Drama at Tallis
Ethos
We believe that drama is both a set of skills and a subject discipline in its own right. In many schools, drama is taught within English. At Tallis, drama is a separate subject taught within the Performing Arts. We believe that drama is both a set of skills and a subject discipline in its own right that fosters creativity, imagination and inquisitive nature. However, drama teaches students a wide range of transferable skills which allows the individual student to establish confidence, communication skills and a sense of self worth. We want students to understand what drama is and its place in society, history, culture and context. Its important that students are given the opportunity to access a wide reaching curriculum of styles and genres from different time periods and places in the world. We believe that through drama process and drama in performance, students will be able to explore a range of perspectives allowing them to develop an understanding and sense of empathy for the world in which they live. Learning and Teaching Students at Tallis all experience drama in Years 7, 8 and 9 and many go on to study it in greater depth at Key Stages 4 and 5. Our drama teachers are passionate specialists with detailed knowledge and expertise of the subject. We have embraced the use of new technologies to support the progression of our students, from department blogs to online home learning tools, from social networking to the use of iPads, we aim to use all available tools to promote imagination and engagement in learning for our students. Skills development Learning how to work successfully with others, pay attention to body language and voice control, address an audience, work hard and generate creative ideas are just some of the skills and aptitudes that are developed within the drama curriculum. Assessment In common with dance and music we use the Habits of Mind to assess pupil progress at Key Stage 3. We relate effort and key drama skills to each habit that enables all students to know how they are progressing in terms of the key curriculum concepts and skills. We use a wide range of Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies to encourage learners to reflect on their development. Extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities Students are given lots of opportunities to engage in drama activities outside lesson time. We run a weekly KS3 drama club as well as the Tallis Actors Guild Theatre Company (TAG) for all key stages. Our theatre company frequently takes part in external competitions such as Shakespeare Schools and The National Theatre's Connections Festivals. Students who are part of GCSE, A-level or our theatre company, work collaboratively with a range of visiting practitioners such as The Old Vic Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and Splendid Productions. We also work alongside our colleagues in Dance and Music in the creation of inter-disciplinary and whole school performances. Independent Learning We believe that young people benefit from developing their skills and ideas independently (and collaboratively) outside school. We set regular independent learning assignments, often incorporating a range of ICT resources, to encourage students to develop their practice and document their learning. |
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