CURRICULUM
Drama
Intent
The Drama curriculum at Maghull High School is practical, engaging, and creative. It offers students the opportunity to explore Drama as a dynamic art form, using informed artistic choices to communicate meaning and ideas. Our aim is to provide a strong academic and practical foundation, encouraging students to critically examine drama and apply their understanding to the creation and development of performance work.
At every stage our curriculum prepares students for their next steps, including higher education and industry. We ensure students develop transferable skills which are valuable across a vast number of future employment opportunities. Core skills include communication, creativity, collaboration, leadership, confidence, and autonomy.
Drama is more than performance – it’s about understanding purpose and meaning in theatre. Students explore the methodologies of key theatrical practitioners, enabling them to develop original work with a clear sense of style, intention, and form. Opportunities to engage with technical elements—such as lighting, sound, set, and costume design—further broaden student experience and support inclusivity and career relevance.
Our curriculum fosters independent learning, critical thinking, and effective decision-making. Schemes of learning are designed to challenge and inspire, allowing students to take creative risks and develop their personal style. Assessments, both written and practical, are closely linked to teaching and ensure that every learner can make meaningful progress and reach their potential.
Domains and Concepts
Domains
- Creating
- Rehearsing
- Performing
- Responding
Key Concepts
- Drama Techniques and Conventions
These are tools used to explore and develop characters, themes, and narratives.
- Still image / Freeze frame
- Thought-tracking
- Role play
- Hot-seating
- Flashback / Flashforward
- Slow motion
- Narration
- Forum theatre
- Performance Skills
These skills help to create convincing and expressive performances.
- Vocal skills – clarity, pitch, pace, tone, projection.
- Physical skills – gesture, posture, facial expression, body language, movement.
- Use of space and levels
- Timing and interaction with others on stage
- Characterisation
Developing believable characters through:
- Motivation and objectives
- Background and relationships
- Physical (Facial Expressions, movement, body language, eye contact, gesture) and vocal traits (Accent, volume, pitch pace, intonation, pause)
- Emotions and reactions
- Key Terminology:
- Collaboration and Group Work
- Working effectively in pairs or groups
- Listening, contributing, compromising, and respecting others’ ideas
- Planning and devising performances collaboratively
- Devising and Script Work
- Devising – creating original performances from themes, stimuli, or issues.
- Script work – interpreting and performing from a written play, including:
- Understanding character and context
- Blocking and stage directions
- Memorising lines
- Evaluation and Reflection
- Giving and receiving constructive feedback
- Reflecting on personal performance and others’
- Identifying strengths and areas for improvement
- Understanding Theatre and Styles
- Exposure to different drama styles and genres (e.g., naturalism, physical theatre, melodrama)
- Introduction to key practitioners (e.g., Stanislavski, Brecht, Artaud)
- Understanding theatre terminology:
- Space: Proxemics, Stage Directions, Stage Positions, Stage Configurations
Key Stage 3 - Scheme of Work Overview
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9