DRAMA DEPARTMENT

Drama at Dominican College

Drama is taught to all the pupils in years eight to ten. Each pupil receives one, one hour lesson per week, except in Year 8 where pupils receive one, one hour lesson per fortnight and one a week on a rotating ten week basis. Pupils in years eleven and twelve can opt to take the subject a GCSE level. Students in the Sixth Form can opt to take Theatre Studies AS Level and A2 Theatre Studies.

The Drama Department at Dominican College operates with one member of staff, giving a total teaching commitment to the subject through planning, delivering and evaluating the course on a regular basis.

At Dominican College, there is a Drama Studio operating as a classroom and a mini theatre workshop. Rehearsals for practical assessments, Drama productions and other theatrical activities can be arranged during lunchtime and after school.

The curricula programme within the school favours expressive improvisation in all years and gives room for imaginative role-play at Key Stage 3.Creativity is encouraged in many ways but particularly in movement, gesture and language. The use of English is developed when practical sessions are evaluated by the students in their homework and evaluation assessments across all the years.

Students are encouraged in all years to explore and represent other characters. Through this experience they learn to appreciate other people’s perceptions and empathise with their situations. Learning to express themselves and learning to communicate demands quick reactions and therefore students learn to think and respond in an immediate and concentrated way.

Drama develops confidence both verbally and physically. It therefore has an invaluable part to play in developing communication skills necessary for a successful life and being able to deal with a variety of social situations.

In order to deal with the numerous situations which develop in Drama, the teacher needs to be particularly flexible and adaptable. One must feel “in touch” with the mood of each class and adjust the material, when needed, to suit the requirements of the students finding the right level, yet extending the students too. A teacher of Drama needs to be aware of how the material is communicated to the class and always looking inwards at an internal assessment of what the students are achieving.

Evaluation is a particularly important function in the Drama lesson along with the idea and process. Presentation is not always a result which is seen and therefore the process becomes more important, organisisng realistically a scene and playing or improvising a character. “Adopting and sustaining a role” is criteria which comes into the general syllabus or scheme of work for students of all years.

Drama as a process then, can make many important contributions to the curriculum. Through this unique subject, cognitive, effective expressive and social development are all recognised. All students should be allowed to learn through drama as an essential element of their general education.

Ethos of the Drama Department

“Drama provides an outlet for self-expression and helps the development of imagination and artistic awareness; it increases social awareness, mental awareness, fluency of speech, self-knowledge, self-respect, self discipline and self-confidence.”

(SCHER A. and VERALL C. 100+ ideas for Drama)

The Drama Department is trying to develop an atmosphere and ethos which are both purposeful and pleasant. The aim is to develop positive relationships between staff and pupils and create positive links with other departments and local community theatre groups and organisations.

It is hoped that pupils will develop and maintain a high level of enthusiasm and enjoyment for the subject both through lessons and the extra-curricular activities available to them. The participation in external and internal competitions is to motivate pupils and encourage an interest and enjoyment in the subject.

It is hoped that pupils will develop a confidence to tackle tasks set in Drama lessons and extra-curricular drama through positive dramatic experiences. By ensuring that pupils have a clear understanding of the tasks set and equipping them with the appropriate skills in class, it is hoped that pupils will develop a high level of self-confidence and self-esteem.