Drama

The fundamental aim of the Drama curriculum is to develop pupils who are able to use voice, movement, gesture and facial expression in a positive and confident manner.  
Through the methods of improvisation, acting, mime and dance drama, supported by using a range of drama strategies, pupils will develop personal and social skills and grow in insight and understanding.

Drama contributes in a unique way to the process of learning. Its uniqueness lies in its immediacy as it happens in the here and now. It allows pupils a high degree of control over their own learning as they manage information, make decisions and solve problems. It draws upon their own experience of the world and then extends it. It engages feelings, imagination, encourages creativity and allows them to work alone and with others. 

Drama is a powerful means of bringing alive knowledge and experience by engaging the emotion and the intellect. It involves the controlled attempts to explore, develop and express ideas and concepts which will help to make sense of reality and the world we live in.

Meeting Curriculum Objectives

Drama develops pupils as individuals by:

• developing an awareness of self and others;
• helping pupils to develop relationships among peers, with teachers, other adults and wider audiences;
• helping to develop pupils’ confidence in their own abilities, particularly in verbal and non-verbal communication;
• enabling participants to evaluate their achievements as individuals and evaluate the achievements of others.

Drama develops pupils as contributors to society by:

• encouraging mutual respect, sharing and a sense of responsibility;
• enabling pupils to explore issues in a safe environment, through exploration and negotiation and helping them to structure solutions;
• enhancing pupils’ understanding and appreciation of society by giving them
• opportunities to experience another person’s life in another situation.

Drama develops pupils as contributors to the economy and environment by:

• providing every pupil with information about working in the world of drama and theatre;
• enabling pupils to experience, in role, the world of work and to develop an awareness of related economy through exploration of specific situations and scenarios using text and improvised approaches;
• promoting enquiry and encouraging pupils to think critically and constructively on a range of local and global issues.