General aims of the drama department :

1. To maintain and/or stimulate lasting pupil curiosity, interest and enjoyment in Drama. To create an atmosphere where pupils wish to learn, so that they come to enjoy Drama, because they are active participants in it, and where staff enjoy teaching, so they give of their very best. This will enable each pupil to achieve his/her potential in a variety of situations, using all available resources appropriately, to ensure the highest level of achievement for each pupil.

2.a) To enable pupils to be familiar with a body of knowledge, principles, skills, techniques and vocabulary related to Drama.

2.b) By exposing pupils to a wide range of material (both literary and media) we aim to enable pupils to see Drama as:

• a major cultural feature;
• part of a wider body of knowledge and skills.

3.a) To support the implementation of the statement on 'Shared Values' and to enable pupils to develop a range of desirable personal qualities such as safety awareness, politeness, perseverance, concern for others, initiative and independence.

3.b) To enable pupils to work independently and as part of a team in varied activities, so as Drama contributes to the development of core skills such as ICT, reading, writing and speaking.

4.a) To employ teaching methods and resources that allow all pupils (irrespective of their gender, ethnic origin, academic ability, etc.) to have equal access to Drama and to experience success and enjoyment in their work.

4.b) To value each individual and so encourage each pupil to feel the value and worth of others. In doing so, to encourage empathy, so that each pupil approaches issues of Race, Gender and Ability with tolerance and insight.

5.a) To develop an awareness in pupils of the implications of Drama (past and present) for the individual and the local, national and international communities.

5.b) To allow pupils to develop informed opinions and to be able to support them by reasonable arguments free from prejudicial intolerance.

5.c) To foster and encourage a lasting enjoyment and appreciation of dramatic literature from a variety of cultures and traditions.

5.d) To encourage pupils to consider critically the way language is used and abused by writers and the mass media and to develop the ability to analyse, evaluate and discriminate this use of language.

What do we want to achieve in KS3?

* Provide a foundation for GCSE.

* Provide an experience that stands in its own right.

* Provide a balanced curriculum - that presents the study of theatre and drama through process based work - ‘Its all theatre’.

* Provide drama that can be assessed.

* Provide work that is engaging and stimulating.

* Provide work that is socially and historically relevant and draws links between different curriculum areas - including Citizenship and National Strategy levels for Speaking and Listening.