Drama Department

Head of Department: Miss Aspinall

South Wirral High School has a purpose built Drama Studio, practical classroom space and a Hall adapted for a variety of Drama presentations. Through Drama, skills are developed which are vital in the outside world; the ability to express a view point clearly; to present information effectively; to initiate action and ideas and co-operate within a group. Many Drama skills transfer directly into other subject areas, in particular English.

Each year fresh opportunities arise for students to display their talents in Drama. There are countless large and small scale drama productions, Christmas and Summer Concerts. Every December there is a Dance/Drama Production which takes place over three evenings, with over 250 students from Year 7 - 13 taking part. A significant number of students also assist with technical direction and backstage activities. In spring, examination candidates in Music, Dance and Drama perform their examination pieces to parents. In addition, GCSE Drama students work closely with our primary schools often touring work and devising workshops in drama to welcome our new Year 7 students.

This lively department is continually adding to its performance diary, encouraging whole year groups to perform together and performing out in the community, in school halls and churches. Our calendar is varied and full of the many 'extra' experiences we offer, here are but a few:-
· A Year 7 drama Club—resulting in a Performance Evening in the Summer.
· A Year 7 Greek project involving the entire year group. resulting in a mutual sharing of a Greek play.
· A Drama Technical Club offering stage lighting and sound.
· Residentials at the Conway Centre to explore Performing Arts and resulting in school productions.
· Year 12 self-directed Performance Evening.
· Entry to competitions and showcase events such as 'On the Beat' held at the Philharmonic, Liverpool, "Macbeth" performed at the Chester Gateway as part of the Royal Shakespeare Schools of Festival, a performance based on Shakespeare's seven ages of man performed in front of HRH Prince Edward as part of the Duke of Edinburgh celebrations, a school production performed at the Theatre Clywd and our Yr 13 students were invited to perform at the Barbican in London.
We continually seek out new and exciting opportunities for our students. We receive increasing requests to launch business and public sector events with themed Drama performances and have been commissioned to create a video for the NHS and most recently the local education authority to aid teaching and delivery of subject material.
The Drama department has gained from the valuable experience of visiting theatre groups. They have included Theatre In Education, the English National Touring Theatre, the RSC to name but a few.
Trips are run frequently, locally and nationally by the Drama department including a joint Drama/Science and Geography trip to London. In the past we have enjoyed pantomimes, musicals and classical dramas and they are attended by staff and students alike.

Examination results are excellent rising above 70% A-C at Key Stage 4 and above 80% at post 16. We offer GCSE Drama and GNVQ combining Dance and Drama, a GCSE Double Award in performance Studies and A' level Theatre Studies. This advanced course is receiving excellent results, and offers opportunities for many more public performances - including to date 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle', 'Bouncers', 'Vinegar Tom', 'The Pilgrimage' 'Metamorphosis' 'Happy Families' and many more. This year we have also launched an A Level in Performance Studies as a natural progression from Key Stage 4 Performance Studies.
In addition we run an A' level Performance studies course combining Dance, drama and Music—in this way students are provided with a progression and continued route in the performing Arts Sphere.