“Drama is a human need. Throughout time and culture human beings have enacted events in order to understand them or gain power over them. In schools, students and teachers have come to recognise the power and efficacy of drama to simultaneously learn about and create art and culture.”

 – Martin Lewis and John Rainer (‘Teaching Classroom Drama and Theatre’)

Key Stage 3

For most youngsters their first experience of regular drama lessons comes with their transition to secondary school. It is an exciting time for most of the pupils often being taught by a specialist teacher in a specialist space but not for all. Some pupils are anxious about drama and whether or not they will feel comfortable in the lessons. The challenge for drama teachers lies in a curriculum and teaching approach that allows all to feel safe and allows all to achieve; that supports the weak and stretches the able.

Some forward thinking school are adopting new approaches to the key stage 3 curriculum and have put drama methodology at the heart of the pupils’ learning experience.

Key Stage 4

Approximately one in five of all pupils take drama as a GCSE option. Drama has proved to be equally popular with leadership teams as the subject’s potential to bring the best out of academic and non-academic pupils alike has impacted positively on their school’s statistical performance. Many pupils achieve their best GCSE grade in drama but, more importantly, drama provides pupils with the confidence and creativity to engage with the complex world in which they live.

Personalised learning and thinking skills are integral to successful drama teaching allowing drama’s role to develop to the demands of the new curriculum.

Peter Kennedy…

…creates and co-ordinates transition projects

…supports drama specialists through solution-focused consultancy

…builds drama networks

…designs and delivers drama training events for local authorities

…offers independent and objective advice