Overview 

Drama at Rooks Heath nurtures imagination, creativity and artistic confidence. Our provision extends beyond the classroom, celebrating theatre, performance and the arts as an integral part of school life. Through Drama, students become culturally aware global citizens, confident communicators and critical thinkers. 

Drama enables students to develop empathy, social awareness and emotional intelligence through practical exploration, performance and collaboration. Students experience a broad and inclusive curriculum which supports personal growth, academic achievement and wellbeing. 

Curriculum Intent 

At Rooks Heath Drama we aim to: 

• Nurture imagination, creativity and artistic expression. 

• Develop confident communicators who collaborate effectively and think critically. 

• Foster empathy, social understanding and emotional intelligence. 

• Introduce students to a wide range of theatre styles, practitioners and performance traditions. 

• Develop practical performance skills alongside analytical and evaluative thinking. 

• Promote cultural capital through live theatre experiences, workshops and productions. 

• Encourage independence, resilience and reflective practice. 

• Celebrate diversity and ensure all students can access, engage with and create within an exceptional Drama curriculum. 

Innovation lies at the heart of our curriculum. We believe students deserve opportunities to ignite and nurture their talents, confidence and arts awareness. Through a spiral curriculum model, students revisit and deepen knowledge, skills and understanding over time. 

Curriculum Implementation 

Teaching Approach 

Drama lessons are practical, inclusive and collaborative. 

Students learn through: 

• Practical exploration 

• Ensemble work 

• Improvisation 

• Devising 

• Script work 

• Discussion and reflection 

• Teacher modelling 

• Peer and self-assessment 

• Performance and evaluation 

Co-operative learning practices underpin our teaching, helping students develop confidence, self-awareness and analytical skills that impact positively across the curriculum. 

Sequencing of Learning 

Our curriculum follows a spiral approach whereby students revisit, consolidate and extend prior learning. 

Year 7 focuses on establishing core performance skills and ensemble working. 

Year 8 introduces theatrical styles, practitioners and more sophisticated approaches to characterisation and devising. 

Year 9 develops students’ understanding of theatre practitioners, directing, interpretation and independent creative processes in preparation for Key Stage 4 study. 

Assessment 

Students are assessed through: 

• Practical performances 

• Knowledge retrieval activities 

• Teacher observation 

• Self-assessment 

• Peer feedback 

• Reflective evaluations 

• Written responses 

Assessment focuses upon students’ ability to: 

• Create 

• Perform 

• Respond 

• Evaluate 

Curriculum Impact 

Success within Drama is measured through: 

• Increased confidence and self-expression 

• Student engagement and participation 

• Progress in practical and evaluative skills 

• Quality of devised and scripted work 

• Student voice 

• Participation in productions and enrichment activities 

• Progression to GCSE Drama 

Students leave Key Stage 3 as reflective, resilient and creative learners who appreciate the value of Drama and the arts within society. 

Curriculum Structure 

Key Stage 3 

Year	Topics / Units	Key Knowledge & Skills
7	Introduction to Drama; Monologues; Commedia dell’Arte; Script Work	Basic acting skills; vocal and physical techniques; ensemble work; improvisation; characterisation; rehearsal process; theatre history
8	Physical Theatre; Greek Theatre; Devising; Contemporary Theatre; Script Exploration	Devising techniques; symbolism; movement; performance conventions; practitioner knowledge; interpretation
9	Stanislavski; Brecht; Theatre in Education; Devised Theatre; GCSE Preparation	Practitioner techniques; directorial concepts; advanced characterisation; evaluation; rehearsal methods; independent creative practice