The Drama department aims to build and develop confidence and social skills in our students.
As an examined subject, students are asked to explore published texts and to create their own work from stimulus.
The challenges in meeting the needs of students with a vision impairment include:
- The reading of emotions and facial expressions and how to show these when acting
- Mobility within an acting space and audience awareness
- The concept of a theatre space and how to stage theatre for a sighted audience with visually impaired actors
- Lack of the incidental learning which is acquired through sight
Examples of adaptations for vision impaired students
- Students work within defined spaces in the Drama studio often using tactile markers to mark out acting areas.
- Basic skills such as freeze frames are used to teach stage positioning and body language.
- GCSE students learn the Stanislavski method of acting which deals with the internal emotions first; working from the inside to the outside.
- All students have the opportunity to be involved in a whole school annual production as actors or stage crew. Previous productions have included ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Arabian Nights’ and ‘As You Like It’.
- The College has excellent links with local theatres such as Worcester Swan Theatre, the RSC Stratford and Birmingham Rep who provide us with audio description and touch tours to enhance the students’ understanding of performances that they watch.
- There are opportunities for students to take part in extra-curricular Drama activities in the local community, mixing with sighted peers.
Courses
A level:
- Eduqas Drama and Theatre
GCSE:
- Year 11- BTEC level 1 and 2 Performing Arts
