skills to communicate character and meaning, their contribution to their group, their audience awareness, and the technique linked to the scheme of work.
Key Stage 4 (GCSE)
Assessment in KS4 mirrors the AQA GCSE Drama specification, focusing on the three formal components that determine the final grade.
Component 1 (Written Examination): Throughout the course, students complete timed exam questions, focusing on the set text, Blood Brothers, and Live Theatre Evaluation. These are marked against AQA’s assessment objectives. (40%)
Component 2 (Performance from a Text): This is a practical assessment marked by an external examiner. Students are graded on their ability to interpret a script and demonstrate high-level performance skills. (20%)
Component 3 (Devising Drama): This “Non-Exam Assessment” (NEA) is marked internally and moderated externally. Students are assessed on both their final performance and their Devising Portfolio, which documents their creative process and analysis. (40%)
Formative Feedback: In Year 10 and 11, students receive detailed “next steps” on their written work and mock performances to ensure they are meeting the highest possible marking criteria.
Revision Guides and Supporting Resources
To support our students on their journey to becoming expert practitioners, we provide a range of high-quality resources tailored to the AQA GCSE Drama specification. These tools are designed to bridge the gap between practical exploration and academic excellence.
Resources
- WLD Revision Guides: Every student is provided with bespoke, department-authored revision guides. These are specifically linked to our set text, Blood Brothers, and the Live Theatre production studied during the course. They include model answers for 4, 8, and 12-mark questions, key vocabulary banks, and character analysis grids.
- Knowledge Organisers: For every unit from Year 7 through to Year 11, students receive knowledge organisers that outline the essential terminology, historical context, and practitioner theories required for that scheme of work.
Digital Support
- BBC Bitesize (AQA GCSE Drama): We strongly recommend the BBC Bitesize platform, which offers comprehensive revision notes, video clips of professional performances, and interactive quizzes covering both the written exam and the devising process.
Departmental Support
- The Drama Library: Our department hosts a collection of contemporary and classical playtexts, as well as practitioner guides (e.g., Stanislavski and Frantic Assembly), which students are encouraged to borrow to broaden their “expert” knowledge.
- After-School Rehearsals & Drop-ins: The Drama studios are regularly open after school for students to refine their NEA (Non-Exam Assessment) work and receive targeted feedback.
Staff Details
Curriculum Leader for Drama – Mr McCarthy
Teacher of Drama – Miss Rothwell
Careers and Progression
By studying Drama at Walton-le-Dale, students develop a powerful toolkit of transferable skills, including public speaking and emotional intelligence all of which are highly valued across all professional sectors.
Our curriculum provides a direct pathway into the creative industries, preparing students for roles in performance, production, and design, while also equipping them with the confidence and empathy required for success in careers such as law, education, management, and public service.
Whether progressing to A-Levels, BTEC Level 3 qualifications, or specialised training at drama conservatoires, our students leave as articulate, self-assured individuals ready to excel in further education and the global workforce.
