Drama and Performing Arts

In Drama and Performing Arts lessons at Copleston students work collaboratively in groups with their peers to create performances that they have devised themselves, as well as exploring scripts and play texts. The aim is not just to develop performance skills, but also to work on and build communication and confidence, therefore both are a key focus of each Drama and Performing Arts lesson.

We offer Extra-curricular opportunities in the form of a whole school musical production in February each year involving students from Year 7 through to Year 13. We have produced a varied range of productions including Little Shop of Horrors, Les Misérables, School of Rock and The Addams Family. For several years now we have also taken part in and performed in the Shakespeare Schools Festival at Dance East, which allows students to work as part of a theatre company, whilst performing within a professional theatre environment. There is also a Year 7 Drama club run by A Level Drama students.

We run several theatre trips each year supporting both local theatres and visiting more famous London venues in order to broaden students experiences of live theatre, which they can then draw upon in their own work.

Curriculum Maps

The topics we study are outlined in our curriculum maps:

Yr 12 drama & theatre

YR 13 Drama & Theatre

How will my child be assessed?

	Assessment and Feedback Outline Approach
KS3	2 units are taught each term, 1 of these units has a formal assessment which receives detailed written Teacher feedback. The other unit has more of a practical focus and evaluation is completed in verbal form by students. Teachers give immediate verbal feedback throughout lessons and in response to every performance, outlining positives and areas to develop. Peer and self-assessment appear in every unit in both written and verbal form. Assessment involves students being marked on 3 key areas: Group work, understanding of drama explorative strategies, and use of vocal and physicality skills.
KS4	Each unit completed in Years 9 and 10 is a mock and practice of the 3 components of the GCSE course, and exam board mark schemes are used when assessing students. Students are assessed at the end of each half term and after each assessment students are given a detailed feedback sheet with individual and specific feedback containing positives/improvements made addressing areas to develop alongside also being set a target for the next half term. Teachers also give immediate verbal feedback throughout lessons and in response to every performance. In Year 11 this differs due to students completing the 3 units of their GCSE course. Written Mock exams in Year 10 and 11 provide detailed written feedback and students are required to respond to feedback by revisiting and improving answers to longer mark questions. Students regularly self asses via KS4 assessment sheets.
KS5	Year 12 is a practice of the 3 units of the A Level course. We teach the set texts for Component 1 and students complete formal exam question assessments on these. We also do mock assessments of both the devising and scripted performance units with feedback being given on both their performance and their embedding of the techniques of their chosen practitioners. All assessments are marked using exam board mark schemes and feedback is also aligned with these. In Year 13 students complete 2 mock exams of the Component 1 written paper as their assessment, alongside completing their actual Components 2 and 3 of the A level Drama and Theatre studies course.

Assessment and Feedback Outline Approach

KS3

2 units are taught each term, 1 of these units has a formal assessment which receives detailed written Teacher feedback. The other unit has more of a practical focus and evaluation is completed in verbal form by students. Teachers give immediate verbal feedback throughout lessons and in response to every performance, outlining positives and areas to develop. Peer and self-assessment appear in every unit in both written and verbal form.

Assessment involves students being marked on 3 key areas: Group work, understanding of drama explorative strategies, and use of vocal and physicality skills.

KS4

Each unit completed in Years 9 and 10 is a mock and practice of the 3 components of the GCSE course, and exam board mark schemes are used when assessing students. Students are assessed at the end of each half term and after each assessment students are given a detailed feedback sheet with individual and specific feedback containing positives/improvements made addressing areas to develop alongside also being set a target for the next half term. Teachers also give immediate verbal feedback throughout lessons and in response to every performance.

In Year 11 this differs due to students completing the 3 units of their GCSE course.

Written Mock exams in Year 10 and 11 provide detailed written feedback and students are required to respond to feedback by revisiting and improving answers to longer mark questions. Students regularly self asses via KS4 assessment sheets.

KS5

Year 12 is a practice of the 3 units of the A Level course. We teach the set texts for Component 1 and students complete formal exam question assessments on these. We also do mock assessments of both the devising and scripted performance units with feedback being given on both their performance and their embedding of the techniques of their chosen practitioners. All assessments are marked using exam board mark schemes and feedback is also aligned with these.

In Year 13 students complete 2 mock exams of the Component 1 written paper as their assessment, alongside completing their actual Components 2 and 3 of the A level Drama and Theatre studies course.