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(Head of Drama)
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The staff consist of three trained specialist drama teachers. The Head of Drama, Mrs Zakis is in her twentieth year at the school and is well established both in the school and in the county. Mrs Prince and Miss Hopkins are both established and respected teachers within the school.
The Drama department is a lively and dynamic one. We have an extensive extra curricular programme as well as our time tabled lessons. We are very lucky to have three dedicated drama rooms, two at Doddington and one at London Road. The studio, AA5, at Doddington is a professional standard studio with lighting and sound facilities. This is used for outside workshops and performances as well as for lessons. The other two drama spaces are gradually being refurbished and equipped to enhance the drama experience of the pupils. We also have a stage at London Road, again with lighting and sound facilities where many of our productions take place.
Drama is taught to all pupils for one lesson a week until they reach year 9, at which time it becomes a GCSE option leading on, if the pupils so wish, to AS and A2 level. At Key Stage 3, the pupils learn the basics about theatre but they also learn many skills which are advantageous to them throughout their lives, such as, group co-operation, the ability to express ideas with confidence, understanding others’ points of view and developing negotiation and questioning skills. At GCSE and A level these skills are further developed with a stronger emphasis on creation of performance and understanding of techniques and their purposes.
The department is always busy with extra curricular activities. The G&T group have recently performed an adaptation of ‘Under Milk Wood’, ‘The Crucible’ and several Shakespeare plays. Each year they participate in the Northamptonshire Young People’s Arts Festival and they are always well received. Each student, of all abilities is given the opportunity to participate in a performance at least once a year and every other year we put on a whole school musical such as ‘Grease’ and ‘The Wiz’. There is also an annual talent show and another performing arts evening such as ‘Stars in their Eyes’ and ‘Night of the Musicals’. We not only encourage actors but also those who wish to be involved in back stage activities ranging from lighting and sound to stage management.
Many of our students go on to do drama as a career. We have had some actors and a stage manager, who developed their skills at Wrenn. Several have been inspired to become drama teachers. However, many students have not made drama their career but have found it very useful in other walks of life and work because of the inherent skills needed to participate in drama and theatre. All pupils have the opportunity to visit the theatre at least once a year and we also run a drama trip to Lake Garda, Italy every other year.