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Drama: Secondary| Key Issues
National Curriculum requirements for drama within English
Art and Music have separate subject status in the National Curriculum. Dance is contained within the Orders for Physical Education and Drama is contained within the Speaking and Listening Orders for English.
Trainees might be asked to consider: the logic of this historical formation and why different art forms have been given different value within the NC framework of subjects; whether it is appropriate for Drama to be considered as part of the core entitlement for English and whether it is appropriate for it to be tied to the Speaking and Listening strand; what additional skills and knowledge they might need in order to deliver the Orders covering drama within English
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The statutory orders for Drama at KS3/4 in the National Curriculum are found in the National Curriculum for English, as follows:
Speaking and Listening
4 To participate in a wide range of drama activities and to evaluate their own and others’ contributions, pupils should be taught to:
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Use a variety of dramatic techniques to explore ideas, issues, texts and meanings;
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Use different ways to convey action, character, atmosphere and tension when they are scripting
and performing in plays (for example through dialogue, movement and pace);
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Appreciate how the structure and organisation of scenes and plays contribute to dramatic
effect;
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Evaluate critically the intentions and performance of dramas, which they have watched or in
which they have taken part.
11- The range of drama activities should include:
- improvising and working in role;
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devising, scripting and performing in plays;
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discussing and reviewing their own and others’ performances
Reading (KS3)
The range should include:
- Two plays by Shakespeare, one of which should be studied at KS3
- Drama by major playwrights
- Drama by major writers from different cultures and traditions
These are the statutory requirements for drama and English Departments need to be mindful of the following paragraph from the OfSTED guidance for the Inspection of English 11-16
3. Other factors affecting quality
Schools will approach the planning and teaching of the programmes of study for speaking and listening in different ways particularly with regard to the drama strand. Establish how far the drama content of the programmes of study is included in timetabled English and how far it is covered in discrete drama or expressive/creative arts lessons. Assure yourself both of the coverage of the drama programme of study and the quality of the teaching and learning.
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