So, this is my model Key Stage 3 curriculum. It feeds into the new GCSE content in a broad way, but allows the students to have a thorough understanding of both the basic terminology and the chronology of theatre. As a school we’ve been looking at a knowledge based curriculum, and for all it’s good and bad points, there are a few things that can be drawn from it. As someone who has always been championing the concept of Drama and Theatre and a subject rather than just a pedagogy, I’ve always felt it important to teach a chronology of Theatre. Students need to understand that, although they don’t go to the theatre, that it has a long and varied history. Most young people don’t go to the theatre, and where they do it’ll be mainly to the local pantomime or children’s theatre production, so they don’t know how to place what they see into a context or canon of time periods, genres or styles. There is not a daily public consciousness as to the age of theatre like there is for music or art, where there is a physical construct of something to be able to age something with. So basing the curriculum in historical genres helps the students to see how one period and style influences the development of the next genre and style. Within that structure the students are introduced to all the terminology that they need to describe how they are performing and the terminology for each genre. This brings them to a point where they can start the new GCSE confident.

Autumn Term	Spring Term	Summer Term
Greek Theatre	Commedia Dell’Arte	Shakespeare
Theatrical Conventions of Greek Theatre including Protagonist and Antagonist.	Theatrical Conventions of Commedia Del’Arte	Theatrical Conventions of Elizabethan Theatre
The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Greek Theatre	The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Commedia Del’Arte	The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Elizabethan Theatre and Shakespeare
Still Images including key terminology of Levels, Use of Space, Proxemics, Stillness, Facial Expressions, Body Language, Clarity, Stance, Posture, Eye Contact and Freeze Frames.	Using movement to create characters including key terminology of Movement, Posture, Gestures, Facial Expressions, Stance and Stillness.	How to demonstrate relationships on stage with reference to key terminology of eye contact, proxemics, physical contact and body language umbrella terms.
Blocking including stage positions	How to rehearse in preparation for a performance to an audience.	Characterisation: Role on the Wall
	Revising Still Images, Stage Positions and Blocking	How to learn lines.
		Revising Still Images, Stage Positions, Blocking, Movement Key Terminology and Rehearsing

Autumn Term	Spring Term	Summer Term
Melodrama	Naturalism	Epic Theatre
Theatrical Conventions of Melodrama.	Theatrical Conventions of Naturalism including voice and movement key terms, characterisation, performance space, relationship between characters and Proscenium Arch Theatre.	Theatrical Conventions of Epic Theatre.
The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Melodrama	The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Naturalism.	The Social, Historical and Cultural influences on Epic Theatre.
Key features and terms relating to text and play scripts	How hotseating and other characterisation exercises help us to develop strong believable characters.	Performing in different theatre configurations.
Improvising and Devising Skills	Revising Still Images, Stage Positions, Blocking, Movement Key Terminology, Rehearsing and Relationships on stage	Revising Still Images, Stage Positions, Blocking, Movement Key Terminology, Rehearsing, Relationships on stage and Character Development Exercises
Revising Still Images, Stage Positions, Blocking, Movement Key Terminology, Rehearsing and Relationships on stage