1. KS4 Community Drama Creative, Performance and Media Arts
Curriculum Map
KS4 Community Drama
Creative, Performance and Media Arts

2. Statement of intent
Key Stage: KS4
Subject: Community Drama
Academic Year:
Community Drama offers an options course for either students who want further preparation before taking GCSE and/or A Level Drama, as well as students who enjoy the subject and want to continue studying it without the pressure of a formal examination.
With this in mind, the skills and content of the course are closely linked with the knowledge required for GCSE and A Level Drama courses. However, we have the opportunity with this enrichment to take a more explorative approach to Drama, which mirrors current professional practices in theatre. Students will begin with a performance aimed at educating Year 6 students about ‘Life at Canons’ in preparation for their transition which gives students an understanding of adapting their pieces for different audiences. We then move on to theatrical storytelling conventions and building tension through our Horror unit. Students explore this through the creation of horror ‘trailers’ and using a horror playscript, culminating n a performance for KS3 students. Once students have an understanding of storytelling techniques, we then continue developing these through the study of key Theatre Practitioners, such as Brecht and Boal, and the context in which these practitioners were/are working. Students will study these practitioners and explore their style and techniques, before creating a piece in the style of their chosen practitioner based on events happening when that practitioner was active.
During the Spring term, students use the skills they have gained in their Autumn term and apply them to a variety of devising techniques, before forming groups and preparing a piece for public performance in the Creative Arts Showcase at the end of term. Students are given complete creative freedom during this time and are encouraged to research an issue of their choice and utilise the skills they have gained in Drama over their entire time at Canons. They act as a theatre company, doing their own Dramaturgy, script writing, directing, and designing in addition to performing. This then leads to a summer term where they explore working within different theatrical forms, such as Verbatim Theatre, to understand how these can be used to tell stories from different communities that otherwise may not get their stories told.
Whilst this outline covers the in-school content course, we often take up opportunities from external professionals to work with our students. We have previously worked with Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, National Theatre and Shakespeare Schools, to name a few. We also take students to see professional productions in London to encourage their aspirations and give them inspiration during their own creative process.

3. Curriculum Overview Key Stage: KS3 Subject: Drama
Academic Year
Year
Unit content
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
KS4
Primary School Projects:
Understanding requirements of theatre aimed at primary school students through devising.
Horror:
Exploring how to build tension in a piece of theatre through different storytelling techniques.
Practitioners Project:
Exploring the techniques and practices of different theatre practitioners.
How to create performance:
Students explore different methods of creating theatre.
Creating Performance:
Students use the devising skills they have learned to create a piece based on an issue of their choosing.
Theatrical Forms:
Students explore a variety of theatrical forms with a focus on current affairs.
Assessment
Primary School Project:
Students create a piece of theatre called ‘Life at Canons’ which is performed at local primary schools.
Students take scenes from a play from page to stage in a final performance for KS3.
Students create a piece of theatre in the style of their learned practitioner, focusing on events happening when the practitioner was working to contextualise their understanding. Performed to KS4 students.
Students create performances for the public Creative Arts Showcase at the end of term in collaboration with Music, Art, Media and Dance.
Students combine the forms they have learned to create pieces to perform for KS3 students.