“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasise about a world to aspire to.”
Willem Dafoe
Developing an individuality by encouraging students to express themselves with confidence, conduct themselves with tolerance, understanding and appreciate situations from more than one perspective, challenging their perceptions of the world. Students are encouraged to explore and analyse a range of social, moral, spiritual and cultural issues through theatre and physical storytelling processes. All performing arts students will develop:
- Confidence
- Teamwork
- Self-discipline
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
Key Stage 3
Drama at St. Thomas Becket Catholic School is about creativity, expression, and working together. Through practical workshops and performances, every student develops communication skills, confidence, and the ability to bring stories to life on stage.
Year 7 - Performance Foundations
Students begin by exploring the basics of performance, developing their physical skills. They learn about movement, gesture, and expression, building the essential techniques needed for confident performance.
Year 8 and 9 - Creating and Performing
Building on foundations, students take on the challenge of devising their own performances from a range of stimuli. They experiment with ideas, shape narratives, and create original drama to share with an audience. This process develops creativity, collaboration, and the ability to communicate powerful messages through theatre.
Students study and perform scripted extracts. They explore how to interpret text, develop characterisation, and bring roles to life through physicality and voice. By the end of the term, students will have realised a script in performance, strengthening teamwork and dramatic awareness.
This journey ensures that every student experiences the joy of performance, the confidence of self-expression, and the pride of sharing their work as part of a creative community.
Key Stage 4 – GCSE Drama (Eduquas)
Our GCSE Drama course combines performing, devising, and the study of plays. Students build their practical and theoretical skills term by term, preparing for both coursework and the final written exam.
Year 10
Term 1 – Introduction to GCSE Drama
Exploring core performance skills and building confidence through short practical tasks.
Terms 2 & 3 - Devising Process & Performance
Developing creative responses to a range of stimuli and learning the process of devising. Creation of assessed performance material from a stimulus set by the exam board.
Term 4- Devising Coursework (Portfolio)
Completing the devised performance and accompanying written/recorded portfolio.
Term 5 – Set Text Exploration
Studying and practically exploring the set text, focusing on characterisation and staging.
Term 6 – Set Text Exam Preparation
Polishing written responses, reviewing set text knowledge.
Links to other Subjects
Year 7:
Dance– Movement/Choreography
PHSE (relationships and emotional memory)
English
Year 8:
PHSE: Health and Wellbeing
Dance and Movement
English
Year 9:
PHSE—Careers and job roles, diversity and health and wellbeing.
English & History —War poetry
KS4:
English
PHSE (Relationships, Job roles and responsibilities, careers)