1. Barbara Priestman School and Technology College
Dramatic Enquiry

2. Aims for the session
To explore the skills developed during Dramatic Enquiry
To understand what Dramatic Enquiry is
To see some of the students’ work
To discuss impact on students’ learning
Opportunity to ask (easy) questions!

3. Warm Up

4. Ofsted 2008
“More mundane teaching is characterised by pupils doing things but not learning much. In lessons such as these, pupils can clearly be seen to become bored through lack of challenge.”
“Many pupils are capable of learning more independently and with less support but are given few opportunities to do so. As a result they absorb the teaching passively rather than using it as a springboard for independent research or learning.”

5. What is
Dramatic Enquiry?

6. Dramatic Enquiry:- is a fusion of P4C and drama
is student led learning, facilitated by adults
can be a one off event or built into the curriculum
elevates the status of the students
develops higher order thinking skills
impacts on speaking and listening skills
involves collaboration amongst staff
is motivating and engaging if planned thoroughly
is not scripted
involves teachers being willing to take risks and move out of their comfort zone

7. Putting a
Dramatic Enquiry
together

8. tap into the interest of the students
unpick the themes
prepare a back story
think about the philosophical question
cast the main roles using staff or students depending on context
decide on how the students will buy into the enquiry
consider if work needs to be done on the pre-text
keep costumes and props simple
all staff take an active role
participants stay in role throughout the enquiry
respond to philosophical question
once out of role reflect and review on outcomes

9. DVD

10. Themes covered Memory Box (Whole school in Key Stages)
Theme Memory PQ Do memories define who we are?
Museum Of Perfect Futures (Key Stage 4 and 5 mixed)
Theme What would make a perfect future? PQ Can what we learn about the past help us to prepare for the future?
Plenty More Fish In The Sea (Whole school mixed)
Theme Sharing PQ Should we always share?
Building Schools For The Future (Whole school Key Stages)
Theme Exploring different use of spaces PQ Does space affect how we learn?
Royal Wedding (Key Stage 3)
Theme Fashion Fame and Fortune PQ What makes something valuable?
Court Case (Key Stage 5)
Theme Making the News PQ Should a basic human right ever be violated?
Earthquake (Key Stage 4)
Theme Natural Disasters PQ What makes a hero?
Travellers (Key Stage 5)
Theme People’s Rights PQ How might people’s right to live the way they choose affect other people?

11. How
Dramatic Enquiry
works for us

12. Senior Leadership are strongly behind the initiative
ALL staff participate and model good practice
In the first year we experimented with various groupings to see which worked best for our students
Now plan for separate key stages tailoring it to the curriculum and/ or students’ interests
Some students work out of their key stage to access an enquiry more appropriate to their needs
In most cases we have discovered if you work on the pre-text the enquiry is more successful
Progression
having it planned and delivered for us by Cap-a-Pie
joint planning but delivered by Cap-a-Pie
joint planning but delivered by ourselves
planned and delivered by ourselves
being able to accept that something has not worked as well as anticipated and learning from it
Continually reflecting and adapting to the needs of our students (not a one size fits all)

13. Impact of
Dramatic Enquiry

14. Students increases self confidence
improves speaking and listening skills
increases flexibility of thought
willing to take risks
more empathetic
able to see other people’s point of view
enables them to say things they may not say if they were not in role
apply a range of thinking tools in “real life” situations independently
are able to reflect on and review their learning
manage their emotions
work as a team
solve problems creatively

15. Staff increases self confidence willing to take risks
raises expectations of students
are able to work with students as equals
are able to reflect on and review students knowledge and understanding
manage their emotions
work as a team
solve problems creatively
learn from their mistakes
fosters a sense of community
more able to challenge students’ thinking

16. Ofsted 2012
“Changes to the curriculum have led to it becoming outstanding. Throughout the school students are provided with a highly impressive range of learning experiences that are well suited to their needs and aspirations.”
“The diverse and excellent curriculum engages all groups of students well and promotes their good achievement.”
“Students are increasingly reaping the benefits of the many developments that have taken place.”
“Students themselves speak readily of how these [thinking tools] new strategies help them to organise their thinking for learning but also their emotional responses to situations and events. Consequently, they feel their own and others’ behaviour has improved.”
“One student recounted his initial shyness when he started school but said that teachers had encouraged him in drama lessons. Now in sixth form, he had recently auditioned for the National Youth Theatre.”

17. Ofsted 2015
The quality of teaching is consistently good. Teachers and teaching assistants use a range of strategies, including questioning, extremely well to help students develop their thinking skills
Teaching assistants are very effective. They use questioning and a range of other strategies to help students think for themselves. The academy’s leaders have been working on this and developing staff understanding of support for students to become more independent learners. As a result, teachers increasingly encourage students to develop thinking and questioning tools to explore their own ideas more effectively
Students become thoughtful of others and acquire the confidence to express their views on a range of current issues such as forced marriage and science versus religion. They take a question and explore it through drama
As across the whole school, students are encouraged to use a range of tools to develop more flexible thinking skills. When real-life situations arise, staff may set up scenarios to help students to find solutions and explore the point of view of other people.

18. Questions